Village Board requests more information on proposed changes
By Tracy Ouellette
SLN Staff
The East Troy Village Board put off approving the 2019 Cycling Classic until the March 18 meeting after board members raised concerns about the proposed route change at the March 4 meeting.
East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vanessa Lenz said the proposed route change was a result of rider feedback, which said the road conditions on the west part of Village Square were particularly challenging.
The proposed new route would take the bikers down Church Street all the way to School Street, then back over to Division Street, down to South Street before heading back to Church Street.
Lenz told the board this was the original route for the race when it first started in East Troy and would allow the race to showcase the whole Village Square, including the new East Troy Brewery.
“The biggest problem I see is we’re losing South Street as a detour,” Department of Public Works Director Jason Equitz said. “For this to be successful, it’s going to depend on getting the word out.”
Trustee Alan Boyes asked Lenz if the fire department had been notified of the possible change because he felt losing that access would be a bigger problem for fire and rescue than for the village or police department.
Lenz said the chamber wanted to get Village Board approval before going to the fire department and reminded the board that the race has stopped and the road barricades have been removed for emergency situations in the past.
Trustee Matt Johnson said he wanted the chamber to talk to the fire chief first because of the concerns. He then asked Lenz why the change was even happening.
“We’re trying to keep our spot on the tour,” Lenz said. “Rider feedback came back that the roads were not the greatest, especially the turn from Main to Clark. It also helps us market the square.”
Lenz said the competition to host the Tour of America’s Dairyland bike race was fierce and the race was a benefit to the village.
“Fire needs to be looped in on this,” Boyes said. “Two to three minutes on a heart attack could mean life or death.”
Trustee John Jacoby, who said he supported the bike race, echoed the other board members concerns about access calling the impact of the changed route “significant.”
“It seems like it’s a change for the worse for all the citizens that have to cope with this,” Jacoby said.
Village Board President Scott Seager said he would like to see Lenz return to the next board meeting with a TOAD representative and after talking to the fire chief about the concerns over access.
Seager also told Lenz he would like to see the chamber start notifying people in the affected area of the possible route change right away.
