As area motorists adjust to the newly redesigned intersection at Willis and First avenues in downtown Perry, city workers are seeing to a few remaining details of the project. One of these is repainting the Raccoon River Valley Trail signs on the sidewalks at the northwest, southwest and southeast corners of the crossroads.
Perry Public Works Director Jack Butler and staff member Blake Jans wielded spray paint and stencils Thursday morning as they repainted the familiar RRVT logo and directional arrows.
Butler said other loose ends to tie up include new signs along Iowa Highway 144 to the north and south of the intersection that will give approaching motorists advance notice of the reconfigured lanes.
“We thought the signs would be part of the package,” Butler said, “but they said we have to order them separately.”
Butler said the city of Perry buys its street signs from Iowa Prison Industries (IPI), a branch of the Iowa Department of Corrections. IPI gives imprisoned laborers more than 1 million hours of work training annually and describes itself as a “self-sufficient program that positively impacts offender lives, reduces recidivism and provides valued products and services to our customers.”
Butler said the approach signs should be delivered next week.
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The reconfigured lanes work out very well. They’ve really helped slow down traffic in both directions. I no longer feel the need to update my last will and testament before crossing 144 on Warford.