Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project Phase Two Begins Wednesday, Mar. 15

March 9, 2023

The Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project will begin its second year of construction on Wednesday, Mar. 15. The $9.2 million, multi-phased project is a partnership between the City of Dubuque and the Iowa Department of Transportation and includes major pavement reconstruction and rehabilitation of the arterial roadway from HWY 20 (Dodge St.) to John F. Kennedy Rd. 

Last year, work was completed to reconstruct the arterial’s Pennsylvania Ave. and Asbury Rd. intersections as well as milling, repaving, and adding a four-foot shoulder to the southbound arterial lanes. 

This year, the remaining segments of the northbound lanes from the Catfish Creek Bridge (north of HWY 20) to John F. Kennedy Rd. will be completely reconstructed. This will involve completely removing and replacing the existing pavement. During the project, normal traffic flow will be maintained through the Pennsylvania Ave. and Asbury Rd. intersections while northbound and southbound traffic on the Northwest Arterial will be shifted to head-to-head in the southbound lanes.

Work is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Mar. 15, with the installation of temporary traffic signals at the Plaza Dr. and Chavenelle Rd. intersections. In addition, minor traffic impacts are expected at the Asbury Rd. intersection while the curbed median on the south side of the intersection is replaced and three ADA sidewalk ramps are reconstructed. 

Note, the following construction schedule may change due to weather conditions.

 Late March – Mid-June
One week later, on approximately Mar. 22, reconstruction will begin concurrently on two sections of the Northwest Arterial northbound lanes:

• From the Catfish Creek bridge to just north of Chavenelle Rd.
• Just north of Asbury Rd. to just south of John F. Kennedy Rd.

At this time, traffic will be shifted to head-to-head in the southbound lanes. Access will be maintained at the Chavenelle Rd. and Plaza Dr. intersections. However, the right-in right-out access to Associates Dr. and the right-in right-out access road to Sam’s Club will be temporarily closed. These two sections of arterial reconstruction are expected to be finished in mid-June.
 

Mid-June – Mid-August
Lastly, the northbound lanes from just north of Pennsylvania Ave. to just south of Asbury Rd. will be reconstructed. Again, at this time, traffic will be shifted to head-to-head in the southbound lanes for this section of the arterial. In addition, access at the Holiday Dr. intersection will be limited to right-in right-out only. Northbound arterial traffic will need to access Holiday Dr. from Asbury Rd. 

The Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project is expected to be substantially completed before school starts in August 2023.

The total project cost is approximately $9.2 million, the majority of which will be paid for through state funds and grants including $4.8 million in Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study Surface Transportation Program SWAP funds, $4.2 million from the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), and a $105,000 Iowa DOT Traffic Safety Improvement Program grant. In addition, $75,000 in city funds will be used to extend the left-turn lane at John F. Kennedy Rd.

To receive email and/or text message updates on the project and related traffic impacts, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/nwarterialupdates. For additional project details, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/nwarterial.

If you have questions regarding project closures or detours, please contact the City of Dubuque Engineering Department at 563.589.4270. Please note: closure dates/times are estimates and are subject to change without notification based on weather and contractor schedules.