Dodge Street Reconstruction Project Public Information Meeting: June 23, 2026

The City of Iowa City held a public information meeting on June 23, 2026, to discuss the Dodge Street Reconstruction Project. The meeting focused on the project's scope, including repaving Dodge Street with new concrete pavement, undergrounding existing overhead utilities, installing new sidewalks, and implementing speed management measures. The project will replace all utilities in the corridor, including sanitary sewer, water mains, storm sewer, and gas lines. Construction is planned in three phases over three years, starting in 2028, with private utility relocations and undergrounding to begin earlier. The city will cover costs for utility service line replacements up to the property line, while residents may choose to upgrade lines beyond that at their own expense. The project also involves tree assessments, with many existing trees expected to be removed due to construction impacts, but plans include planting new street trees to improve canopy over time. Temporary and permanent easements will be required, and traffic detours and staging plans were discussed to minimize disruption. The city emphasized designing the roadway to allow future conversion back to two-way traffic if desired. The meeting included a Q&A session addressing concerns about construction impacts, sidewalk widths, bus routes, and utility service responsibilities.