Committee backs safety-focused design for State Highway 52 (East Wausau Avenue), directs follow-up on lighting and sidewalk

The Wausau Infrastructure and Facilities Committee on June 12 recommended the city endorse Alternative A2 for the planned reconstruction of State Highway 52 (East Wausau Avenue) from North Sixth Street to North Eighteenth Street, citing rear-end crash patterns and school-hour traffic as primary safety drivers.

Stephanie Christiansen, the EMCS consultant designing the project for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, told the committee the existing pavement has reached the end of its service life and that "there's a pattern of rear end crashes" between Sixth and Thirteenth streets. She summarized the scoping crash review covering a five-year period (2017'021), which found 41 crashes in that segment with about half being rear-end collisions and roughly 37 percent angle collisions; roughly 40 percent of drivers involved were under age 25 and many crashes occurred during morning and afternoon school periods.

The recommended Alternative A2 calls for 11-foot travel lanes and a 12-foot two-way center left-turn lane for much of the corridor, with a target five-foot boulevard to allow replanting. Alan (staff member) said the staff report recommended A2 "based on the safety aspect of it" and because the A2 typical section reduces right-of-way impacts compared with the wider A1 option. The committee approved a motion "to move forward with alternative A2 for this phase," seconded from Alder Watson; the motion carried 5-0.

Why it matters: The project is programmed by the Wisconsin DOT for reconstruction in 2029; the DOT is the lead agency for this state highway project, but the city supplies a recommendation to DOT and negotiates a state-municipal agreement (SMA) that can include additional items such as lighting or sidewalk additions. Committee members and staff stressed that while A addresses the corridor's crash pattern, other alternatives (B, C, D) would not materially reduce the rear-end crash trend identified in the scoping study.

Key details and next steps - Safety findings: The consultant said the scoping review found 41 crashes (2017'021) on the Sixth-to-Thirteenth segment, with about half rear-end and about 37 percent angle collisions. Many occurred during AM/PM school periods and a substantial share of drivers involved were under 25. - Typical-section options considered: A (two-way left-turn lane through corridor, with variations A1 and A2), B (maintain existing typical), C (hybrid/targeted turn lanes), and D (direct pavement replacement with no geometric changes). Staff recommended A2 (11' travel lanes / 12' center turn lane) as a balance of safety benefits and reduced right-of-way impacts compared with A1. - Right-of-way/tree impacts: The design team noted roughly similar order-of-magnitude right-of-way needs across alternatives; preliminary estimates in the packet showed a 0.1-acre difference in permanent right-of-way between alternatives ("four-tenths vs. three-tenths," per the handout table at 30% design). The corridor is maturely treed; excavation (planned pavement structure ~3 feet) will affect root systems and tree impacts were a major public concern. - Sidewalk and lighting: Staff and the consultant flagged two separate choices the committee must consider: (1) adding continuous sidewalk on the north side from Thirteenth to Eighteenth (no sidewalk exists now), and (2) adding continuous street lighting along the corridor. Staff said the state would pay 80% of the sidewalk cost and the state is willing to participate 50/50 on a typical continuous lighting system, but both items would require amending the SMA. Estimated costs discussed in the meeting: a continuous lighting system was described as "around over $700,000" total with the city's half about $357,500 if the DOT participates 50/50; the north-side sidewalk was estimated at $19,500 (state pick-up 80%, city 20) per the packet and staff remarks. The committee deferred formal direction on lighting and the Thirteenth-to-Eighteenth sidewalk and asked staff to return those two items for committee consideration in July, with the bicycle- and pedestrian-advisory committee also scheduled to review the designs in June. - Schedule: Staff and the consultant said DOT 30% plans and schedule milestones are upcoming; the target is to complete final plans in May 2028 and construction in 2029 with environmental documentation aimed for early next year. The committee acknowledged some schedule flexibility but indicated a preference to provide a recommendation to DOT promptly so the DOT-driven design can proceed.

Committee discussion and public input Committee members asked about lane widths, bicycle accommodations, and right-of-way impacts. Stephanie Christiansen said bike lanes are accommodated in the typical section and that 4-foot paved bike lanes (with a two-foot pan) would meet the project's criteria for an MPO-designated bike route, while explaining that the desirable width is larger for rider comfort but minimum standards apply. Alan and other members discussed tree replanting opportunities (5-foot boulevard recommended to support replanting) and the potential to pursue community-sensitive funding or future city planting programs to offset tree loss.

What the vote covered The motion recorded in the meeting directed staff to move forward with Alternative A2 as the committee's preferred alternative to transmit to DOT and to continue coordination on design refinement and environmental documentation. The record shows the motion passed unanimously (5-0).

Tapering note Committee members and staff emphasized that the DOT is the final decision-maker for this state highway project; the city's recommendation informs the DOT's design but does not bind the state to adopt every local preference. The committee also asked staff to report the lighting and sidewalk questions back in July after additional review and consultation with the bicycle-and-pedestrian advisory committee and before the matter goes to full council.