Sterling hires company to design improvements needed for Polo Road

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STERLING - Before the Sterling Commons Shopping Center opens, road work must be done to help handle the increased traffic. The City Council Monday hired Willett, Hofmann & and Associates to design the $700,000 to $800,000 in improvements needed for 2,500 feet of Polo Road north of Lincolnway. The design work will cost of about $33,000.

The reconstruction, which begins this summer, will be done over three years. It includes putting in curbs and gutters, new paving, drainage improvements and widening the road for a turn lane.

The first phase will cover Lincolnway to 30th Street, which will serve as the entrance to the shopping center.

The second phase will cover 30th to the north end of the Carmike movie theater, and the third phase will take the improvements to the north end of the shopping center.

"We could do it all right now, but that would stretch resources away from other roads at this time," Assistant City Manager Scott Shummard said.

Widening the road also will help ease current traffic delays at the intersection of Polo Road and Lincolnway.

"The situation isn't ideal at this time, so this is as good a time as any to fix that in the process," Shummard said. "It's a mess going into the Applebee's and Menards."

When the center opens next summer, the average number of cars using Polo Road will jump from 1,000 to 5,000, officials estimate.

The City Council also awarded the already-planned Second Avenue reconstruction project to UC Paving Inc. of Peru.

The $348,000 project, on Second Avenue from East Second to East Fourth street, is part of the new downtown streetscape work. On tap are new sidewalks, curbs and gutters, storm sewer repairs, more parking spaces and traffic median with decorative trees.

The work probably will begin in July and take 45 days to finish, said Vern Gottel, director of community services.

Reach Joseph Bustos at (815) 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 529.