The Johnston Brief
Orange barrels are basically Iowa's state flower. Here's what's actually under construction in Johnston right now, centered on the Merle Hay Road corridor and NW 62nd Avenue, what it's becoming, and how long you'll be dodging cones.
The city is rebuilding NW 62nd Avenue from a two-lane rural road into a three-lane urban roadway, and adding a trail that will connect to NW Beaver Drive. The work also includes new sanitary sewer, water main, and storm sewer. Expect lane restrictions along this stretch; check the city's project page for the current phase and any detours.
A package of improvements east of Merle Hay Road: water, sanitary, and storm sewer upgrades, road enhancements, and new pedestrian facilities. This is part of the build-out around the growing north-central part of town, so watch for utility and paving work.
Roadway and intersection improvements along Merle Hay Road near NW Johnston Drive, the city's main north-south spine. This corridor ties into the larger Town Center redevelopment plan, so expect ongoing work here over multiple seasons.
The city's annual sidewalk program repairs and replaces stretches of public sidewalk around town. Individual segments close briefly while crews work; it's short-duration, neighborhood-level disruption rather than a road closure.
This page tracks active road construction and closures around Johnston. For the city's own project list and status, use cityofjohnston.com/422/Project-Information. For real-time, official statewide detour information, the Iowa DOT's 511ia.org is the authoritative source.
The Merle Hay Road and NW 62nd Avenue corridor is the focus of Johnston's largest work, including the NW 62nd Avenue reconstruction from a rural two-lane to a three-lane urban road with a new trail, tied to the Johnston Town Center redevelopment.
Merle Hay Road is Johnston's main corridor and the site of the Town Center redevelopment, a public-private plan to build a walkable dining and shopping core. That, plus the city's steady growth, means sustained utility and road work along the corridor.
The City of Johnston Public Works and Engineering staff manage local street projects; contact information and project pages are on cityofjohnston.com. State highway questions go to the Iowa DOT.
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