MONROE - The end of construction on 8th and 9th Streets, a major thoroughfare in Monroe, is in sight.
Thirty decorative street lights to match the downtown Square motif were being installed starting this week, and some new landscaping is also part of the renewed look.
While there have been some delays in construction this summer, they cannot be blamed on the weather, said Al Gerber, engineering supervisor for Monroe.
"It's been a great summer," he added.
Gerber said the entire reconstruction project is seeing a cost overrun of about $240,000, not all of which the city must pay. The overruns will be proportioned out to the city, state or federal governments and to the utilities, as appropriate, he said.
Most of the added costs and time delays came from a state Department of Natural Resources requirement to paint the trail bridge, about $40,000; extra excavation of Monroe's massive bedrock for storm sewer placements, about $46,000; and extra concrete removal, about $40,000. Smaller added costs included colored and pattern-stamped street crossings, also to match the downtown design.
Gerber said contractors predict finishing the last layer of asphalt in mid-October, but Gerber himself expects the finale to be no sooner than Oct. 30.
Rock Road Construction last week laid down the first layer of asphalt, a good indication of no more digging in the street. Gerber said the second layer will go down the first part of October.
Although the street will be drivable, Gerber said it will remain closed for safety reasons, until paint striping is finished and traffic signs go up.
Work on the project began in early March on the 13-block corridor from Wisconsin 69 east to 20th Avenue.
The street got a makeover, widening to three lanes with islands at some intersections to improve safety. The state financed about 80 percent of the street project. The city's portion of the street improvements required about $1.1 million.
Because the street was being opened, the city water and wastewater utilities planned concurrent projects to replace storm, sanitary sewer and water lines. The water utility project needed about $600,000, which the city is loaning to the utility.
The Badger State Trail bridge was also replaced, using a 50-50 DNR grant, to span the new, wider street. The city planned to pay its share, $140,000, out-of-pocket.
Curbs, gutters and sidewalks were replaced as well.
The project was delayed from its original start date in 2010 in order to include a complete water upgrade project and not interfere with 2010 Cheese Days.
Thirty decorative street lights to match the downtown Square motif were being installed starting this week, and some new landscaping is also part of the renewed look.
While there have been some delays in construction this summer, they cannot be blamed on the weather, said Al Gerber, engineering supervisor for Monroe.
"It's been a great summer," he added.
Gerber said the entire reconstruction project is seeing a cost overrun of about $240,000, not all of which the city must pay. The overruns will be proportioned out to the city, state or federal governments and to the utilities, as appropriate, he said.
Most of the added costs and time delays came from a state Department of Natural Resources requirement to paint the trail bridge, about $40,000; extra excavation of Monroe's massive bedrock for storm sewer placements, about $46,000; and extra concrete removal, about $40,000. Smaller added costs included colored and pattern-stamped street crossings, also to match the downtown design.
Gerber said contractors predict finishing the last layer of asphalt in mid-October, but Gerber himself expects the finale to be no sooner than Oct. 30.
Rock Road Construction last week laid down the first layer of asphalt, a good indication of no more digging in the street. Gerber said the second layer will go down the first part of October.
Although the street will be drivable, Gerber said it will remain closed for safety reasons, until paint striping is finished and traffic signs go up.
Work on the project began in early March on the 13-block corridor from Wisconsin 69 east to 20th Avenue.
The street got a makeover, widening to three lanes with islands at some intersections to improve safety. The state financed about 80 percent of the street project. The city's portion of the street improvements required about $1.1 million.
Because the street was being opened, the city water and wastewater utilities planned concurrent projects to replace storm, sanitary sewer and water lines. The water utility project needed about $600,000, which the city is loaning to the utility.
The Badger State Trail bridge was also replaced, using a 50-50 DNR grant, to span the new, wider street. The city planned to pay its share, $140,000, out-of-pocket.
Curbs, gutters and sidewalks were replaced as well.
The project was delayed from its original start date in 2010 in order to include a complete water upgrade project and not interfere with 2010 Cheese Days.