By Dave Fidlin
Parking along portions of Wisconsin Street is being tweaked as two separate city initiatives take hold.
The Whitewater Common Council on July 15 amended an ordinance to parking along one of the city’s more prominent roadways. As part of its amendment, the council voted to remove parking spaces on the east side of Wisconsin Street, from Milwaukee to Clay streets.
The changes come amid the East Gateway construction project, which is underway, and also are borne out of recommendations within the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Plan, which was adopted late last year by the council.
Matt Amundson, parks and recreation director, said a number of steps were taken before a recommendation was offered to the council.
“A letter was sent to owners along Wisconsin Street, and a public information meeting was held… to discuss the options available,” he said.
With consultation from property owners added into the mix, Amundson said a consensus was reached to make several changes to the impacted area to make the most of all users’ experiences along the roadway.
In lieu of the parking spaces on the east side of Wisconsin Street, a 5-foot parking lane will be created, from the Milwaukee Street intersection to the entrance leading into Trippe Lake Park.
Parking spaces will remain on the west side of Wisconsin Street, with lanes expected to be about 8 feet wide. Two lanes for motorists also will be marked, with each having a width of 11-and-a-half feet.
According to numbers crunched by Amundson, the city expects to spend about $3,828 to undertake the project along Wisconsin Street. Most of the funds will go toward installing new pavement markings and placing related signage in the impacted area.
