Board recommends Option C for South 51st Street reconstruction, estimates ~$3.6M

The Franklin Board of Public Works overwhelmingly recommended the board endorse a preferred reconstruction alternative — labeled Option C — for South 51st Street on Aug. 11, 2026 following a presentation by city engineering staff and consultants.

Julie Chapman, the consultant presenting design options, told the board: "So what we are proposing to do is put back 12 foot lanes, 5 foot paved shoulders, 2 foot gravel shoulders." Chapman said the design also includes left-turn storage bays at Minnesota (100 feet), Marquette (200 feet) and Evergreen (100 feet), and curb-and-gutter transitions on the east side to collect stormwater into a new storm-sewer system where appropriate. She described trade-offs between retaining ditch conveyance and installing curb-and-gutter connected to storm sewer, and said soil borings and other vertical-profile work are expected to arrive by mid-September.

The consultant presented three alternatives: an in-kind replacement estimated at about $2.8–2.9 million, a 5-foot paved shoulder scheme with fewer turn-lane changes at roughly $3.4 million, and the preferred Option C — the 5-foot shoulder plus additional turn-lane and intersection improvements — estimated at approximately $3.5–3.6 million. An 8-foot paved-shoulder option exceeded $4 million and was not recommended.

Chair Chuck Porter summed up the board’s reaction after discussion and a motion: "After hearing the proposal, we're in agreement that that would be the 1 that we're all in favor of supporting." The board then voted to recommend Option C to city council and directed staff to proceed with the design phase.

Chapman said the preferred plan improves bicycle accommodation by moving from 4-foot paved shoulders to 5-foot paved shoulders and widens lanes from 11 to 12 feet to better serve school buses and other large vehicles. She also flagged signal-equipment impacts at the Rawson intersection and said Milwaukee County — which recently rehabilitated signal hardware there — supports the safety concept but would not contribute funding. Chapman added the cost estimate carries a roughly 30% contingency at the 30% design level to cover unknowns such as soil conditions and potential additional storm infrastructure.

Next steps: staff will proceed to vertical design and complete soil borings before finalizing the bid documents; the board’s recommendation will go to city council at its Tuesday meeting. Construction scheduling aims for a spring start to minimize impacts across two school years.