The ongoing reconstruction of U.S. 54 through Iola reached its first major milestone Friday as crews opened a newly rebuilt section of the highway through the downtown business district.
With traffic now using the north half of the highway, the south lanes from State Street to Buckeye Street have been closed. The closure also means U.S. 54 is no longer accessible from South Chestnut, Walnut, Washington, South, Jefferson and Sycamore streets.
Crews will immediately turn their attention to the closed south half, removing the existing lanes down to the base. Workers will then install new layers of subgrade rock before constructing a new concrete driving surface.
Schinstock said the city is hopeful the work will reach a substantial level of completion before Iola’s annual Farm-City Days celebration on Oct. 17. Even if the new south lanes are not ready to carry regular traffic by the festival, he said the fresh concrete should have cured enough to accommodate the event’s parade.
The current work is part of a much larger reconstruction of U.S. 54 through Iola. The project will ultimately extend east to Ohio Street and is expected to continue through late 2027 before the full rebuild is completed.
