Mingus Avenue boasts the heaviest traffic of any arterial road in Cottonwood. It’s about to get even worse.
In anticipation of the beginning of the next section of the Mingus Avenue reconstruction project, from Willard Street to the Eighth Street wash, utility companies have been updating their service lines along the roadway.
The largest of those update projects began June 28. Installation of a new waterline closed a portion of roadway and sidewalk at the intersection of Sixth Street and Mingus Avenue.
Mingus Avenue still allowed through traffic, but all turning to and from Sixth Street was prohibited.
Crews set up at Brian Mickelsen Parkway to get around the closure. Originally estimated to be finished by Friday, July 7, the closure was later extended to Tuesday, July 11.
City of Cottonwood Development Services Manager Morgan Scott said that though the waterline and other utility update projects appear to the part of the city’s larger reconstruction project, they are independent of the city’s major efforts set to begin in August or September.
The entire reconstruction project is estimated to take “at least nine months” and cost $2.2 million, $845,000 of the funding for which comes via a Highway Administration Surface Transportation Grant.
According to Scott, the roadway will be almost completely rebuilt. A few sections of curb and sidewalk in good enough condition may be saved. The project is the second phase of Mingus improvements.
The first phase, from State Route 89A to the roundabout at Willard Street, was undertaken in 2012 and completed in 2013.
It’s not all bad news for construction impacting traffic, however: Installation of a sidewalk on north side of E. Cottonwood Street, from Sawmill Cove to Sawmill Road, opposite the Safeway shopping center, is complete.
Based on original estimates from Scott in June, the project occurred on schedule.
According to Scott, there is enough foot traffic along E. Cottonwood Street, mainly due to the proximity of Cottonwood Area Transit stops on both the north and south sides of the roadway, to warrant a sidewalk.
