If you're planning on driving through Janesville soon, take note that W. Holmes Street is getting a makeover, and your route might just need one too. Starting Thursday, you'll need to find an alternative path if your journey takes you along W. Holmes Street, between S. Franklin Street and S. River Street. The reason? The city's annual water and sewer improvement program is in full swing, which means a contractor will be digging in to replace the sanitary sewer.
The construction will force a closure of W. Holmes Street to through traffic, so prepare for this disruption to last for about two weeks. Alongside, S. River Street is also facing a brief hiatus in traffic flow — this intersecting street will be off-limits from Thursday to next Monday. Drivers won't be left completely in the lurch, there's a detour in place that will route them utilizing E. Racine Street, S. Main Street, and E./W. Court Street, so you won't be going in circles.
For residents fretting over driveway access, the city has indicated that local access within the closed-off area will be mostly maintained during the construction period. That should offer some solace to those living on the affected streets, knowing that the inconvenience will be somewhat mitigated. A little patience may go a long way during this infrastructure facelift.
If you're hungry for more details or just need to voice your concerns, the City of Janesville's Engineering Division is ready to chat. They can be reached at (608) 755-3169 for any inquiries relating to the closure, or the work that's prompting it, according to an official statement released on the city's website.
