Traditionally, the local Main Street has been the heart of small towns across the country — the bustling center for commerce, shopping, dining, and special events. Though Main Streets generally declined and lost their significance over recent decades, by the end of the 20th century, extensive revitalization projects began to bring many of these town centers back to life.
In the 1990s, the downtown business district in Cedar Falls, Iowa, was all but dead. However, thanks to concerted, collaborative efforts, Cedar Falls’ Main Street is now home to an array of breweries, restaurants, boutiques, and other thriving businesses. Unfortunately, the road that runs through the district had not kept up with the district’s revival.
Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) traffic studies show that this corridor currently has an estimated 8,400 to 11,500 vehicles traveling through it every day. These numbers are anticipated to remain relatively constant through 2040. However, outdated lanes and traffic patterns have led to clogged roads and decreased safety for drivers and pedestrians.
Now that is changing. The Cedar Falls Main Street Reconstruction Project is currently under construction and is expected to generate multiple benefits, including improved pavement condition and lower ongoing operational costs; enhanced safety for all modes of traffic; bicycle and pedestrian mobility; improved traffic flow; and support for economic growth and revitalization of the areas adjacent to the project.
“With deep underground sanitary sewer over 100 years old and a pavement surface beginning to crumble after decades of restorative efforts — including lane widening over brick, asphalt overlays, patching, etc. — it was time to look at the corridor for a complete reconstruction effort,” said Ben Claypool, Ph.D., PE, Principal Engineer with the Cedar Falls Engineering Division. “This modernization from 6th Street to University Avenue will provide a significant improvement for the City of Cedar Falls.
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“The project includes new sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, pavement, lane configuration, bike lanes, and a new three-cell box culvert at the creek crossing of Dry Run Creek, which is just south of Seerley Boulevard. All of the infrastructure is getting replaced. The existing four-lane cross section has been reduced to a three-lane cross section — one lane in each direction and a central turning lane — with bike lanes in each direction. Further, three light-controlled intersections are being replaced with roundabouts to improve traffic flow and improve pedestrian crossings. These three roundabouts will feature unique landscaping — one has a clock tower, one has a single masonry column, and the other has three masonry columns.”
Claypool added that new sidewalks are being constructed on both sides of the street, hundreds of new trees will be replanted along the Main Street Corridor, and a gateway feature being constructed near 7th Street will serve as a visual welcome to visitors to the historic district.
“The improved corridor will contribute to future redevelopment, while the improved flow will promote travel to and from our central business district,” Claypool said.
Construction began in April 2023 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. Total construction costs for the Cedar Falls Main Street Reconstruction Project are estimated at approximately $28 million. Funding comes from multiple sources, including:
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- Iowa DOT Surface Transportation Block Grant/SWAP
- American Rescue Plan
- Local sources: Local Option Sales Tax, General Obligation Bonds, Street Construction Funds, Storm Water Funds, Cedar Falls Utilities, and Tax Increment Financing from the downtown tax district
The primary contractor is Peterson Contractors, Inc. of Reinbeck, Iowa, and the project’s design engineer is Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC, headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Subcontractors on the project include Owen Contracting, Inc., Bowers Masonry, Matthias Landscaping, KW Electric, Iowa Bridge and Culvert, and Mike Dolan Concrete & Masonry.
The project was designed to be completed in three primary phases:
- 2023 construction season: 6th to 11th Street and 18th street to University Avenue (included the Seerley Boulevard roundabout and box culvert)
- 2024 construction season: 11th to 18th Street (includes the 12th Street roundabout and adjacent east/west blocks)
- 2025 construction season: 18th Street roundabout and adjacent east/west blocks
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“The goal of this phasing was to keep at least one of the city’s two critical arterials/major collectors open during the construction — those being 12th Street/Waterloo Road and 18th Street,” Claypool said. “18th Street has remained fully open during the first two years, while 12th was impacted during the 2024 season.”
The first phase of the construction, in 2023, involved the closure of both the north and south ends of the corridor, meaning segments of Main Street between 5th Street and 11th Street and between 18th Street and University Avenue were closed to through traffic. Detour information was posted on location and on the project website.
By the fall of 2023, the underground utility work in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project was finished, and the new box culvert at Seerley Boulevard had reached substantial completion. Much of the new pavement was in place, and the Seerley roundabout was taking shape. Warm winter weather allowed the contractor to work into December, wrapping up concrete paving operations at Seerley Boulevard and finishing grading work. By year’s end, the project reached its first major milestone — with all planned work for Phase 1 and Phase 2 completed and the Main Street corridor reopened to traffic.
Construction on Phase 3 of the project began in March 2024, focused on the section of Main Street from the south side of the 10th Street intersection to the north side of the 13th Street intersection, as well as the reconstruction of West 12th Street and Waterloo Road from Washington Street to State Street. Pavement removal and sanitary sewer reconstruction resumed, including a full water main replacement, a new storm sewer, and then the placement of new pavement.
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Beginning in October, after the completion of earthwork and utility work at the southern limits of the project (near 17th and Main), work on the northern side of the State Street and Waterloo Road intersection continued. In preparation for the opening of the roundabout at the intersection of Main Street and 12th Street, a temporary southbound lane closure on State Street (from 11th Street to Waterloo Road) was required to prevent hazardous turning movements onto Waterloo Road prior to the reconstruction of the State Street/Waterloo Road intersection. To allow for the completion of reconstruction work at this intersection, a full block closure of State Street (between 11th Street and Waterloo Road) was later put into effect.
“The 2023 and 2024 work is mostly completed, with a busy year ahead for the remaining 2025 construction season,” Claypool said.
Claypool said that during the construction, north/south traffic has generally been routed to the west to College Street, or to the east to the highway as the primary north/south options.
“As the different major intersections have been closed, such as 12th, 18th, and Seerley), traffic has been shifted to the next major intersection either north or south,” he said.
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“Utility conflicts have been the primary challenge on this project,” Claypool added. “A significant communications duct bank relocation from 18th through Seerley led to substantial impacts during the 2023 construction season, including a significant utility support system in place during the construction of the culvert near Seerley Boulevard. Otherwise, two historically dry summers have allowed a wide-open schedule for the contractor to complete the necessary work.”
The Cedar Falls Main Street Reconstruction Project will improve road conditions along Main Street, while lowering upkeep costs associated with the corridor. Perhaps most importantly, it will enhance safety and traffic flow, provide added bicycle and pedestrian mobility, and play a part in economic growth and revitalization throughout the areas adjacent to the project.
"This complete reconstruction, especially on such a significant corridor through town, will last a long time and serve this community as it grows into the future," Claypool said.
City of Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick said that the Main Street Reconstruction Project is one of those once-in-a-decade road projects that transforms a major corridor of town.
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“Beyond just updating pavement and aging underground utilities, the project also incorporates major quality of life and mobility elements like on-street bike lanes, improved walkability, lighting, and landscaping,” he said. “We were also able to bring a placemaking component to the project with several major design elements. This included a new gateway structure and signage into our downtown, as well as unique center-median artwork at the new roundabouts, including a clocktower replica of the University of Northern Iowa's campanile.
“These improvements will significantly increase safety for citizens, better allow for multiple modes of transportation, and support continued investment in our historic Downtown District and to the south along the Main Street corridor."
Photos courtesy of Cedar Falls Engineering Division
