Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation said a pre-construction meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) May 6th beginning at 1-p.m. at the DOT’s District 4 Office, in Atlantic.  Transportation Planner Scott Suhr said the meeting (which is not open to the public, as it is between the DOT and the contractor) is with regard to the upcoming Highway 6/7th Street reconstruction project in Atlantic, that will result in detours being established once construction begins.

Suhr says the contractor has not given a specific start date yet but they have indicated they will likely begin work on the project the first week of June. That he says, will help ease some traffic with school being out for the summer. Once construction begins, the road will be closed from the intersection of Olive Street and Highway 6 (7th Street) east to just past the entrance to Burger King.

In the days leading up to construction, orange “Trailblazing” detour signs with the names of each business will be erected, directing people to those local businesses they would normally have access to on 7th Street. Signs will also be placed at 7th and Olive directing traffic to 10th Street for local, through traffic. Other, non-local or “Global” traffic will take Highway 173, Interstate 80 and U-S Highway 71 into or around Atlantic.

Bid letting on the project took place on March 17th. Once construction begins, KJAN will keep you informed on progress and relevant news pertaining to the project until it is completed.