WAUSAU – Residents and visitors to Wausau’s downtown will likely soon see changes to the design of First Street, Forest Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street and Grand Avenue.
The Infrastructure and Facilities Committee on July 9 will consider carrying out significant changes to primary roadways and intersections near the former Wausau Center mall as the city continues to reestablish the street grid that was disrupted by the construction of the downtown mall in 1983.
If approved, First Street between Washington Street to Forest Street and Forest Street between First Street and Sixth Street would change to two-way traffic; a roundabout would be constructed at the intersection of Forest Street, Sixth Street and Grand Avenue; and changes would be made to the signalized intersections at First Street, Washington Street and River Drive and at Forest Street and Fifth Street, according to a memo from the city’s engineering department staff included in the July 9 meeting agenda packet.
The redesigned intersection of First Street, Washington Street and River Drive would expand the existing one-way right turn lane onto River Drive into two-way traffic and eliminate the connection of River Drive to the intersection with Washington Street and First Street.
Street redesign part of master plan approved in 2019
The planned changes to the roadways were first approved in 2019 with the creation of the Wausau Center Urban Design and Transportation Master Plan with the assistance of planning and design firm Toole Design, according to the memo.
Other significant changes in the plan include the already completed redesign of Washington Street into entirely two-way traffic and the southern extension of Second Street and a yet-to-be-implemented change of Fifth Street into entirely two-way traffic.
Plans for the redesigned First Street and Forest Street also include a separate two-way bike lane on the westernmost and southernmost edges of the right-of-way of each respective street, according to the master plan document. A similar two-way bike lane is also included for the westernmost lane of a yet-to-be redesigned Fifth Street.
Why is the city considering a roundabout?
A roundabout would fit within the current right-of-way of the unusually aligned intersection of Forest Street, Sixth Street and Grand Avenue and would be cheaper to implement than realignment of the roadways or installation of traffic signals, according to the plan.
When does the Infrastructure and Facilities Committee meet?
The Infrastructure and Facilities Committee will hold its regular meeting at 5 p.m. July 9 in the Common Council Chambers within City Hall at 407 Grant St. in Wausau.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Two-way traffic and roundabout to be considered for downtown Wausau
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Wausau Daily Herald / Wausau Daily Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Erik Pfantz, Wausau Daily Herald | USA TODAY Network
