Two unexpected discoveries cause closure of busy Des Moines road

An unexpected closure caused by two separate discoveries will delay drivers on a busy Des Moines street for weeks.Both lanes of University Avenue between 31st Street and 42nd Street are now closed to through traffic.Crews were already on University Avenue for a repaving project, but the discovery of an underground wooden structure threw a wrench into construction plans.City engineers are baffled by the wooden structure, which appears to be an old bridge."We're not certain of what it is or what it is intended for, but there is a void underneath the road and we need to fix it," said Steve Naber, Des Moines city engineer.Crews will need to remove the wood and refill the area with concrete.Crews also found two spots where the sewer system failed between 37th Street and 39th Street."The sanitary sewer goes right down the middle of the roadway, so we need to close the entire street," Naber said.KCCI spoke to some residents in the area, who had mixed reactions to the project.Rick Clark, who has a broken hip, said he now has to walk an extra mile to catch the bus."I've got to walk a long ways. The buses aren't even running down here anymore. They are going like on Interstate 235," Clark said.Jason Kruse said he noticed problems with the sewer system in 2015 after a heavy rain."The sewer system couldn't keep up, so the water actually flooded into the garage, and it flooded our basement during that event," Kruse said. "It is a little disturbance now, but hopefully long-term in a couple years, it's going to keep bringing the vibrance that we want in this neighborhood."

DES MOINES, Iowa —

An unexpected closure caused by two separate discoveries will delay drivers on a busy Des Moines street for weeks.

Both lanes of University Avenue between 31st Street and 42nd Street are now closed to through traffic.

Crews were already on University Avenue for a repaving project, but the discovery of an underground wooden structure threw a wrench into construction plans.

City engineers are baffled by the wooden structure, which appears to be an old bridge.

"We're not certain of what it is or what it is intended for, but there is a void underneath the road and we need to fix it," said Steve Naber, Des Moines city engineer.

Crews will need to remove the wood and refill the area with concrete.

Crews also found two spots where the sewer system failed between 37th Street and 39th Street.

"The sanitary sewer goes right down the middle of the roadway, so we need to close the entire street," Naber said.

KCCI spoke to some residents in the area, who had mixed reactions to the project.

Rick Clark, who has a broken hip, said he now has to walk an extra mile to catch the bus.

"I've got to walk a long ways. The buses aren't even running down here anymore. They are going like on Interstate 235," Clark said.

Jason Kruse said he noticed problems with the sewer system in 2015 after a heavy rain.

"The sewer system couldn't keep up, so the water actually flooded into the garage, and it flooded our basement during that event," Kruse said. "It is a little disturbance now, but hopefully long-term in a couple years, it's going to keep bringing the vibrance that we want in this neighborhood."

Two unexpected discoveries cause closure of busy Des Moines road

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