Corey Schinstock was discussing plans for the upcoming rebuild of U.S. 54 through much of Iola with a resident who lives alongside the highway.
As Iola’s assistant city administrator, Schinstock has been the lead in planning the long-awaited construction project.
Schinstock noted the resident worked for the Kansas Department of Transportation, one of the city’s partners with the highway rebuild, and thus had more than one reason to be interested in the progress.
But rather than express concern, the resident voiced excitement, Schinstock noted.
He’s got a vested interest, but he’s excited about it,” Schinstock said. “I’m excited about it, too.
“I don’t know if I’m excited for the headaches that might go along with it, but it’s been a long time getting this put together.”
Those years of debate, and months of planning will culminate starting next week as crews begin the highway’s full-scale rebuild, starting at the west edge of town, between McDonald’s and Sonic Drive-In.
“I don’t know if they’re going to be pulling out concrete next week, but it’s going to be pretty close to that,” Schiinstock said Friday, after attending a final pre-construction meeting between the city, KDOT, engineers from Burns & McDonnell and Bettis Asphalt and Construction, Inc. of Topeka, the general contractor.
The work will begin with crews closing off one half of 54 between State and Buckeye streets, a stretch that includes all of Iola’s downtown business district.
The closure will still allow for two-lane traffic to proceed through the construction zone, largely unabated, but will effectively scuttle all downtown parking along the highway.
Additionally, access to the highway will be closed from the affected side streets along the route, depending on which half is being rebuilt, Schinstock added.
He advised motorists to acquaint themselves with various public parking lots just off the square, including ones in the 200 block of West Madison Ave., the one west of the Iola Public Library, at the intersection of Jackson and Sycamore streets, one just west of the Bowlus and another in the 200 block of South Jefferson Avenue.
“There is parking in every direction from the square,” he noted.
If all goes according to plan, the first half of the first phase will be finished by Aug. 1, at which point work begins all over on the opposite side of the street.
“The big caveat, of course, is weather permitting,” Schinstock said.
The plan is for Phase 1 to be completed entirely by mid-October.
