I take my life into my own hands twice a day while dodging rush-hour traffic on Nicholson/Pennsylvania Avenue on the way to work. In 2012, my commute, and the commute of thousands of others, might get a bit easier.
Work is progressing toward a project that will widen the road from two to four lanes from College Avenue south to Rawson.
Utility relocation is scheduled to begin in 2011, and roadway construction will start in early 2012, according to a request for proposals that was sent out this summer seeking design firms.
Fifteen proposals were submitted, and the RFP was recently awarded to Foth Infrastructure & Environment LLC, which will handle survey work, preparation of alternatives for layout and stormwater management, public information meetings and final project design.
This will be a long process, one that involves South Milwaukee, Oak Creek and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation working together to come up with the best solution for what I believe is a dangerous roadway. I promise to keep you updated on what’s happening with this project as it moves forward.
Of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you think widening is necessary? If not, what, if anything, should be done? Post your comments below.
Also, check out this post to learn more about the postal facility project planned for College and Pennsylvania/Nicholson. The status of this project — specifically if the USPS decides to pay for some road improvements — will impact the widening effort. But in the end, no matter what happens with the postal facility, the widening is planned to go on.
(Thanks to City Engineer Kyle Vandercar for providing these updates.)
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