West Avenue Reconstruction Enters The Home Stretch

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Jul 20, 2008 | by Marcus, Samantha

The most significant road construction project in La Crosse in recent years is nearing its third and final leg.

Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians have spent 127 days navigating the reduced and restricted spans. of West Avenue, a main artery through the city's South Side.

Dpuring the next week, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will continue to shift traffic to the newly constructed west side of the roadway, for the home stretch of the seven-month project.

Vehicles were redirected to the outside lanes Friday, a traffic pattern that should last for about a week as crews extend storm sewer pipes and pave areas along the center of the road, said Dale Merten, Wisconsin Department of Transportation project manager.

Improvements are on schedule for completion by Nov. 1, despite persistent rain throughout the construction season.

"The projects been going along rather smoothly," said Steve Flottmeyer, project development supervisor with the DOT.

The southern stretch of the north-south road from Green Bay to Jackson streets reopened slightly earlier than expected in mid-May.

The $5 million reconstruction project began March 17 and involves widening the road, adding raised medians, improving safety and decreasing congestion.

WEST AVENUE BY THE NUMBERS

0 Days the project is ahead or behind schedule.

1.25 MILLION

Dollars spent acquiring right of way.

5 MILLION

Cost in dollars of the total road reconstruction. "The majority of the project is being funded by state and federal funds," said Steve Nottmeyer, Wisconsin Department of Transportation proect development supervisor. The city is paying for all water and sanitary sewer work, as well as part of the lighting along the route.

7 New sets of signal lights installed at Green Bay, Jackson, Market, Cass, Main, State and Pine streets, plus southern signals at La Crosse Street.

5 Intersections reduced to right in/right out only. Access to and from three of those intersections - at Johnson, Mississippi and Winnebago Streets - will be reduced to allow for longer protected turn lanes at Jackson and Market street Intersections, Flottmeyer said. Pine and Badger streets are limited to right in/right out because of new medians at the intersections.

25 Years the new concrete is expected to last. The lifespan for the asphalt is 18 years.

48 Properties where right of way was acquired for the project. Temporary, limited easements were acquired on another 34 properties.

10 Average number of personnel working, on the project each day. The actual number varies widely depending on the day's activity, Flottmeyar said. More than 20 workers will be on hand for concrete paving or laying pipe. But fewer than five are needed for such activities as landscaping.

10 Hours per day, on average, crews work during the almost eight months of construction.

11 Number of contractors and subcontractors. Chippewa Concrete Services is the main contractor, joined by subcontractors Steiger Construction, Harry Viner Inc., Poellinger Electric Inc., Mathy Construction; Hardy Ind., Guide Lines Pavement Marking, CT Enterprises, Central States Signing, Badger WNI Systems and Central Concrete Cutting Inc.

6 Years since design process for reconstruction began.

28 Number of crashes on West Avenue since the southern stretch was closed off in mid-March, according to La Crosse police. In contrast, 39 crashes happened during the same time period in 2007.

6 Increased width, in feet, on either side of West Avenue in all areas where a median was added.

67 Days that West Avenue between Green Bay and Jackson streets was closed to traffic from March 17 through May 23.

28,000 Vehicles that used the route daily before construction. That number, Flottmeyer said, was measured at the busier north end of the road near State Street. Department of Transportation officials predict about 38,000 vehides will drive West Avenue daily in 20 years.

WEST AVENUE BY THE NUMBERS

68 Days of rain since the southern stretch of the road closed for construction March 17. Some of that snow and rainfall came in trace amounts, but on 67 days, something fell out of the sky, said Brad Adams with the National Weather Service office in La Crosse.

68 Number of trees removed for construction. "They will all be replaced, although not necessarily in the same locations," Flottmeyer said. The city is responsible for tree replacement.

45,000 Dollars budgeted for West Avenue landscaping, including topsoil, sod and watering.

2,500 Cost, in dollars, of a new traffic signal. That doesn't include the cost of wiring, control boxes, pull boxes or optically activated systems, Flottmeyer noted.

2,950 Linear feet of storm sewer pipe already laid. About 1,688 linear feet have yet to be installed.

150,000 Price, in dollars, for an entire signaled intersection.

47,210 Square feet of concrete poured for sidewalk.

8,552 Linear feet of concrete poured for curb and gutter, as of earlier this week.

19,500 Square yards of concrete poured for pavement as of earlier this week.

8,500 Length, in feet, of the entire West Avenue reconstruction project. Also expressed as 1.61 miles.