Altoona residents and visitors should be aware of major road construction that’s starting soon. Beginning on Monday, June 12, 2023, 1st Avenue S will be closed for the third and final phase of a multi-year construction project.
Roadwork on this final phase will occur in five stages, starting in June and continuing through the rest of the year. Through traffic will not be able to travel in the construction area during the project, and should instead detour to travel on 2nd St. NW, 5th Ave NW and 8th St. SW/SE during construction.
A map showing the closure and the various stages of the project is shown below.
- Stage 1 will include work between 8th Street SE/SW north to 7th Street SE/SW
- Stage 2 work impacts 1st Avenue S between 8th Street SE/SW and 4th Street SE/SW
- Stage 3 impacts 1st Avenue S between 4th Street SE/SW and 2nd Street SE/SW
- Stage 4 impacts 1st Avenue S between 3rd Street SE/SW and 8th Street SE/SW
- Stage 5 impacts 1st Avenue S south of 8th Street SE/SW to 9th Street SE/SW
Project overview
The overall goal of the multiyear construction project is to widen 1st Avenue S to better match the 4-lane sections of the roadway north of 9th St. NE and south of 8th St. SE. The section of roadway that is being replaced is approximately a half-mile long and travels through some of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
The first phase of work happened in 2019 and included the reconstruction of 1st Avenue S and the intersection with 2nd St SE, including updates for railroad crossing in the area. Then in 2021, a two-year second phase of the project began, which included reconstructing the roadway between 2nd St NW and 9th St NW, as well as the installation of a multi-lane roundabout at the intersection of 9th St. NW.
This final phase of work is expected to continue through the rest of 2023 and will include the reconstruction of 1st Avenue S between 2nd St SE and 8th St. SE.
Along with widening the roadway, critical infrastructure and utilities will be updated, including improvements to aging water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems, and reconstructing a sidewalk and trail system in the area. The city will maintain its website to include updates to the project during this third and final phase of construction. Visit the project page here.