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Council hears traffic concerns as Tommy's Car Wash delayed; Rolling Prairie apartments set to break ground early next year
Summary
Councilmembers questioned timing and traffic impacts of Tommy's Car Wash construction near the high school as staff said the project is delayed until spring; council also heard that the $20 million Rolling Prairie apartment project expects an early‑next‑year groundbreaking.
Portage City councilmembers raised traffic and timing concerns Sept. 20 about two private developments discussed during department reports.
Phil Livingston, director of public works, said Tommy's Car Wash will take longer than originally expected and is now expected to be completed next spring because of extensive water infrastructure work. "So not gonna be done until the spring," Livingston said, describing on‑site plumbing work and the scale of underground utilities.
Councilmembers asked whether the city can time permits and construction to avoid heavy traffic at the start of the school year. Livingston and other councilmembers said some approvals also depend on state reviews and contractor schedules. Livingston said the developer had met with staff and the school district and has modified its schedule to perform the most disruptive work during lower‑traffic times.
Separately, Livingston said Rolling Prairie — a roughly $20,000,000 apartment development referenced in the update — is expected to hold a groundbreaking early next year; council members and staff described a planned winter groundbreaking similar to an earlier phase whose ceremony occurred in snow.
Council discussion emphasized the difficulty of forcing developers' construction timelines, long lead times for some contractors, and the need to coordinate permits, DOT approvals and school traffic. Livingston noted the city and plan commission work to guide construction scheduling but acknowledged delays are common: "The timeline that any developer gives you is always delayed," he said.
No formal council action on either private development was taken during the meeting.
