East Gateway project slated for 2014
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
When winter eventually gives way to spring, efforts to transform one of Whitewater’s most prominent thoroughfares will begin.
City officials discussed a tentative timeline and project details on the East Gateway project with the Common Council at a meeting Jan. 21.
The $2.3-million project will entail reconstructing Milwaukee Street to Wisconsin Street and a three-way intersection that conjoins with Whitewater and Main streets.
Assistant City Manager Christopher McDonell has been overseeing many of the details of the project as the anticipated start looms in the next several months.
McDonell said the timeline calls for reconstruction of Whitewater Street to Jefferson Street from May to July, Jefferson Street to Cherry Street from July to late August and the southern most portion of the project from August to early October.
“One of our main priorities will be working with the business owners,” McDonell said.
The city’s East Gateway region was last updated in 1979, and City Manager Cameron Clapper said most of the existing infrastructure is antiquated by today’s standards.
The project will include redesigning some of the streets and walkways so they are more pedestrian friendly.
“There has been an issue with accessibility, as well as good design,” Clapper said. “That’s why (pedestrian friendly features) are being added to the project.”
Before construction equipment and orange cones begin populating the East Gateway area, there are a number of steps that need to be taken. The council, for example, needs to approve the overall design for the site before bids are taken out later this month.
Throughout the construction season, McDonell said efforts will be made to provide weekly updates to the business community and public at large about the progress of work.
One final public information meeting will be scheduled before the work begins.
