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Onalaska board approves application for HSIP funding at Twelfth Avenue South and Oak Forest Drive
Summary
The Board of Public Works and Utilities authorized staff to apply for Highway Safety Improvement Program funding to address a pattern of angle crashes at the Twelfth Avenue South and Oak Forest Drive intersection; staff outlined estimated costs, timelines and local match obligations.
The Onalaska Board of Public Works and Utilities voted unanimously Aug. 5 to authorize staff to apply for Highway Safety Improvement Program funding for the Twelfth Avenue South and Oak Forest Drive intersection. The motion was made by Alder Larry and seconded by Alder Jim.
The board backed the application after staff said crash data over five years showed a number of angle collisions at the intersection. Jared Holter, a public works staff member, said he contacted the Wisconsin Department of Transportation traffic safety engineer to collect crash data and scoring information used in the HSIP funding formula.
Holter said HSIP’s project-evaluation factor must meet a 0.9 threshold to qualify and that, if awarded, the program would fund roughly 90% of construction costs with the city responsible for about 10%. “At 0.9, basically, we can perform up to a million dollar safety project at the intersection, and the construction cost would be at 90% federal state money and 10% city,” Holter said.
Holter and City Engineer Kevin Schubert explained design and right-of-way needs if the project proceeds as a roundabout. Holter gave a rough cost scenario: a current construction estimate of about $800,000, design costs around 8–10% of construction (roughly $80,000–$100,000), potential right-of-way negotiation costs in the $25,000 range and additional right-of-way impacts that could add $25,000–$50,000. “So if you got done at the end of the day, rough numbers, it would be, right now, I’d say $800,000 in grant money and $300,000 in city funds to complete the project,” he said.
Holter said, if approved and favorably reviewed, HSIP would be a multi‑year process with design expected to start in 2027, right-of-way actions in 2028 and construction potentially in 2029. He also said a state municipal agreement would return to the board for formal acceptance if the grant is offered.
During discussion Alders asked about business impacts and outreach; Holter said the public-information and design process would include meetings with adjacent property owners and businesses and that staff hoped to minimize parking impacts. The board voted to authorize staff to submit the HSIP application.
Notes: no ordinance or statute was enacted; the board’s action was authorization for staff to apply for grant funding.
