The City of Windsor Heights is progressing with the 73rd Street reconstruction project, a significant undertaking that will enhance infrastructure from Hickman Road to University Avenue. The City Council has awarded the bid to Absolute Concrete, marking a crucial step forward for this essential community project. While the initial timeline faced slight adjustments due to state agency reviews, the project is now set to commence construction on May 6th, with Stage 6 (Wilshire to El Rancho) designated as the first phase.
During construction, through traffic will be redirected to 63rd Street to minimize disruption and ensure public safety. Recognizing the impact on daily commutes, it’s important to note that 73rd Street will be fully accessible to all traffic during the winter of 2024, when construction activities are paused. The entire reconstruction is strategically divided into six stages, with Stage four carefully planned to coincide with the school summer break, aiming to lessen the impact on school-related traffic. The contractor is allotted 300 working days to complete all phases of this comprehensive project. Local access to 73rd Street will be maintained for areas not under active construction, ensuring residents and local traffic can still navigate the area.
Businesses along 73rd Street are a vital part of the Windsor Heights community, and the project is designed to support their continued operation. Most businesses benefit from having dual access drives, and at least one of these will remain open throughout the construction period. To further assist businesses, clear signage will be strategically placed at the intersections of Hickman Road and University Avenue, informing drivers that all businesses remain open and accessible. For businesses with only a single driveway, access will be consistently provided using a gravel pathway, except during periods of active construction directly in front of the driveway. The city is committed to minimizing disruption to these businesses, with any necessary driveway construction work ideally scheduled during weekend off-peak business hours.
Pedestrian and cyclist routes are also being carefully considered. During construction stages 1 and 2, the trail running along 73rd Street will be temporarily closed for safety. Currently, there isn’t a designated alternative trail route available. The city is actively exploring solutions, including the possibility of requiring the contractor to install signage for the area trail system south of University Avenue and at School Street, clearly indicating the trail closure. Another option under consideration is establishing a temporary trail detour, which might involve utilizing sidewalks and potentially sections of streets to ensure pedestrian and cyclist connectivity is maintained as much as possible.
February 28th, 2025 Updates
Stage 5: Please be advised that Stage 5 will experience a temporary closure to through traffic during the week of March 17th. This short-term closure is necessary for Absolute Concrete to finalize remaining grading and sidewalk work in the area. The completion schedule for this work is contingent on favorable weather conditions. In the event of good weather, it is possible that simultaneous closures of Stage 1 and Stage 5 may occur during the Spring Break week commencing March 17th.
Stage 1A: Weather permitting, pavement removal work on Stage 1A is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 17th. The construction sequence is planned to progress from Stage 1A to Stage 1B, with work expected to continue into June. Advance notice and detour signage will be prominently displayed before any road closures are implemented. Importantly, vehicular access to all businesses situated on 73rd Street will be consistently maintained throughout all phases of construction.
For any issues, questions, or concerns specifically related to your water service, please contact the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) Project Manager, Carla Schumacher, directly at 515-323-6227 (office) or via email at [email protected].
Regarding parking, please note that parking is permitted on only one side of 73rd Street, and residents are asked to park only in designated areas. Residents are also reminded that if any private property improvements, such as landscaping, retaining walls, shrubs, sheds, or irrigation systems, are located within the public right-of-way, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to protect and relocate these items as needed to allow for construction. The contractor will not be responsible for working around or protecting these encroachments. Any underground utilities or systems, like irrigation lines or invisible dog fences, should be clearly located and marked by property owners to ensure they are visible and avoided during construction.
Waste management services will continue uninterrupted. Residents should place garbage, recycling, and yard waste out on Sunday night at the end of their driveways, as per the usual schedule. The contractor will collect these containers and move them to a designated collection point for the waste hauler. Emptied containers will then be promptly returned to residents’ driveways.
Safety within the construction zone is of paramount importance. It is common for residents, especially children, to be curious about the construction work. However, for your safety, please maintain a safe distance and stay clear of all construction areas. Construction zones present numerous hazards, including heavy machinery, trenches, loose materials, confined spaces, and hot asphalt, many of which may not be immediately apparent to the public. The contractor is responsible for ensuring safety within the project area. Please adhere to any safety instructions provided by the contractor. If you observe any unsafe conditions, please report them immediately to the construction inspector.
Currently, the roadway remains closed at Phase 6. Please continue to follow the designated detour route. For further details and visual aids, please refer to the linked graphics for the detour route, phasing plan, and additional staging information. You can also find important information for residents and businesses along 73rd Street in a dedicated document.
