Project of the Week: 6th Avenue SW from 1st Street to 2nd Street

City crews are currently placing a new road surface on 6^th Avenue SW.

That doesn't mean the old surface will be thrown away.

"All concrete removed from the site will be crushed and re-used at another project in the future," says Streets Supervisor Brett Lerch. "And all millings will be re-used for shoulders and alleyways, as well as in our city parks and golf courses in the metro area."

That approach is a perfect example of how the City's Public Works department uses recycled and renewable materials every day. From recycling crushed asphalt and concrete, to treating winter road conditions with environmentally-friendly materials, sustainability is a key component of the department's approach.

During street repairs, City crews remove old asphalt and concrete and recycle it. Old concrete and asphalt are also turned into granular sub-base, a layer of compacted, coarse aggregate that acts as a primary foundation to strengthen and drain new pavement.

Re-using the material also means it does not need to be hauled to a landfill for disposal, and it cuts the cost of buying new material as well.

"The sheer amount of materials that we recycle is massive," says Streets Superintendent Brian McLeod.

Improving the Neighborhood

Over the past three years, the City has repaired a number of projects in the neighborhood near 6^th Avenue SW, including 3^rd Street from Diagonal Drive to 3^rd Avenue; 2^nd Street from Diagonal Drive to 5^th Avenue; and 5^th Avenue from 2^nd Street to 1^st Street. Once 6^th Avenue is done, the crew will move on to 2^nd Street between 3^rd Avenue and 5^th Avenue SW, and then to 3^rd Street from 3^rd Avenue to 1^st Avenue SW.

For 6^th Avenue SW, the crew starts with concrete sawing, then uses an a zipper truck to mill the original asphalt from the surface. The old concrete and asphalt is loaded into a truck for recycling; from there, new concrete will be poured, followed by an asphalt overlay.

Along with the road surface, the project featured new curb and gutter for the whole street - including alley approaches and driveways - as well as ADA upgrades.

6^th Avenue SW repairs are being handled entirely by the City's Streets crew as part of Paving for Progress, a program that exists solely for the maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of public streets. Seventy-five percent of the program's projects are in residential neighborhoods like 6^th Avenue SW.

The program is funded by a one percent local option sales tax, meaning the repairs are funded by both Cedar Rapids residents and visitors who shop and dine in our community.

Investing in the future

Residents often ask how streets are selected for repair each year. The City uses a 10-year management plan using pavement condition data collected on every street in Cedar Rapids. The data is collected by a vehicle that drives the surface of the roads and collects data on texture, pavement distress, and roughness.

Fresh data is collected every two years, and the plan is updated accordingly. Key Goals include:

• Fully reconstruct some of the roads in worst condition
• Perform less costly preventative maintenance to extend the life of additional roads, investing in those roads before they reach the end of their service life
• Make improvements to residential neighborhoods that have long been neglected
  
  

"The City is very grateful for residents' support of the Paving for Progress program," says Doug Wilson, Engineering Manager for Paving for Progress. "Without the local option sales tax being approved by voters twice, the program wouldn't exist, and streets like Mount Vernon Road would continue to deteriorate.

"Instead, we have been able to repair so many streets over the past 12 years," he says. "Residents tell us that they are very appreciative of the City working on their street, and of the efforts by the City staff to communicate with the neighborhood throughout the work process."

You can learn more about the 6^th Avenue SW project here. Learn more about Paving for Progress here. Learn more about the City's pavement management program here.

Project of the Week puts a spotlight on work happening all over the City every day. Each week, we will take a closer look at projects that are investing in our community's roads, trails, Flood Control System, and more. See previous installments here:

July 17: 4^th Street Trail Extension
July 10: 34^th Street SE
July 3: Roundhouse
June 25: Mount Vernon Road
June 18: Grande Avenue SE
June 11: O Avenue NW Time Check Elevation Project
June 5: Nassau Street
May 28: Cedar Lake
May 21: Tree of Five Seasons Park
May 14: 20th Street NW
May 7: 18th Avenue SW
April 30: Alliant Energy LightLine™
April 23: 42nd Street
April 16: The 3rd Avenue Bridge