City breaks ground on utilities project serving future high school

Today, the City of North Liberty broke ground on its eastside utilities expansion, which will bring municipal services to the site of the Iowa City Community School District’s Liberty High School.
“Extending these services is a big undertaking, and one we’ve been planning for years,” said North Liberty City Administrator Ryan Heiar. “It is exciting to take this next step.”
Crews began preparing the work area in accordance with a precautionary action plan developed by environmental specialists and reviewed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The crews started near the city’s waste water treatment plant, located on Muddy Creek, and will work their way to towards the future site of Liberty High School, at Dubuque Street and North Liberty Road.
Timing of this step is essential. While environmental assessments during planning found no threated wildlife that would be impacted by the project, removing trees and isolating the area now will further mitigate the possibility for potential harm. Environmental specialists will return to the site once the ground has thawed to conduct a further, precautionary survey before construction continues.
The project, estimated to cost $5.2 million, was formally awarded to Langman Construction on Feb. 23, but has been in the study, planning and design phases since 2013, following the school district’s announcement of its third comprehensive high school site.
“The community has been engaged in a discussion about how to manage our student growth for over a decade. The construction of a new high school is a critical part of the 10-year facility master plan that is designed to accommodate the phenomenal growth of students in North Liberty,” said ICCSD Superintendent Steve Murley. “This project is truly a wonderful example of city and school district cooperation focused on the future of the community and its children.”
When it opens, the high school will join the ICCSD’s Penn, Van Allen and Garner elementary schools and North Central Junior High School in serving North Liberty’s children.
“It’s meaningful that my kids will be able to graduate from high school in the community they will have spent their entire academic careers,” said Amy Johnson, a mom of first and third graders at Garner Elementary and 11-year North Liberty resident. “I believe the advantages to North Liberty as a whole are many, and it will help us continue building true community spirit.”
More information, including maps, frequently asked questions and environmental information, is available at northlibertyiowa.org/projects.