Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation said today (Thursday) the public will be informed each week through the local media, about detours for Highway 6 in Atlantic, once a long-awaited construction project begins in the next few weeks. The road is scheduled to be closed from the intersection of Olive Street and Highway 6 (7th Street) east to just past the entrance to Burger King.

IA DOT District 4 Transportation Planner Scott Suhr and District 4 Assistant District Engineer Don Stevens provided the media with a project update this (Thursday) morning. While the exact start date has not yet been determined because the contractor for the project has not yet signed the documents necessary to begin, Suhr says in the days leading up to construction, orange “Trailblazing” detour signs with the names of each business will be erected, directing people to those local businesses they would normally have access to on 7th Street.

Signs will also be placed at 7th and Olive directing traffic to 10th Street for local, through traffic. Other, non-local or “Global” traffic will take Highway 173, Interstate 80 and U-S Highway 71 into or around Atlantic.

Bid letting on the project took place on March 17th. And, while the exact start date has yet to be determined, construction will start no later than June 6th and be completed in two-to three-months, depending on the weather. In ideal situation, Suhr said construction would start following the last day of school, and be completed before the fall semester begins.

Project updates will be made available to the media for dissemination to the public on Monday afternoons, following meetings with the contractor, once construction begins. The idea is to keep the public informed on progress being made while the project is underway.