MONROE - At first glance, the estimated cost to completely reconstruct 3,800 feet of 8th Street on the city's west side will be about $4.3 million - another million would get the overhead wires underground.
The city's public works board members and staff discussed the preliminary designs with Fehr Graham's project engineer Jesse Duff Monday.
Before moving the plans forward, board members chose to wait for results of an in-depth traffic study to determine whether four lanes or two lanes with a middle turn lane is safer and more appropriate for the area, and whether roundabouts will improve traffic flow. The costs will probably not be much different.
According to Duff, the current street pavement varies in substructure materials and in thickness from 5.5 inches to 15 inches. Its lack of uniformity is one reason the roadway is failing, he said. Lane widths are also not uniform. Sidewalks, street crossing ramps and signal buttons were also addressed.
Water utility upgrades are definitely in the mix.
Six-inch water mains from Wis. 69 to 1st Avenue will be updated with 10-inch pipe, and 1,250 feet of sanitary sewer will be lined rather than replaced. Public Works Director Colin Simpson said the lining will reduce the pipe diameter by about a half-inch but will make the water flow smoother and faster than the pipe's concrete material. Lining, rather than replacing the sanitary sewer pipe, which is located down the center of the street, will also allow traffic to continue during the process. Water and sanitary sewer is about $630,000 of the total cost.
The storm sewer network will need to be reworked. Duff said the current network is "a spider web," caused by past piece-meal additions.
The city will begin testing communication conduit with a 7-wire duct package being installed with this project.
The board intends for the downtown streetscape decor to be continued. The 8th/9th Street project incorporated the same style in 2011.
Duff recommended the city apply the cobble-motif of downtown street crossings only to the sidewalks and ramps at intersections and to the medians on the west side, rather than across the streets, which would eliminate some of the maintenance and repairs being realized downtown. Sidewalks with a 6-foot terrace will line both sides of the road. The black, antique-like, light poles are among the other decor ideas.
A concrete roadway is not being planned because of its heavy costs for major repair and because the city has road equipment to maintain and repair asphalt. The roadway, curb and gutter, storm sewer, sidewalks, manholes, lighting (except traffic lights), and just about everything else to West 6th Avenue, is estimated to cost $3.36 million.
Traffic signals will be repaired, except the one at 4th Avenue West, which needs replacement, all for $270,000. The board could decide to upgrade the signals with black, decorative hardware to blend with the downtown décor - for an additional $220,000.
Alliant Energy and Charter Communication utility wires on poles overhead from Wis. 69 to 3rd Avenue may get re-routed to 10th Street, instead of buried. Duff said moving the overhead wires is at no cost to the city.
Simpson said improvements to the roadway will probably not encourage more economic development in the area. The area is already built up, full of businesses and thriving. However, he added, the infrastructure is weak and undersized, and the road is in need of updates to codes.
Water Utility Supervisor Mike Kennison said water main breaks in the area happen annually, leaving several businesses without water during repairs.
Engineering cost estimates are based on averages for state projects.
In March, the board changed a mill and overlay repair project, which include water main and traffic signal replacements, on 8th St. from Wisconsin 69 to 3rd Avenue to a complete reconstruction to West 6th Avenue, with continuation of the streetscape from the 8th/9th Street project. In April, the Common Council hired Fehr-Graham Engineering and Environmental to prepare the preliminary engineering plans at an estimated cost of $79,000.
The city's public works board members and staff discussed the preliminary designs with Fehr Graham's project engineer Jesse Duff Monday.
Before moving the plans forward, board members chose to wait for results of an in-depth traffic study to determine whether four lanes or two lanes with a middle turn lane is safer and more appropriate for the area, and whether roundabouts will improve traffic flow. The costs will probably not be much different.
According to Duff, the current street pavement varies in substructure materials and in thickness from 5.5 inches to 15 inches. Its lack of uniformity is one reason the roadway is failing, he said. Lane widths are also not uniform. Sidewalks, street crossing ramps and signal buttons were also addressed.
Water utility upgrades are definitely in the mix.
Six-inch water mains from Wis. 69 to 1st Avenue will be updated with 10-inch pipe, and 1,250 feet of sanitary sewer will be lined rather than replaced. Public Works Director Colin Simpson said the lining will reduce the pipe diameter by about a half-inch but will make the water flow smoother and faster than the pipe's concrete material. Lining, rather than replacing the sanitary sewer pipe, which is located down the center of the street, will also allow traffic to continue during the process. Water and sanitary sewer is about $630,000 of the total cost.
The storm sewer network will need to be reworked. Duff said the current network is "a spider web," caused by past piece-meal additions.
The city will begin testing communication conduit with a 7-wire duct package being installed with this project.
The board intends for the downtown streetscape decor to be continued. The 8th/9th Street project incorporated the same style in 2011.
Duff recommended the city apply the cobble-motif of downtown street crossings only to the sidewalks and ramps at intersections and to the medians on the west side, rather than across the streets, which would eliminate some of the maintenance and repairs being realized downtown. Sidewalks with a 6-foot terrace will line both sides of the road. The black, antique-like, light poles are among the other decor ideas.
A concrete roadway is not being planned because of its heavy costs for major repair and because the city has road equipment to maintain and repair asphalt. The roadway, curb and gutter, storm sewer, sidewalks, manholes, lighting (except traffic lights), and just about everything else to West 6th Avenue, is estimated to cost $3.36 million.
Traffic signals will be repaired, except the one at 4th Avenue West, which needs replacement, all for $270,000. The board could decide to upgrade the signals with black, decorative hardware to blend with the downtown décor - for an additional $220,000.
Alliant Energy and Charter Communication utility wires on poles overhead from Wis. 69 to 3rd Avenue may get re-routed to 10th Street, instead of buried. Duff said moving the overhead wires is at no cost to the city.
Simpson said improvements to the roadway will probably not encourage more economic development in the area. The area is already built up, full of businesses and thriving. However, he added, the infrastructure is weak and undersized, and the road is in need of updates to codes.
Water Utility Supervisor Mike Kennison said water main breaks in the area happen annually, leaving several businesses without water during repairs.
Engineering cost estimates are based on averages for state projects.
In March, the board changed a mill and overlay repair project, which include water main and traffic signal replacements, on 8th St. from Wisconsin 69 to 3rd Avenue to a complete reconstruction to West 6th Avenue, with continuation of the streetscape from the 8th/9th Street project. In April, the Common Council hired Fehr-Graham Engineering and Environmental to prepare the preliminary engineering plans at an estimated cost of $79,000.