News Story

Construction on the final segment of the Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority's (WRA) Ingersoll Run Sewer Separation Project is underway and it will alter traffic flow in the western portion of Downtown Des Moines.

The project will eliminate a combined sanitary and stormwater sewer overflow, allowing the WRA to treat wastewater before discharging it into the Des Moines River. Previously, periods of heavy rainfall would overflow the combined sewer system which caused untreated wastewater to discharge into the river. 

"This is the last of several EPA-mandated projects that aim to eliminate combined sewer overflows" said WRA Facilities Engineer Melissa Schlickbernd. "They are all a part of the WRA's mission to enhance water quality, protect our environment and improve public health."

Residents and visitors have already seen work being done around Western Gateway Park, with the installation of curb bump-outs at major intersections and sewer installation work beginning on 15th Street between Mulberry and Walnut Streets. Most intersections will remain open as the contractor plans to bore underneath them during sewer installation to eliminate the need for more closures.

"In an effort to reduce the impact to downtown travelers, the City of Des Moines has planned several road and traffic improvements to coincide with the WRA's sewer installation work," Schlickbernd said.

Sewer installation will continue north, with 15th Street closing between Walnut and Locust Street starting Monday, May 20. Work will progress west on Locust toward the Fleur Drive to Grand Avenue intersection, which is a major part of the City's traffic improvements for the project.

"Before West Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway was constructed, the Fleur Drive Bridge was the main way to travel between the airport and downtown," said City Engineer Steven Naber. "Usage has dropped by over 82%, and with the WRA's project taking place, now is the time to reconfigure this obscure intersection and look at how we can make safety improvements for all travelers."

Starting June 3, the intersection of Fleur Drive, Locust Street, Grand Avenue and 18th Street will close as work begins to replace the area with green space. A multi-use trail will be added to add a needed connection between Ingersoll Avenue and the Meredith Trail.

"We've got a lot of pedestrians and cyclists around here along with Central Campus," Naber said. "These improvements are going to make it much safer for both trail users and motorists."

Grand Avenue and Locust Street will both be converted to two-way traffic from 18th to 15th Street and drivers will be able to utilize 15th and 17th Streets to move between the two major downtown roads.

With the closure of the 18th Street Intersection, traffic patterns will change during the construction phase of this project. It's important to note that the Fleur Drive Bridge is not closing permanently. During construction, traffic patterns on the bridge will be disrupted. When the project is complete, the bridge will reopen to two-way traffic.

West MLK Jr. Parkway, where Segment 1 of the Ingersoll Run Project was installed, is planned to be fully reopened by July 1 — nearly six months ahead of schedule — as the contractor completes reconstruction of the north lanes. West MLK offers travelers a major arterial roadway to access downtown during this next phase of construction.

Residents and visitors are asked to obey all traffic signs and use caution around construction sites. The latest road and trail closures can be found at DSM.city/Closures.

Those with questions regarding the sewer separation work can contact Melissa Schlickbernd at (515) 822-1506 or MDSchlickbernd@dmgov.org. Traffic improvement questions can be directed to Justin Miller at (515) 208-4933 or JWMiller@dmgov.org.