T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Public Works Director Heather Thomas addresses the Marshalltown city council during a public hearing about the 2026 street rehabilitation project during Tuesday night’s meeting.

At least 14 street sections across all four of Marshalltown’s wards will see improvements this year pending the approval of an accepted bid after the city council held a brief public hearing and approved the plans and specifications for the 2026 hot mix asphalt (HMA) project during Tuesday night’s regular meeting.

Public Works Director Heather Thomas provided the details as she stepped forward to the speaking podium, noting that the project is currently out for bid. A base bid including 14 sections — North 2nd Street from West State Street to West Lincoln Street, West Webster Street from North 2nd Street to North Center Street, West Grant Street from North 2nd Street to North Center Street, South 1st Street from West Boone Street to West Church Street, West Linn Street from South 3rd Street to South 1st Street, East Boone Street from South 12th Avenue Place to South 14th Avenues, South 14th Avenue from East Nevada Street to East Linn Street, West State Street from North 13th Street to North 5th Street, West Ingledue Street from South 6th Street to South Center Street, South 3rd Street from West Ingledue Street to West Ferner Street, West Ferner Street from South 3rd Street to South Center Street, Highview Drive from West Ingledue Street to cul-de-sac, East Ferner Street from South Center Street to South 2nd Avenue and South 1st Avenue from East Anson Street to East Ingledue Street — is estimated to cost $2,285,294, and an alternative package adding another $122,040 to the cost includes South 16th Avenue from East Nevada Street to Norris Place, Norris Place from South 16th Avenue to South 17th Avenue and South 17th Avenue from Norris Place to East Linn Street.

When the city contracted with HR Green for pavement consulting, staff selected street segments between one and eight blocks based on the condition and in hopes of spreading the work across all four wards, aiming to target streets that were asphalt surface with concrete underneath and fold-up asphalt.

“Once we identified some of the priority areas using those things and the conditions of them, we kind of went through a process of elimination. We wanted to look at other construction projects that are underway this year and also in the next five years,” Thomas said. “We would prefer not to go in now and work on a street that’s gonna need to get dug up here in the next five years for a utility project.”

They also examined other major public and private construction projects like Reimagine Miller Middle School and the MARSHALLTOWN Company expansion and decided to wait until after they are through to pursue asphalt work in those areas. Some streets that staff expressed interest in working on, Thomas said, were eliminated when it was determined they would not hold up to a mill and overlay.

She clarified that they were not necessarily addressing the “worst” streets in the community as they are likely past the point of a rehab project, and Thomas also acknowledged that they may mill the surface off and come into something that cannot be overlaid.

“If we get there, we will address it at that time. We’ve done some due diligence ahead of time with coring and some of those street selections looking at historical records of what we have in that area, but it is a very big possibility that that may happen,” she said. “We are focusing on streets that are kind of on that borderline, maybe even a little bit below that borderline from a technical standpoint of what you should overlay and what you shouldn’t.”

The streets in question will mostly be in the low end of the fair category or the upper end of the poor category on the pavement condition index, and the South 1st Avenue project between East South Street and East Ferner Street will be a full depth mill and a full depth asphalt replacement. Thomas said there will be a “very wide variability” in how much they’re milling and how much asphalt’s going back, but each project will include a minimum of two inches of asphalt.

While curbs are not the focus of the project, there are a few areas where such repairs are necessary, and Thomas noted that Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance is also a consideration, especially at intersections. The bids are due by Tuesday, June 2 at 10 a.m., and they will be considered by council at the next meeting on Monday, June 8.

Construction cannot occur on July 22 and 23 due to RAGBRAI, and construction should be complete by October. Thomas directed anyone interested in learning more about street projects planned for 2026 to visit the city website at https://www.marshalltown-ia.gov/858/Construction.

With no public comments, Mayor Mike Ladehoff closed the hearing, and Councilor Greg Nichols, communicating remotely, commended Thomas on the project and said he looked forward to seeing the results. Fellow Councilor Melisa Fonseca called it “a really good plan” and felt the interactive website feature was very helpful.

Ladehoff added that he recently drove out to Summit Street past 16th Street and said it was “really nice.” A motion to approve the plans and specifications passed by a unanimous 7-0 vote.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

• Heard the 2025 Marshalltown Police Department annual report from Chief Chris Jones.

• Approved a special Class C retail alcohol license with outdoor service for the Marshalltown Central Business District (MCBD) for events on May 27, June 12, June 27, July 17 and Aug. 7 by a 6-1 vote with Mark Mitchell opposed.

• Approved an amended contract with Veenstra & Kimm Inc., a Kleinfelder Company, for building plan review and building inspection services.

• Approved a resolution for the status of funding activities for the Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Tree Planting Project as Kristin Titus of the Parks and Rec Department reported that the project is substantially complete with 341 trees planted.

• Approved the third and final reading of the temporary RAGBRAI ordinance for July 22.

• Approved the second reading of an ordinance amendment adding a new chapter establishing requirements for outdoor seating areas on public property and subsequently voted to waive the third and final reading.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.