Coralville Courier

Intermodal Cartage Truck Drivers Receive 30% Pay Raise

Memphis-based Intermodal Cartage Company has announced a 30% pay raise for its drivers to proactively reach out to more prospective employees at the drayage carrier.

IMC is the latest carrier to offer a substantial pay raise in the past few months in an effort to attract new drivers and retain experienced drivers. With high demand to move freight and an ongoing driver shortage, trucking companies are actively making moves to be more competitive employers.

Current driver shortage estimates find that as many as 90,000 drivers are needed nationwide, and hundreds of thousands will be needed in the coming decades in order to meet rising demand.

via www.truckinginfo.com

Construction Work Begins Downtown – Open House May 4

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Several downtown construction projects are scheduled to begin next week, weather permitting. This year, work will continue on pavement restoration, sidewalk and ADA improvements, utility replacements, and conversion from one-way to two-way travel. The public can learn more about upcoming projects at an open house on Friday, May 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Economic Alliance (501 1st St SE).

TRAFFIC IMPACTS - WORK STARTING APRIL 23, 2018

2^nd Avenue: Starting next week, crews will begin milling and resurfacing work on 2^nd Avenue SE, starting at 8^th Street and working their way to 1^st Street. Travel lane reductions and parking restrictions will be in effect. This work will last approximately three weeks, weather permitting. The road will remain one-way until the railroad crossing arms and gates are installed later this spring/early summer.

5^th Street: Also starting next week, work will begin on 5^th St SE, between 4^th Avenue and 5^th Avenue. This includes storm sewer and pavement work. The intersection of 5^th Avenue and 5^th Street SE will be closed; lane and parking restrictions will also be in effect on 5^th Street. This work will last approximately three weeks, weather permitting.

 

THIS YEAR’S DOWNTOWN PROJECTS:

2nd Avenue SE, from 1st Street SE to 8th Street SE

• Two-way conversion
• Milling, resurfacing
• ADA / Sidewalk improvements
• Railroad crossing arms/gates

• Bike lanes

3rd Avenue Bridge

• Transition from angle to parallel parking
• Milling, resurfacing
• Protected bike lane
• Work on the bridge will not begin until late summer

 

4th and 5th Avenue SE, from 3rd Street to 5th Street

• Two-way conversion
• Milling, resurfacing
• Storm sewer replacement
• Pedestrian bump-outs at four intersections
• ADA / Sidewalk improvements
• Railroad crossing arms/gates

• 4^th Avenue bike lanes

5^th Street SE, from 4^th Ave to 5^th Ave

• Storm sewer replacement
• Pavement resurfacing
• Pedestrian bump outs

Boyson Road NE Intermittent Closures

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The City of Cedar Rapids will be removing ash trees alongside Boyson Road NE next week, which will require a full road closure. Closures will be scheduled to allow drop-off and pick-up operations at Bowman Woods Elementary to continue. 

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week (April 23 – 25) Boyson Road between Brentwood Drive and Kent Drive will be fully closed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., to allow tree removals to safely take place outside of school pick-up and drop-off times. 

Bowman Woods Elementary can still be accessed via the entrance off Chatham Rd.  The ash removals are part of the City’s Emerald Ash Borer management plan and are being removed proactively to limit the spread of the disease.

Traffic Control Modification at Oakdale Boulevard & Crosspark Road

CORALVILLE -- Starting at 9:00 am on Monday, April 23, traffic control will be modified at the Oakdale Boulevard and Crosspark Road intersection. The modification will keep eastbound Oakdale Boulevard traffic on the north side of the center median, running head-to-head with westbound traffic, from Coral Ridge Ave to the east side of the CRANDIC Railroad crossing.

 

 

Lane reduction on Dubuque Street starting Monday, April 23

IOWA CITY -- Traffic lanes will be reduced on Dubuque Street beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 23, 2018, weather permitting. 

The left turn lane from northbound Dubuque Street to westbound Park Road will not be available at the intersection allowing the contractor to complete installation of water main. This work must be completed before the closure of the Park Road bridge. Vehicles will travel head-to-head during this time.  

Drivers are encouraged to take alternate routes or plan for delays. Remember to use caution when traveling through the construction zone.

The Iowa City Gateway Project is a flood mitigation effort, elevating Dubuque Street while raising and replacing the Park Road Bridge. To receive project updates, sign up for City of Iowa City e-subscriptions, and follow the City of Iowa City on Facebook and Twitter using #ICgateway. To learn more about the project, visit www.icgov.org/gatewayproject.

City of Iowa City earns Aaa bond rating

Moody's Investors Service has awarded the City of Iowa City the highest credit rating possible, an Aaa bond rating, for its outstanding general obligation debt. The City has maintained an Aaa rating since November 1973. The top tier Aaa rating ranks Iowa City among the most financially stable cities in the state of Iowa and the nation.

The Moody’s rating is used by banking authorities and investors to evaluate the potential risk of loans, bonds, and other financial transactions with municipalities and other governmental entities. A top rating by Moody’s, a global market rating agency, represents the least amount of risk to investors. For Iowa City, it also represents financial savings for the City and taxpayers due to lower interest rates on loans for municipal projects. 

For more information, contact Finance Director Dennis Bockenstedt at 319-356-5053 or dennis-bockenstedt@iowa-city.org.

Bus Stops Impacted by 1st Avenue/6th Street Construction

Road reconstruction on 1st Avenue, and the closure of 6th Street just west of 1st Avenue, will impact five Coralville Transit stops on four bus routes. The following rerouting is expected to be in effect starting Tuesday, April 24, until further notice:

10th Street Route

• Stop #4030 (1st Avenue and 5th Street): Closed; passengers redirected to 5th Street and 3rd Avenue
• Stop #4040 (6th Street and 1st Avenue – Scotch Pine): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue
• Stop #4050 (6th Street and 4th Avenue): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue

Lantern Park Route

• Stop #4051 (6th Street and 4th Avenue – Scotsdale): Closed; passengers redirected to northwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue
• Stop #4041 (6th Street and 1st Avenue) : Closed; passengers redirected to northwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue

Night and Saturday Route

• Stop #4040 (6th Street and 1st Avenue – Scotch Pine): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue
• Stop #4050 (6th Street and 4th Avenue): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue

PM Special Route

• Stop #4040 (6th Street and 1st Avenue – Scotch Pine): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue
• Stop #4050 (6th Street and 4th Avenue): Closed; passengers redirected to southwest corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue

Route changes, lane closures, and traffic delays will make predicted bus arrival times on Bus on the Go (Bongo, www.bongo.org) inaccurate, however, the real-time maps on Bongo with actual bus locations will be accurate and should be used to locate buses.

via www.coralville.org

1st Avenue Construction Begins Next Phase on April 24

CORALVILLE -- Starting at 9:00 on Tuesday, April 24, the 1st Avenue Improvements from 6th Street to 9th Street will transition into Phase 2 – Stage 1. During this stage, 6th Street will close to traffic between 1st Avenue and the driveway to the Baymont Inn & Suites. Traffic on 1st Avenue will be reduced to one lane northbound and one lane southbound near the 6th Street intersection, and both lanes will be shifted east onto temporary pavement. Phase 2 – Stage 1 should be complete by July 25.

Construction will impact Coralville Transit routes. Please visit www.coralville.org/transit for the latest information.

Access to businesses along 1st Avenue will be maintained for the duration of the 1st Avenue construction. During Phase 2 – Stage 1, the Baymont Inn & Suites will remain accessible using their southerly driveway at the intersection of 5th Street Place and 2nd Avenue (shared driveway with Burger King). Pedestrian access will be maintained along 1st Avenue through temporary surfacing and channelizing barriers. Drivers should expect delays and please drive carefully in work zones! 

With both northbound and southbound 1st Avenue reduced to one lane in the work zone, we are asking drivers to use both available lanes up to the point where the lane reduction occurs and then take turns merging, also referred to as zipper merging. Visit www.coralville.org/finishing1st.

The 1st Avenue improvements will be substantially complete this December and will feature:

• Four through lanes and a continuous center turn lane
• 10 foot wide sidewalks on both sides of 1st Avenue
• Upgraded traffic signals at the E. 7th Street intersection
• New four-leg intersection with traffic signals at 6th Street, with the fourth leg providing a future connection to E. 2nd Avenue in the Iowa  River Landing
• New public utilities (storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and water main)
• New roadway lighting and streetscaping

via www.coralville.org

Reception Honoring Retiring Fire Chief David Stannard

Join us for a public reception honoring Coralville Fire Chief David Stannard at Coralville City Hall, 1512 7th Street. Chief Stannard retires on April 20,...… Read on

Date	May 8, 2018
Time	4:00 PM - 6:15 PM
Location	Coralville City Hall 1512 7th Street Coralville, IA 52241
Cost	Free and open to the public

 

Suspect Arrested for Murder of AnnaElise Edgeton

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Cedar Rapids Police Department has arrested a suspect in the shooting death of 18-year old AnnaElise M. Edgeton.  Edgeton was found deceased inside her apartment at Shamrock Apartments, 316 Jacolyn Drive SW, at 11:21 a.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2018.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Edgeton died as the result of a gunshot wound.

The subsequent investigation found that Kyler Jacob Junkins, DOB/08-20-1998, age 19, of Marion, was involved in breaking into the victim’s apartment and shooting her.  At the time of his arrest, the suspect was already in custody at the Linn County Jail on unrelated charges. The suspect has been charged with Murder in the First Degree and Burglary-First Degree.

There remains an ongoing investigation into this incident; therefore additional details are not available at this time.

Disclaimer:  Any arrest information included above is based on the legal conclusion that, as with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.