Muscatine issues traffic and parking reminders for RAGBRAI

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RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) has kicked off, as 29,000 riders have begun the cross-state trek from Sioux City to Davenport, and the final ‘meet up town’ for this year’s event is Muscatine.

With riders passing through and stopping in Muscatine Saturday, July 29, enjoying the activities along the route and inside Muscatine’s Riverside Park, some traffic restrictions will be in place to ensure safety for riders and the general public. According to a news release from the City of Muscatine:

  • Muscatine Police will close Mississippi Dr. from Main St. to Mulberry Ave. and Mulberry Ave. to E. 5th St. when the amount of bike traffic warrants. Traffic will be allowed on Mississippi Dr. until around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. when large packs of riders are expected to start coming through.
  • The intersections with Pine, Chestnut, Iowa, Sycamore, Cedar and Walnut will be closed at Mississippi Dr. while the RAGBRAI riders are in or near Riverside Park. The Cedar St. intersection will be partially open for those wanting access to the upriver boat launch or the marina. Traffic into the park at the Cedar St. entrance will be only to the upriver portion of the park and only at times when bicycle traffic warrants.
  • Vehicle traffic from the south can proceed off of Grandview Ave. onto Main St. and up to 8th St. to Cypress to Washington and to Park Ave. The detour and all street closures will end once most of the RAGBRAI riders depart, tentatively scheduled to be around 1:30 p.m.

Muscatine will offer RAGBRAI riders the opportunity to ‘Double Dip in the Mississip.’ RAGBRAI Muscatine is offering riders the opportunity to dip their tires into the Mississippi River while in Muscatine before they do the same to officially end their RAGBRAI journey in Davenport.

The City of Muscatine has also issued some safety tips to keep in mind for RAGBRAI:

  • Residents who live along the designated route, especially on Hershey Ave., E. 5th St. and Washington St., are asked to park vehicles on a side street with access to the road detour.
  • If you can’t move your vehicle, pay close attention when opening car doors or pulling out and avoid heavy traffic times if possible. Hershey Ave. will be open, but there will be times of heavy bicycle traffic.
  • RAGBRAI officials and riders will appreciate the additional room on the street.
  • Keep pets kenneled or leashed between 5:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
  • Do not spray riders with water.
  • Please keep the right side of the road and shoulder clear of objects and debris.
  • Do not hand anything to the riders.

Additionally, the City of Muscatine wants to remind residents and spectators of parking changes for RAGBRAI:

  • The small parking lot downriver of Pearl City Station will be closed to the public starting at 7:00 a.m. Thursday, July 27 and remain closed until 1:00 p.m. Sunday, July 30. The parking area in front of the downriver boat launch will be closed to all traffic at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, July 29 through 1:00 p.m. Sunday, July 30.
  • The Iowa Ave. and Cedar St. entrances to Riverside Park will be closed to vehicular traffic at 6:00 a.m. Saturday, July 29. The closures will end at approximately 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 29. Traffic will be allowed into the upriver boat launch area, depending on RAGBRAI bike traffic.

For more information and entertainment offerings in Muscatine for RAGBRAI, click here.

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