Clinton council approves contracts

By Steven Martens | Sunday, August 17, 2008

CLINTON, Iowa — Clinton is moving forward with two major road projects after the City Council approved contracts for the Liberty Square project and the widening of Manufacturing Drive.

The council was split at this week’s council meeting as to whether the proposed

$1.23 million contract with Clinton Engineering to widen Manufacturing Drive from two lanes to four lanes from U.S. 30 north about one mile should include a traffic light at Valley West Drive, which leads into the area being developed around the new Wild Rose Casino & Resort.

Council member Mike Kearney, 2nd Ward, offered an amendment to remove the $160,000 for the traffic light from the contract, saying he believed the city needed traffic counts at the new intersection to find out if a traffic light is needed there.

Council member Bob Soesbe, 1st Ward, said with construction costs escalating, he believed it made sense to have the light installed now.

“We’ll do it next year or we’ll do it now,” Soesbe said. “I favor doing it now. I think it will be cheaper.”

Council member Bette Oakley, At-Large, also supported leaving the traffic light in the contract, but then voted in favor of Kearney’s amendment to remove it from the contract and in favor of the amended resolution. Kearney’s amendment and the

resolution passed on 4-2 votes.

Oakley said after the meeting she was confused about the vote and had intended to vote to keep the traffic light in the contract. Because she voted in the majority, Oakley can ask to have the vote reconsidered, and said she plans to raise the issue again.

City Administrator Gary Boden said Thursday the issue will be on the agenda for the next council meeting.

The council also approved a $15.38 million contract with McCarthy-Foley Joint Venture for the Liberty Square project, which will include reconstruction of Liberty Avenue from 25th Place to South 4th Street and a small portion of work along Camanche Avenue.

The overall project will create two one-way routes along U.S. 30/67 through Clinton.

The contract will be paid by the Iowa Department of Transportation, with the city repaying $8.05 million of the total, said Jon Estram of Howard R. Green Co., the engineering firm contracted by the city for the project.

The work on this phase of the project is expected to be complete by the end of the 2009 construction season, Estram said.

Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.