Downtown Streetscape Water Main Work Begins January 14th

The Downtown Streetscape project will kick off water main updates January 14th.

Osceola’s historic downtown square streetscape project has been underway for less than a month. Partial lane closures along the north side of the square on Washington Street have allowed milling and grading work to progress since the project began. On Tuesday, January 14th, engineers and contractors are scheduled to begin sub-street water main updates.

“Some of the businesses along the north corridor will be without water for a short time,” said Ty Wheeler, Osceola’s City Administrator. “I really appreciate Osceola Chamber Main Street’s assistance with helping communicate with the business and building owners so they can plan ahead.”

The upcoming work will involve disconnecting old water lines, rerouting them, and connecting the new lines to the water tower. According to Wheeler, the interruption to water service will be temporary, with service expected to be restored within the same day. Once the tower connection is complete, water service will be reactivated for businesses and residents along Washington Street.

“Engineers contractors have been dedicated to minimizing disruptions for businesses and residents on the square,” said Mayor Thomas Kelley. “Their phased approach to the water main work ensures continued street and parking access while work progresses within the fenced-off areas.”

Over the past few weeks, the westbound lane of Washington Street has remained open to angle parking and traffic while milling and grading on the eastbound side is underway. Depending on temperatures and weather conditions, the water main work on Washington Street is expected to take two to three months to complete. Following the completion of the water main updates, the construction will continue across all of Washington Street.

For questions or more information about the streetscape project, the Osceola Chamber Main Street has established a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DowntownOsceolaStreetscapeProject, where the community can access up-to-date information. Additional inquiries can be directed to Osceola City Hall at 115 N Fillmore St, Osceola, IA 50213, or by phone at 641-342-2377.