Street Closing – East Grand Avenue and Lincoln Street intersection
East Grand Avenue and Lincoln Street intersection will be closed to through traffic due to a utility service repair by Water & Light, beginning today at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, 2019 and is expected to re-open at 5:00 p.m. the same day.
Southbound traffic on East Jackson Street will be detoured east onto Oak Street, then south onto 6th Street S, then west onto Peach Street, then south onto Lincoln Street.
Northbound traffic on Lincoln Street will be detoured east onto Peach Street, then north onto 7th Street S, then west onto Oak Street, then north onto East Jackson Street.

In response to concerns expressed by citizens about street conditions, the City of Wisconsin Rapids offers this update of our work, along with a summary of some of the comments we’ve received from residents.
 

• The focus at the moment is dealing with street flooding resulting from snow/ice blocked catch basins. We have been proactively clearing out catch basins over the past three days and are focusing on problem areas today.
  
  
•  All staff except mechanics are working on catch basins, and Wastewater staff is assisting, as well.

 

• The Police Department has been assisting our efforts by identifying flooded locations and getting lists to Street Department staff.

 

• The equipment being deployed for today’s activities include six end loaders, two tractor backhoes, four dump trucks, two vacuum trucks and the steamer.

 

• There are about 8,000 catch basins in the City, so despite our best efforts, a realistic expectation is that there will likely be some issues for several weeks or until the snow melts.

 
Here is a summary of citizen concerns, with our responses:

• The City has not plowed some streets after the past two snow events/the condition of local streets is awful.
  • The ride on most local streets is very rough due to snow pack and ice, but we’ve been doing the best we can, given staff levels, budget and policy.
  • We’ve been informing people that snow and ice control policy guides this activity. Connecting highways and arterial streets are given priority. Local streets are generally not plowed unless there is a snowfall of four inches or more.
  • The condition of local streets is likely to remain problematic until warm weather assists in melting the ice.
  • If we feel we can scrape some ice from local streets, we will, but the side effect is that either all of that ice ends up in the driveways because the banks are too high, or the City hauls out all of the ice and clears out every driveway. The process of scraping ice and hauling it is very slow.
  • The snow and ice control policy information can be found HERE on the City’s website
    
    
• The City is not plowing the snow all the way to the curb, and if it were, we wouldn’t have these problems.
  • The snow banks are so high that the snow discharging from the plows falls back along the streets. The only way to clear to the curbs would be to load out all of the snow as we are plowing it, which is not possible. The current difficult conditions are simply a result of unusually heavy snowfall this winter.
  • Areas where snow is pulled out and hauled away include Downtown, 8th Street, Baker Street, and around schools and churches where there are significant, regular public gatherings. We have also been hauling snow from some higher-volume intersections.

 
While staff continue patrolling streets to log problem areas, people wishing to report specific flooding locations can contact the City Garage at 715-421-8218.
 
With less than ideal conditions, City team members are doing the best we can to address problem areas. We sincerely appreciate everyone’s patience.

Joseph M. Terry, P.E.
Director of Public Works

Traffic signals fine-tuned along Riverview Expressway
 
Friday, December 14, 2018 - The City of Wisconsin Rapids Engineering Department has benefited from extensive feedback from area motorists, regarding the re-timing of traffic signals along Riverview Expressway in August. These communications have helped City staff to evaluate and fine-tune logjams in the signal timing, in order to further improve operations along the Riverview Expressway corridor.
 
Adjustments include lengthier green light signals for left turns along the Expressway at 8th Street, 2nd Avenue South and West Grand Avenue. In addition, a review of visibility, accident history and current guidance documents led to the recent decision to remove the “No Turn on Red” signs at two intersections: the East Riverview Expressway and Plover Road (State Highway 54 and County Highway W) intersection near Home Depot; and the intersection of West Riverview Expressway and 2nd Avenue South. (Motorists are reminded that a red light at these right-turn lanes still requires they bring their vehicle to a stop to assess traffic and determine that it is safe to make the turn.)
 
The Engineering Department welcomes and thanks area residents for their continual feedback and wishes everyone safe travels this holiday season.

High Street - 7th Ave N to 10th Ave N
This portion of High Street is complete.
 
Wastewater force main river crossing
The new sanitary force main project is mostly complete with the exception of some additional topsoil restoration that will be completed next spring. A final connection to the new wastewater lift station will be made once the lift station is completed in February.
 
West Side Lift Station
Miron Construction constructed a temporary enclosure around the new lift station and will continue work on the new control room. August Winters Inc. ran a new water line into the station and began construction on a 30” sewer line to the new sump well.
 
Wisconsin River Green Space and Recreation Project
This week Revi Designs completed the majority of the landscaping in the East Riverbank Conservancy. Next week Janke will continue to finish installation of handrails under the Riverview Expressway bridge, by the fishing pier, along 2nd Street and along the stairs in the East Riverbank Conservancy.
 
High Street - 12th Ave N to 17th Ave N
Pember was back this week and completed concrete work on the driveway approaches on the last two blocks of this project. They hope to pour the remainder of sidewalk next week. American Asphalt completed the final surface layer of asphalt. The street has opened from 14th Ave N to 17th Ave N, and the street remains closed to through traffic from 12th Ave N to 14th Ave N.
 
Van Buren Street – 8th Ave N to 10th Ave N
Van Buren Street is open and the last piece of sidewalk at 8th Ave N was poured this week. This project is now complete.
 
10th & 12th St Sidewalk Project
10th St. (Grove-Wood), Wood Ave (10th-12th) and 12th St (Wood-River Run) Pember completed all the remaining sidewalk this week. City crews also completed the majority of the hot-mix asphalt patching. Topsoil and boulevard restoration remains to be completed for this project.
 
City Hall Generator
Work continued this week on the conduit and electrical system for the new emergency generator.
 
 Centralia Center Gardens 
This week, City crews completed the concrete sidewalk near the patio for this site.

High Street - 7th Ave N to 10th Ave N
American Asphalt finished paving this project last Saturday. The Street was re-opened Tuesday and this portion of High Street is complete.
 
Wastewater force main river crossing
The surface layer of asphalt remains on Blue Heron Lane and at the intersection of Pepper Ave and Ridgewood Trail. Final restoration remains in the park and a small piece of trail needs to be paved near 2nd Ave. American Asphalt is expected to complete the remaining paving next week.
 
West Side Lift Station
Miron Construction continues work for new pumps and electrical components within the new sump well.
 
Wisconsin River Green Space and Recreation Project
This week Janke Construction finished all sidewalk trails throughout the project. They also completed grading and topsoil installation all the way through the entire project. Revi Designs planted trees along Mead Street and 2nd Street. They also began installing landscape edging and plantings in the East Riverbank Conservancy. Current Technologies installed the light pole in Demitz Park and performed miscellaneous electrical work in the East Riverbank Conservancy. Next week Revi Designs will continue landscaping in the East Riverbank Conservancy. Janke will be offsite next week and will return later to finish installation of handrails under the Riverview Expressway Bridge, by the fishing pier, along 2nd Street and along the stairs in the East Riverbank Conservancy.
 
High Street - 12th Ave N to 17th Ave N
Pember completed all but the last two blocks of sidewalk for this project. Sidewalk preparation was completed with road base for these last two blocks. Topsoil restoration is complete from 14th Ave N to 17th Ave N with seeding to take place in the spring. The street was final graded and American Asphalt paved the binder layer for the entire street. American is expected back next week to pave the final surface layer. The street remains closed for through traffic.
 
Van Buren Street – 8th Ave N to 10th Ave N
American Asphalt paved the entire street late this week and the street should re-open soon.
 
10th & 12th St Sidewalk Project: 
10th St. (Grove-Wood), Wood Ave (10th-12th) and 12th St (Wood-River Run)
Pember completed the majority of the concrete flat work this week. Hot-mix asphalt patching began late this week and will be completed next week. Topsoil restoration will follow to complete this project.
 
City Hall Generator
This week, the concrete pad and electrical conduits were placed in preparation for a new emergency generator installation for City Hall.
 
Centralia Center Gardens
The concrete patio was installed by City crews as part of the Centralia Center garden project. Additional sidewalk and landscaping components are also planned for this site.