Gay Lea Wilson Underpass
The Highway 65 Underpass is an essential project for the City of Bondurant and has been identified as a priority in the City’s adopted capital improvement plan. The City worked for some time to secure funding, which is now in place to construct an underpass that will provide a safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to traverse highway 65 and eventually connect the Gay Lea Wilson Trail in Bondurant and Altoona. Below is a picture showing the approximate location of the underpass. The project is currently under construction.
Project Status:
October 2019 - Submitted paperwork for final funding of underpass. We are waiting for IDOT to authorize the project.
December 30, 2020 - Approvals secured from the Department of Transportation. The funding Agreement is scheduled for January 19, 2021, council meeting. Designing is underway. Construction was to begin in Fall 2021.
April 20, 2021 - The underpass project is in complete design work, and we hope to be ready for bid on the project this fall. This project will provide safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists to go under Highway 65 on Oleson Drive, just north of Grant Street. This project is made possible by generous donations from Prairie Meadows, TAP grants, Safe Routes to School, USTEP funding, and city funds, partially supported by Local Option Sales and Services Tax. The combination of City, state, and Prairie Meadows funding (Legacy Grant) makes this $2.7 million project possible. We are excited to improve safety for the users and advance the trail connection. Thank you to all of those involved in helping to fund this project!
October 2021 - This project is in the final design and will bid after this fall.
February 11, 2022 - The design for the Highway 65 Underpass (located roughly in Oleson Drive) has been finalized and submitted to the State Department of Transportation. The project will go to bid shortly, and bids will be due in April for spring construction. The project will provide a safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to traverse highway 65 and eventually connect the Gay Lea Wilson Trail between Bondurant and Altoona. Construction over the summer will have an impact on traffic in the area. Please watch for updates! The project is slated for completion by the end of the calendar year.
July 18, 2022 - On Monday, July 25, 2022, construction of the pedestrian underpass will begin on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between Oleson Dr. SE and Grant St. South in the City of Bondurant.
The traffic signal at Grant St and Hubbell Ave will be temporarily shut down, and traffic on the West side of the roadway will be right-in/right-out ONLY. Please see the map below.
Residents are encouraged to please utilize 2nd St. NE and Grant St. to detour around the road closures.
Traffic will be limited to a single northbound and single southbound lane of traffic on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65. In addition, several closures will also be put in place to help facilitate traffic safety during this time. Please see the list below.
- Oleson Dr. SE at Hubbell Ave/Hwy65 is closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
- Kadin Trail Dr at Hubbell Ave/ Hwy 65 closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
- Lincoln St. SE at Hubbell Ave/ Hwy 65 is closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave. on both sides of the road)
- Grant St. South at Hubbell Ave/ Hwy 65 on the East side of the roadway is closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
Residents of Bondurant traveling the East side of Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 are encouraged to utilize 15th St SE and Pleasant St. SE/NE 80th St to access destinations on the North and West side of Hubbell Ave.
The City asks all residents and motorists to use caution when traveling in this area. Please be patient as this project will last several months before the roadway is reopened to normal traffic. Regular updates will be posted to the City of Bondurant website and additional notifications as traffic patterns change during construction.
The City appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this critical safety upgrade for our community.
August 11, 2022 - The storm sewer for the area around the underpass has been installed, and the contractor is preparing the base for the underpass box. The crew will build the box to mobilize the site this week and will begin building the box structure soon.
August 26, 2022 - The east half of the underpass culvert should be completed this week. The contractor will work on backfilling and paving northbound Hubbell Ave/Highway 65 over the next two weeks. Traffic patterns will shift to the northbound lanes in mid-September to allow construction of the west half of the underpass culvert. Earthwork will also begin on the west side in preparation for the retaining wall construction.
September 9, 2022 - Beginning on Monday, September 12th, 2022, and Tuesday, September 13th, 2022, Grant St. will be closed for access to Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The city continues to ask all residents and motorists to please use caution when traveling in this area. Please be patient as this project will last several months before the roadway will be reopened to normal traffic conditions.
The city appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this very important safety upgrade for our community.
September 15, 2022 - Construction of the pedestrian underpass continues on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between Oleson Dr. SE and Grant St. south in the City of Bondurant. The eastern half of the pedestrian underpass is completed, and work is beginning on the western half and the retaining wall for the trail. Beginning on Sunday, September 18th, 2022, the Pedestrian Underpass project's contractor will begin shifting traffic into the Northbound lanes of Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65. This work is planned to take most of the day Sunday the 18th. This is the next phase, the traffic plan is shifting to head-to-head traffic over to the Northbound lanes of Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65. The Pedestrian Underpass is completed on the Eastern half of the project, and work will begin immediately on the Western half after the traffic shift is completed.
UPDATE: Lincoln Street for Northbound and Southbound Hubble Ave/Hwy 65 traffic is now open to right-in/right-out ONLY. Left turns across the highway are not permitted within the traffic control zone during the two-way two-lane operations.
Traffic will continue to be limited to single northbound and single southbound lanes of traffic on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65. Several closures remain in place (within Bondurant) to help facilitate traffic safety during this time. Please see the list below.
- Oleson Dr. SE at Hubbell Ave/Hwy65 is closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
- Kadin Trail Dr at Hubbell Ave/ Hwy 65 closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
- Grant St. South at Hubbell Ave/ Hwy 65 on the East side of the roadway is closed to traffic (No access to Hubbell Ave.)
The city continues to ask all residents and motorists to please use caution when traveling in this area. Please be patient as this project is anticipated to last through the end of October before the roadway will be reopened to normal traffic conditions. Regular updates will be posted to the City of Bondurant's website project page, as well as additional notifications as traffic patterns change during construction.
The city appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this very important safety upgrade for our community.
September 22, 2022 - Starting Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, at 9 pm, Southbound Hwy65/Hubbell Ave. will be closed to traffic so the State of Iowa DOT contractors can make emergency repairs on the roadway through the project area. This work is needed to repair the pavement on the southern end of the project area that had failed. This closure will remain in place until approximately 6 am Friday, September 23rd, 2022. Southbound traffic will be allowed back through the construction area at that time. To facilitate this, work a temporary detour for Southbound traffic will be put into place that will take traffic down 2nd St. NW to Franklin St. SW/NE 64th Ave., then back south to Hwy 65/Hubbell Ave. We ask everyone to please use caution when traveling in this area during this time.
Please reference the enclosed map for the specific location of the road closure.
The City appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding while improvements to the city’s infrastructure are being made.
October 14, 2022 - Today, Friday, October 14th, 2022 the last 26 feet of the underpass and the wing walls will be poured. Contractors are working to install the large storm sewer along the east side of the project area and have also started the process of backfilling over the box in the southbound lanes of the Highway. The paving contractor will be onsite next week to start prepping to pour the open section of the Highway and Grant St. S in preparation for opening the roadway in the next couple of weeks to traffic. They will continue to work on the east, and west sides of the Highway as the last pieces of the retaining wall and trail are formed. Most of the final grading and permanent seeding will occur in the spring, which was anticipated from the start of the project—more information to come on reopening the roadway to traffic.
October 28, 2022 - Construction of the pedestrian underpass and trail continues on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between Oleson Dr. SE and Grant St. south in the City of Bondurant. The pedestrian underpass and roadway are complete.
Beginning on Saturday, October 29th, 2022, the Pedestrian Underpass project's contractor will begin reopening the roadway to normal traffic patterns. This work is planned to take most of the day on Saturday, the 29th, and possibly continue into the day on Sunday, October 30th, 2022. Motorists are encouraged to continue using caution as the roadway is returning to normal traffic flows and signal operations.
The city continues to ask all residents and motorists to please be patient when traveling in this area as there is still work being completed in both the east and west Right-Of-Way and the center median in the project area. There will continue to be regular updates posted to the City of Bondurant's website project page, as well as additional notifications if traffic patterns change during the construction.
The city appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this very important safety upgrade for our community.
October 31, 2022 - Construction of the pedestrian underpass and trail continues on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between Oleson Dr. SE and Grant St. south in the City of Bondurant. The pedestrian underpass and roadway are completed.
Traffic along Highway 65 is open to the outside lanes of traffic only. Contractors continue working on a temporary shoulder closure for the inside median work that needs to be completed. Once this is in place, both lanes of traffic will be opened, and the signals will be reactivated. This is anticipated to happen sometime on Tuesday, November 1st, or Wednesday, November 2nd. We apologize for the inconvenience as this was scheduled to fully open over the weekend, but an unforeseen signal equipment issue is the cause for the delay.
The city continues to ask all residents and motorists to please be patient when traveling in this area as there is still work being completed in both the east and west ROW as well as the center median in the project area. There will continue to be regular updates posted to the City of Bondurant's website project page, as well as additional notifications if traffic patterns change during the construction.
The city appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this very important safety upgrade for our community.
November 1, 2022 - Construction of the pedestrian underpass and trail continues on Hubbell Ave/Hwy 65 between Oleson Dr. SE and Grant St. south in the City of Bondurant. The pedestrian underpass and roadway are complete.
Traffic along Highway 65 and Grant St. S is fully open to traffic. Traffic signals at Grant St. are working and active. Please use caution as travelers along the corridor become accustomed to the signals being active again.
The city continues to ask all residents and motorists to please be patient when traveling in this area as there is still work being completed in both the east and west ROW as well as the center median in the project area. There will continue to be regular updates posted to the City of Bondurant's website project page, as well as additional notifications if traffic patterns change during the construction.
The city appreciates everyone’s patience and cooperation during this very important safety upgrade for our community.
September 25, 2023 - Join us in commemorating the unveiling of the Bondurant Gay Lea Wilson Underpass, featuring heartfelt words from our esteemed partners and dedicated supporters. This underpass marks a monumental addition to our regional trail, offering pedestrians a secure pathway into the charming Bondurant community. In the future, it will connect to adjacent communities that journey through Eastern Polk County.
- Grand Opening Date: Monday, September 25, 2023
- Event Time: 5:15 PM
- Location: 1499 Grant Street South; Bondurant, Iowa 50035