Downtown streetscape project ‘progressing nicely’ with asphalt mills and overlays

Portions of the City of Newton’s downtown streetscape project are completed and open to the public while others are still closed for the time being.

Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler told Newton News that the paving project is progressing nicely. Asphalt has been laid down on three of the five blocks included in the streetscape project. As of Nov. 27, the only two blocks that still need asphalt are the 200 and 300 blocks of North Second Avenue East.

Currently, the mill and overlay of the 100 block of North Second Avenue East is complete and open to the public. The 100 block of East Second Street North is paved but still closed to the public, and the 100 block of East Third Street North is partially paved but also closed to the public.

Newton News previously reported that the city council awarded a more than $831,000 contract to Manatts, Inc. to complete the downtown streetscape project. All of the areas included in the project have had some level of asphalt resurfacing in the past, but that occurred between 36 and 38 years ago.

The asphalt surface needed to be rehabilitated. Streets affected by this project are now being reconstructed to 40 feet wide from curb to curb (instead of 55 feet) and include parallel parking and new sidewalks. City staff said the street widths are returning to their original size and will improve drainage.

Grass areas between the curb and sidewalk are being added to better improve the aesthetics and provide better snow storage.