After more than a week of resurfacing Highway 144 through Perry, the Iowa Department of Transportation is ready to begin the re-striping of the road.

The painting process is expected to be completed this week, with Perry and state officials reminding the public that there will be a new lane configuration on the thoroughfare. The former four-lane highway will instead be three lanes for the duration of its path through Perry. That means there will be single north and south lanes, with a center turn lane, and defined shoulders. The DOT and city officials both feel the conversion will vastly increase safety on 1st Street, while also erasing confusion where the road was already reduced to three lanes from Willis Avenue to Pattee Street.

Once the re-striping is complete, the contractor Des Moines Asphalt will return to adjust manholes, which could result in traffic disruptions. Anyone with questions about the project is encouraged to reach out to Todd McCullough with the Iowa DOT at 641-202-1076, Brian Beaird with Des Moines Asphalt, or Perry City Hall at 515-465-2481. Perry City staff thanks the public for their patience during the project, and asks for that patience to continue.