Proposed improvements to Madison Street (state Highway 19) were reviewed by representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and property owners along the route during a public informational meeting at city hall May 22.
Fourteen property owners attended the formal presentation on the proposed plans for the highway.
The purpose of the meeting was to give interested parties an opportunity to view, discuss and comment on the project, which is slated to be done in the year 2018.
The DOT officials sought feedback on the proposed improvements during an open house. A comment sheet was also available for participants to voice their concerns or ideas.
The $3.5 million project includes the replacement of aging and deteriorated infrastructure, along with curb, gutter, sidewalks and street lighting. It also includes raising the roadway and adding bike lanes, according to Jeremy Hall, project manager.
The project on Madison Street begins just north of Palmer Street and extends about 0.83 miles east to the bridge east of Monroe Street (state Highway 89).
The existing roadway is deteriorating and in need of replacement, according to DOT officials.
A resurfacing project was completed last summer to extend the life of the cracked and rutted pavement until the roadway could be fully reconstructed.
In addition to the poor pavement condition, there are stretches of the roadway that are narrow and that have steep terrace areas and driveway entrances, the state pointed out. The project limits/lacks proper bike lanes and sidewalks.
The intersection of Madison Street and North Monroe Street (known as the four-corners) does not fully accommodate semi-truck turning movements, according to the DOT.
The project includes resurfacing Madison Street from just north of Palmer Street to the bridge between Palmer Street and Canal Road and reconstructing Madison Streets from the bridge between Palmer Street and Canal Road east to the bridge just east of Monroe Street.
Reconstructing will include removing and replacing the existing pavement, base course layer, sub-base course layer, curb and gutter, storm sewer, sidewalk, pavement marking, permanent signing, and street lighting.
One bridge along the route will be replaced, Hall said. The bridge, constructed in 1938, is located between Minnetonka Way and Van Buren Street.
New sidewalk will be added along the south side of Madison Street from Canal Road to Van Buren Street and new street lighting will be added from Canal Road to Minnetonka Way.
The city of Waterloo will be responsible for the replacement of the sanitary sewer and water lines from Canal Road to the bridge east of Monroe Street.
Currently, the width of the street varies along the route, according to Matthew Lamb, project leader for the DOT. “We are trying to standardize it,” he said. In some locations, the road will be wider than its current boundaries.
The state anticipates purchasing some right-of-way land for the construction of curb ramps to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and to build the new bridge.
Temporary grading easements are anticipated throughout the project for replacing sidewalks, constructing driveway tie-ins and restoring landscaping and front lawns.
From Palmer Street to Canal Road, the project will consist of two 12-foot wide travel lanes, four-foot bikeways, curb and gutter, eight-foot grass terraces and five-foot sidewalk.
From Canal Road to South Jackson Street there will be two 12-foot wide travel lanes, four-foot bike lanes, curb and gutter, eight-foot grass terraces and five-foot sidewalk.
From South Jackson Street to the bridge west of South Washington Street, there will be two 12-foot wide travel lanes, five-foot bike lanes, minimum of eight-foot parking lanes, curb and gutter, and minimum of six-foot sidewalks.
The proposed project includes raising the vertical profile of Madison Street from near Minnetonka Way and extend east to between Harrison Street and Jackson Street to decrease the steep terraces and driveway entrances and improve sight distance at Van Buren Street and Harrison Street.
The project was recently extended to include the intersection with state Highways 19 and 89, Hall said.
According to traffic volume, there are 7,400 vehicles a day that travel through the intersection with 13.9 percent trucks. By the year 2037, it is estimated the traffic volume could reach 9,300 vehicles a day.
The state Highway 19 and 89 intersection is below the state crash average, but it is difficult at times for truck drivers to maneuver the turn. Plans call for increasing or widening the curb radius of the northeast corner and removal of six parking stalls around the intersection.
The intersection will remain a four-way stop.
DOT officials anticipate removing most of the trees in the terrace areas. The city will receive a credit for the trees to plant new trees behind the sidewalk if desired.
Costs
The estimated cost for the improvements is about $3.5 million. The project will be funded with federal and state funds for roadway improvements.
The city will fund the replacement of sanitary sewer and water main facilities and all construction costs associated with upgrading the standard street lighting system to a decorative system.
Timeline
An environmental review is expected to be completed this fall, Lamb said. The preliminary design work is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2015, with design plans finalized in 2017 and a bid date of December 2017 for work to being in the spring of 2018.
Detours
Madison Street will be closed to traffic during construction. Through traffic will be detoured using state Highway 19 eastbound to state Highway 73 to I-94 eastbound to state Highway 89 northbound to state Highway 19.
North Monroe Street will be closed to traffic during construction of the intersection of Madison and Monroe streets. Traffic will be detoured along state Highway 89 northbound to state Highway 73 southbound to I-94 eastbound to state Highway 89 north and southbound.
Access to residents and businesses on Madison Street will be maintained for local traffic at most times, according to the DOT.
City Clerk/Treasurer Mo Hansen encouraged those in attendance to get involved in the design phase. “Now it is important to speak up,” he told the audience.
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