After years of planning, work on the Rebuild Downtown Rock Island plan begins on April 16.
The city and its contractors shared the construction schedule with business owners and residents Wednesday afternoon.
Hardscape construction, which includes roads and sidewalks, is expected to finish by the end of the year.
The project is broken up into three parts.
Phase One
The first part of construction includes roads and utilities on 18th Street and 19th Street between 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue. It's expected to run until December, but weather or unexpected objects in the ground could change the schedule.
Project Manager Aaron Lubitz said the cast iron water main will be replaced with a plastic pipe. Water service won't be disturbed until the new pipes are installed — switching over will take between several hours and a day.
Phase Two
The next part of the project runs concurrently with Phase One. The intersections of 19th Street with 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue will see similar road and utility work starting in October. It's expected to finish around the same time as Phase One.
Phase Three
This part will also run at the same time as Phase One. The Arts Alley next to Quad City Arts on 2nd Street will have two artists paint murals along the upper walls. Once the murals are finished, crews will replace the pavement. This is only expected to take a month between June and July.
Businesses in the construction zone will be open during the entire project. Five-foot walkways will allow entry into businesses, and parking will be available. The city is working with Modern Woodmen to lease out additional parking lots.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Monday, April 15 at 2 p.m. at the intersection of 18th Street and 2nd Avenue.
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