Improved West State Street opened
A major upgrade to West State Street in Iola was completed and opened to traffic Oct 8. The street has seen increasing traffic in recent years due to expansion on the west end of the village.
The four blocks of West State Street from Main Street (State Highway 49/161) to Townline Road at the village's western edge was widened, leveled and lowered to promote more efficient drainage in a project begun in June.
No taxpayer dollars were required for the improvement, which was privately funded.
The project also significantly improved pedestrian access from the Living Oaks and Iola Senior Village complexes on the village's west end to the downtown business district. Prior to the renovation there was no sidewalk west of Grove Street, and the sidewalk between Main and Grove streets was in bad repair.
A new sidewalk was laid on the north side of West State Street, from Main Street extending to Townline Road. It features curb transitions at each intersection to facilitate accessibility for disabled users. The Living Oaks and Iola Senior Village facilities comprise 42 units of independent living and assisted care housing for persons aged 55 and older.
Prior to the recent construction, West State Street was an old, narrow thoroughfare bounded by a high dirt bank on the south and overgrown trees on the north.
To widen the street, more than 6,000 cubic yards of dirt were removed on its south side. An attractive new block retaining wall, up to 14 feet high, was installed with a system of drains to allow rainwater to flow into the storm sewer system. Lowering the street by 18 to 20 inches also facilitates proper drainage, allowing rainwater to run away from the houses on the street's north side into the rebuilt storm sewers.
In the process of rebuilding the sewer and lowering the street, nine huge rocks, some the size of large automobiles, were uncovered and removed; one required blasting to excavate it. The rocks and dirt from the construction were buried nearby on the site of the former Iola Feed Mill, which fronted State Street and was demolished earlier this year.
The roadway, consisting of four inches of asphalt, was laid down the week of Oct. 3-7, during which time driveway and alley approaches were also blacktopped and all lawns and the hillside disturbed by the construction were reseeded and matted.
Murphy Construction Company of Appleton was the general contractor on the project, working in coordination with Martinson & Eisle, the engineers for the project, and the village maintenance staff.
Iola Village President Joel Edler praised the careful planning of the project that at all times maintained access to the handful of residences on West State Street, the village recycling center, Iola-Scandinavia School District's bus garage at the west end and Northern Lights Bar & Grill near Main Street.
The four blocks of West State Street from Main Street (State Highway 49/161) to Townline Road at the village's western edge was widened, leveled and lowered to promote more efficient drainage in a project begun in June.
No taxpayer dollars were required for the improvement, which was privately funded.
The project also significantly improved pedestrian access from the Living Oaks and Iola Senior Village complexes on the village's west end to the downtown business district. Prior to the renovation there was no sidewalk west of Grove Street, and the sidewalk between Main and Grove streets was in bad repair.
A new sidewalk was laid on the north side of West State Street, from Main Street extending to Townline Road. It features curb transitions at each intersection to facilitate accessibility for disabled users. The Living Oaks and Iola Senior Village facilities comprise 42 units of independent living and assisted care housing for persons aged 55 and older.
Prior to the recent construction, West State Street was an old, narrow thoroughfare bounded by a high dirt bank on the south and overgrown trees on the north.
To widen the street, more than 6,000 cubic yards of dirt were removed on its south side. An attractive new block retaining wall, up to 14 feet high, was installed with a system of drains to allow rainwater to flow into the storm sewer system. Lowering the street by 18 to 20 inches also facilitates proper drainage, allowing rainwater to run away from the houses on the street's north side into the rebuilt storm sewers.
In the process of rebuilding the sewer and lowering the street, nine huge rocks, some the size of large automobiles, were uncovered and removed; one required blasting to excavate it. The rocks and dirt from the construction were buried nearby on the site of the former Iola Feed Mill, which fronted State Street and was demolished earlier this year.
The roadway, consisting of four inches of asphalt, was laid down the week of Oct. 3-7, during which time driveway and alley approaches were also blacktopped and all lawns and the hillside disturbed by the construction were reseeded and matted.
Murphy Construction Company of Appleton was the general contractor on the project, working in coordination with Martinson & Eisle, the engineers for the project, and the village maintenance staff.
Iola Village President Joel Edler praised the careful planning of the project that at all times maintained access to the handful of residences on West State Street, the village recycling center, Iola-Scandinavia School District's bus garage at the west end and Northern Lights Bar & Grill near Main Street.
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