North Main in Charles City Reconfigured, Closed In Front of Chicken Processing Plant
Street work crews have reconfigured the traffic pattern of Charles City’s North Main Street and have closed the road in front of Pure Prairie Farms.
Vacating the one block section of Main between Lane Street and North Grand Avenue will allow the chicken processing plant room for anticipated expansion. It will also provide easier access into and out of the plant for PPF transport trucks and not clog up regular traffic as was the case when the facility was operated by Simply Essentials.
The plant has been shut down for three years, and the latest projection for PPF to resume operations is now mid-October at the earliest. Still, Mayor Dean Andrews told the City Council Wednesday night now’s the time to get motorists used to the street changes.
Thursday, the street department painted pavement markings for new turn lanes in the area.
That’s City Engineer John Fallis, who also told the City Council that signs have been added to help motorists navigate through the changes in traffic pattern. The barricades to close Main Street in front of PPF have now been put in place.
As part of the changes, the Council officially renamed Lane Street between Main Street and North Grand Avenue to North Main Street.
