Updating Two Key South Milwaukee Road Projects

We’re making strong progress on two South Milwaukee, and 4^th District, road projects. We discussed the two jobs – the rehabilitation of 15^th Avenue and the widening of Pennsylvania/Nicholson, both from College Avenue south to Rawson – at Thursday night’s Public Works and Property meeting.

 Here’s where we stand …

15th Avenue

Bids will be open on February 23, and work on the rehab project is expected to begin in April, wrapping up in October.

The plans include the addition of six-foot medians at Cherry, Walnut and Beech Streets to emphasize school zone and pedestrian crossings, slow traffic and improve safety. For traffic control, left turns for those traveling north on 15^th to those streets will be prohibited from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m. on regular school days.

The pavement will also be widened on the east side of 15^th from 150 feet south of Cherry to 200 feet north of Beech to accommodate the median and allow for a designated turn lane for the dropping off of South Milwaukee Middle School students.

 It also includes:

• Full concrete pavement replacement of travel lanes;
• Full replacement of the pavement and island at 15^th and College Avenue; and
• Spot replacement of deteriorated curb and gutter and parking lane pavement.

The project will be completed in five stages, with the area south of Cedar to south of Oak Creek Parkway – closest to the schools – planned for mid-June to September 1. Connecting local streets will be closed during the construction stages, and traffic will need to use other routes.

So expect minor delays, and some frustrations, but remember the bigger picture here … and keep thinking about the first-class roadway 15^th will be when it’s done.

Also remember who’s paying for it. It’s being primarily funded with federal stimulus money, with an anticipated city portion of $150,000. It’s a worthy investment.

Click here to see the letter we’re sending to area residents about the project.

Pennsylvania/Nicholson

This project is coming into much clearer focus, and I like what I see.

At the Public Works meeting, we authorized City Engineer Kyle Vandercar to enter into a three-party design engineering services contract between South Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Foth Infrastructure & Environment for the project at a cost not to exceed $390,000. The full Common Council will vote on this at its Tuesday, February 2, meeting.

So, as we enter the design and engineering phase, here are some updates on the project:

• Construction is currently set for 2012.
• Preliminary engineering work will include design options for a public information meeting likely next May or June. I’ll keep you posted.
• Project construction costs are estimated at $4 million. South Milwaukee and Oak Creek would each pay $400,000, with the state picking up the rest.
• Total project costs for South Milwaukee are estimated at $640,000, including our share of design and other costs not covered by the state and right-of-way acquisition.
• The project will likely focus on two options – widening the road to four lanes or four lanes with a median. Other options are unlikely. That includes an approach favored by some: a three-lane option (two through lanes and a middle turn lane). The state is unlikely to approve such design because current and future traffic counts require a wider road, and studies have shown that such a design is unsafe.  

We are moving ahead with the project with or without involvement from the U.S. Postal Service, whose plans for the postal sorting facility at College and Nicholson are still on hold and may never get off the ground.

That means there won’t be a roundabout as part of the project.

The potential extension of 794 south to Ryan Road or beyond also probably won’t factor much into this project. At best, it seems like the Parkway extension won’t happen until 2025, or perhaps 2035, and I’d argue the work on Pennsylvania/Nicholson can’t wait.

Of course, I promise to keep you posted on both of these projects as they get closer.

In the meantime, I want to know what you think. Post your comments below.