McClure Bridge Road Landscaping Eyed

Duluth City Council considering landscaping to fill in empty spots now that road improvements completed.

Now that construction on McClure Bridge Road improvements is completed, the Duluth City Council is considering landscaping to replace shrubs and fill in gaps along the roadway from Pleasant Hill Road to the Roundabout. But instead of spending an estimated $14,500 on a formal landscaping study, the council opted to ask the city’s on-call landscape maintenance company to come up with a less costly plan that includes plant materials and installation. The council agreed in workshop session Monday (Aug. 27) night to place the more reasonable landscaping alternative on its Sept. 10 regular meeting agenda for action. “The amount of this [proposed] contract would buy quite a lot of landscaping,” Councilman Kelly Kelkenberg said. Both the …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

New Duluth Roundabout Dedicated

Roundabout was designed and built with the goal of providing more connectivity and more options for distributing traffic in downtown Duluth area.

Duluth officials, residents and guests gathered on the lawn of the Glancy Rehabilitation Center and dedicated the new Roundabout as early Thursday morning traffic circled it. Vehicles were stopped briefly for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Roundabout itself. The city later plans to erect a specially commissioned piece of artwork and to landscape the grassy mound in the center of the Roundabout. AGCO has donated funds for the artwork. The Irvindale Roundabout was designed and built with “the goal of providing more connectivity around the downtown Duluth area and more options for distributing traffic,” Mayor Nancy Harris said. It links McClure Bridge Road, Irvindale Road and West Lawrenceville Street and will eventually connect with the …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (5)

New Roundabout to be Dedicated on June 14

The Roundabout, part of a significant gateway to downtown Duluth, connects several roads that converge near Glancy Rehabilitation Center.

Duluth officials invite citizens to join them at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 14, on the lawn of Glancy Rehabilitation Center for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate completion of the Roundabout and McClure Bridge Road improvements. The Roundabout is part of a significant gateway to downtown Duluth. The Roundabout connects McClure Bridge Road with West Lawrenceville Street and Irvindale Road, which converge near the rehab center. Eventually, the Roundabout will link these roads with the future Hospital Connector. The Roundabout was designed to improve traffic flow and connectivity in the downtown area. As part of the project, McClure Bridge Road from Pleasant Hill Road to Glancy Rehabilitation Center was fully rebuilt including a new …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Councilman Issues $200 Challenge to Replant Shrubs

Duluth Councilman Kelly Kelkenberg donates $200 and challenges city council and community to match his offer to replant shrubs at DiSpain home on McClure Bridge Road.

When Duluth City Councilman Kelly Kelkenberg offered to donate $200 to buy new blooming shrubs to landscape Charles DiSpain’s yard and challenged other council members and the audience to match his amount at Monday (April 23) night’s work session, he was serious. No one responded, but the offer still stands, Kelkenberg said Tuesday. And it extends to the community. Forty-five large red and white azaleas that bloomed every spring along McClure Bridge Road on either side of 79-year-old DiSpain’s and his wife Sue’s home were taken out for road improvements and sidewalk installation related to construction of the new roundabout linking West Lawrenceville Street, McClure Bridge Road and Irvindale Road. Kelkenberg has since opened an account at …

•  18 Comments
• Photos (1)

Faye Edmundson

12:07 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012

No one has donated additional funds to the Community Betterment Fund set up by Councilman Kelly Kelkenberg at Woody's Nursery to purchase red knockout roses to replant Mr. DiSpain's yard. Kelkenberg donated $200 to start the fund and challenged others to make donations to it. Either go by the nursery in person or call to make a donation. Woody's is located at 2886 Buford Hwy. or call 770-476-1705.   more ›

Sidewalks Being Installed Along McClure Bridge Road

Workers install sidewalks and curb and gutter along McClure Bridge Road between Pleasant Hill and Irvindale roads in Duluth. The road improvement project, which includes new five-feet-wide sidewalks on both sides of the road, curb and gutter, drainage, additional turning lanes, resurfacing and restriping of the asphalt roadway, is progressing. Work is also underway on a roundabout at the intersection of West Lawrenceville Street, McClure Bridge and Irvindale roads that will eventually link to the proposed Hospital Connector. Both the McClure Road improvements and roundabout construction are being paid for by the city with SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds.  

•  21 Comments
• Photos (1)

McClure Bridge Road Closed Monday, Nov. 14

Detour signs will be posted directing through traffic along Howell Springs, Howells Meadow and Irvindale Road.

McClure Bridge Road just west of the Irvindale Road intersection in downtown Duluth will be closed to complete utility crossings and waterline relocations on Monday, Nov. 14, as part of a road improvement project. Detour signs will be posted directing through traffic along Howell Springs, Howells Meadow and Irvindale Road. Traffic coming from Pleasant Hill will be able to travel to the Joan Glancy Rehabilitation Center, but no farther. Improvements to McClure Bridge Road include new five-feet-wide sidewalks on both sides of the road, curb and gutter, drainage, additional turning lanes, resurfacing and restriping of the asphalt roadway.

• Photos (1)

City Issues McClure Bridge Road Closing Notices

Parts of McClure Bridge Road in Duluth to close for pipe installation Nov. 1 and 2.

McClure Bridge Road in Duluth will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 1, from Pleasant Hill to Postal Drive to install a pipe under the road. Detour Signs will be posted directing traffic to Duluth Park Lane and Postal Drive. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, McClure Bridge Road will be closed between Postal Drive and Howell Springs to install a second pipe across the road. Detour signs will be posted along Howell Springs, Howell Meadow and Irvindale Road redirecting traffic. Construction is underway on McClure Bridge Road that includes new five-feet-wide sidewalks on both sides of the road, curb and gutter, drainage, additional turning lanes, resurfacing and restriping. Work also has begun on a roundabout at the intersection of West Lawrenceville Street, …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

McClure Bridge Road Construction Underway

Motorists advised to exercise caution, patience while traveling McClure Bridge Road in Duluth. Pedestrians should find alternate routes for walking and running during construction period.

Clearing and construction is underway for improvements to McClure Bridge Road between Pleasant Hill and Irvindale roads in Duluth. This project includes new five-feet-wide sidewalks on both sides of the road, curb and gutter, drainage, additional turning lanes, resurfacing and restriping of the asphalt roadway. The contract for the project in the amount of $1,406,951 was awarded to Georgia Development Partners by the city in June. GDP also has started work on a roundabout at the intersection of West Lawrenceville Street, McClure Bridge and Irvindale roads that will eventually link to the proposed Hospital Connector. The amount for the roundabout contract awarded to GDP was $691,145. Both the McClure Road improements and roundabout …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (2)

Stormwater Fee to Appear on Tax Bills

Duluth City Council adopts Stormwater Utility ordinance, schedule of fees at June meeting.

When Duluth residents open their tax bills in September, they will see a new charge – a stormwater utility fee – on it. For owners of single-family detached homes, the fee will be about $36 a year based on one ERU (equivalent residential unit) representing 2,654 square feet of impervious surface area. The fees were recommended by Ecological Solutions, the consultant hired by the city to assist with developing a stormwater management master plan (SWMP) and implementing the stormwater utility. The Duluth City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the stormwater utility and a fee schedule at its Monday (June 13) regular meeting. The fee schedule adopted by the city follows: Impervious surface areas, such as concrete driveways and paved …

• Photos (1)