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City council talks Keystone Bridge, decorative lights and art in Elkader

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The Elkader Council was recently provided with mock-ups of the Keystone Bridge project, and learned about project changes, including added safety features, design elements and cost.

The bridge railings have been updated to meet current design standards, and enhanced crosswalk signage is meant to increase pedestrian welfare. The sidewalk will also be widened, more interior supports will be added, the metal brackets that hold the sidewalk up will be replaced, curb and gutter will be added to the street with a moisture barrier under the street surface and tuck pointing and stone repair will be completed.

By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register

The Elkader City Council met on Sept. 14 to discuss several issues, including an update on the Keystone Bridge project, while Main Street Elkader brought two items before the group: decorative streetlights down Main Street and the upcoming Art in the Alley event. 

The Keystone Bridge project dates back to 2015. The update was provided by project engineer Julie Needle, who presented the council with the most recent mock-ups of the bridge and discussed project changes, including added safety features, design elements and cost. 

Regarding safety and design, the railings have been updated to meet current design standards, and enhanced crosswalk signage is meant to increase pedestrian welfare. The sidewalk will also be wider at a consistent six feet the entire way, more interior supports will be added, the metal brackets that hold the sidewalk up will be replaced, there will be curb and gutter added to the street with a moisture barrier under the street surface and tuckpointing and stone repair will be completed, all in an effort to “preserve this landmark,” said Elkader City Administrator Jennifer Cowsert. 

In terms of overall project cost, there has been a 14 percent increase since 2015, which Cowsert attributed to inflation. So far, the city has spent $140,279, which she said was “almost entirely on engineering,” though that figure is expected to approach around $450,000 before the project is finished. 

The actual construction cost is now estimated to be $1.7 million, but this is being funded by the Competitive Highway Bridge Program, which is federal funding, and the rest is to be covered by the Highway Bridge Program Swap state funding. 

The entire project is expected to take five to six months, and is tentatively scheduled for the 2021 construction season, but could be pushed back until 2022, depending on the approval and bidding timeline. 

During construction, emergency vehicles will still be able to pass over the bridge, and the pedestrian walkways will still be functional, but general vehicle traffic will need to utilize detour routes. 

Danielle Shea presented the next item from Main Street Elkader and the group’s proposal to install decorative, commercial grade lights down Main Street. The lights would remain on throughout the night from May to September, and are anticipated to be paid for through grants and public fundraising campaigns, though Shea acknowledged the difficulty in asking local businesses for money due to the “financial crises businesses have had right now.” 

Main Street Elkader has an initial goal of extending the lights from Cedar Street down to Wilke’s, with the possibility for future add-ons and extensions. 

Council member Daryl Koehn brought up the issue of increased cost to the city’s electric bill, to which Shea responded, “They’re LED bulbs, but there would probably be a cost increase, I would imagine.” 

Council member Peggy Lane asked, “What do you need from us?” “Nothing really, just approval for the increased electrical bill at some point probably. I just want to keep you updated,” Shea said. 

The logic behind the project, dubbed “Light Up the Night,” is that studies “show that people are moving away from tangible things and they want experiences and an atmosphere, and they like to make those memories…We’re trying to make Elkader not just a stop along the way, but the destination,” Shea said. 

Council member Bob Hendrickson declared, “I think it looks awesome.” 

Finally, the council heard from Main Street Elkader Executive Director Kate Lower about the upcoming Art in the Alley event scheduled for Oct. 10. With Elkader’s Main Street, having recently been designated an Iowa Cultural and Entertainment District by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs/Iowa Arts Council, the event is meant to continue Elkader’s burgeoning commitment to being an art friendly community and to drive economic vitality. While the event is expected to host artists, the topic focused mostly on Lower’s mention of the possibility of allowing local businesses to set up stands and sell merchandise in the alley during the event, currently scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to noon, though this could change. 

Mayor Josh Pope, supportive of the idea, recommended closing the alley for the event, which caused an immediate reaction from council members who were not in support of closing the space. The art-focused conversation devolved into one about the efficacy of closing sections of the street for Main Street events, something the council has recently become reluctant to do. 

While council members Koehn, Lane and Hendrickson all support the event itself, they would not support the closure. Hendrickson said, “It’s a great idea, but those alleys are in bad shape,” while Koehn added, “It’s a good idea, but do it without closing the alley.” 

The reluctance to the closure revolved around the issue of liabilities, due to the deteriorating condition of the alleys and the impact such a closure would have on traffic that utilizes the alleyways. 

The council gave support to allowing businesses to set up a table to sell merchandise, but only if it is limited in size and scale and does not extend beyond three feet into the alley, which would disrupt traffic flow. They also mentioned patching the potholes prior to the event, to limit the risk of liabilities, such as if someone fell or tripped on a pothole while venturing into the alley.

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