Major reconstruction of Dixon Avenue in Rock Falls starts Wednesday

ROCK FALLS – A $2.5 million project to completely rebuild Dixon Avenue from Avenue A to the Hennepin Canal starts Wednesday.

Dixon Avenue, which is the second-busiest street in the city behind First Avenue/Route 40, has deteriorated with age and is in need of repair, City Administrator Robbin Blackert said.

Federal money will pay for $1.5 million of the project, and the rest is coming from city sales tax and motor tax revenue, Blackert said.

The contractor has 80 construction days to finish.

If work is done only five days a week with no weather-related issues or other interruptions, that would take the project to mid-November.

Detours will be in place.

• Westbound traffic on Dixon Avenue will be detoured north on Emmons Avenue to East Second Street.

• Westbound truck traffic will be detoured south on McNeil Road to Route 30.

• Access to Marsha Lane, Haskell Avenue, Super Wash at 803 Dixon Ave. and the apartments at 800 Dixon Ave. will be open past the road closure barricades.

• Eastbound traffic will be detoured to East Second Street.

• Eastbound truck traffic will be detoured to Route 30 via Route 40/First Avenue.

Parking along the detour routes will be prohibited, and Rock Falls police will be increasing patrols in the area, police Chief Dave Pilgrim said in a news release.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible.

Garbage pickup for most residents will move to the alley behind their homes.

Residents on the north side of Dixon Avenue from Avenue C to the canal, however, have no alleys and do not have that option. They will continue to leave their cans curbside, and the contractor will work with Moring Disposal to see to it that their trash is picked up, Blackert said.