Plan commission reviews long-range County Highway Q corridor study, emphasizes visioning not immediate construction

The Waunakee Plan Commission reviewed a final draft of the County Highway Q (South Century Avenue) corridor study on a recommendation to the Village Board, with consultant Steve Tremlett of MSA Professional Services presenting the plan and answering questions.

The study lays out a 10–20 year vision to improve pedestrian safety, connectivity and the corridor’s aesthetic character. "This vision is the first step," Tremlett said, adding that the plan identifies both low‑cost short‑term items — such as high‑visibility crosswalks — and larger median and lighting changes that would be implemented over many years.

Commissioners said they appreciated the outreach MSA carried out — including an open house in December — but raised concerns about cost, timing and whether the study could in any way hold up or force changes to near‑term private development. "We didn't price out the plantings and sidewalks as part of this scope," Tremlett said. He provided a ballpark that, if implemented all at once, the full package could range in the low‑hundreds of thousands to around $1–2 million depending on scope and value engineering; he said a narrower set of median reconstruction items presented in the updated draft reduced a previously estimated curb/ inlet cost from roughly $500,000 to about $150,000.

Staff emphasized the study is advisory. Lauren (Community Development Director) told commissioners that changes to the corridor would generally be implemented through the capital improvement plan or by tying features to private development and that "this is a long‑term vision; we're not going to go out with shovels in March and completely deconstruct and reconstruct the corridor." She said where development is already planned — specifically Kilkenny Farms West — the study was prepared so it would not require changes to developer work: "The black edge lines of the curb and gutter and where a path would be is unchanged through this vision."

Discussion focused on five themes that emerged in the plan: safer intersections and crossings; increased comfort for pedestrians and bicyclists; improved pedestrian connectivity; beautification; and limiting impacts to private property. Tremlett described refinements to the earlier draft: reducing the length of road where on‑street bike lanes would be removed, concentrating median widening primarily at Woodland and Peaceful Valley intersections, and showing more detail for plantings and light placement.

Commissioners weighed competing priorities. Some favored adopting the vision to guide future decisions and to promote a more attractive gateway into Waunakee; others said it would be premature to act before additional development plans are firmed up or before more precise cost estimates are available. Questions included whether changes would affect truck/semi access (MSA said turning movement checks were run and the plan keeps through‑lane widths where required), whether the plan would require additional right‑of‑way (MSA said nearly all proposed work is inside the existing right‑of‑way except for one small school‑property connection), and how urgent elements such as pedestrian lighting or median islands should be prioritized.

Commissioner comments captured the range of sentiment: one member urged caution about changing a busy corridor that must move traffic efficiently; another argued that visual improvements attract development and can help bring people downtown. Several commissioners recommended short‑term actions such as pavement‑marking upgrades and ladder crosswalks as inexpensive first steps.

The Plan Commission did not direct immediate construction; materials will go to the Village Board with a recommendation from Plan Commission. Staff said the Village Board will consider the plan at its upcoming meeting and that any implementation would be phased and subject to budgeting, design and, where needed, coordination with private development.

Ending: The Plan Commission accepted the draft vision and forwarded it to the Village Board for further consideration, with commissioners asking staff and MSA to return with clearer cost estimates and a prioritized implementation matrix for board review.