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Community Corner

Spring Brings Improvements to Local Roads and Highways

Highway 33 will be expanded from a two-lane highway to a four-lane highway, a project expected to last through December.

Multiple construction projects will pop up as the spring starts to bloom in the area, improving road and transportation conditions in Port Washington and Saukville as well as highways throughout Ozaukee County.

Most extensive is the Highway 33 project to expand the road connecting the city and village, which is also expected to last through December.

Highway 33 Reconstruction:

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"Traffic between Port Washington and Saukville has really jumped up," said Dennis Shook, regional communications manager for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, noting that the work on the highway will "improve the safety and quality of the ride."

Construction of the two-mile stretch of Highway 33 from the Milwaukee River overflow bridge to South Tower Drive will transform what is currently a two-lane highway into a four-lane highway with a grass median.

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Roundabouts will be put in at Martha Street, Northwoods Road and the County LL overpass, which will be removed. Traffic signals will be replaced at Foster Street, as well as the Interstate 43 ramps, both northbound and southbound.

Street lighting and sidewalks along a multi-use pass will also be added, Shook said.

The contractor for the reconstruction project remains to be seen since bids have not yet opened, but Port Washington City Engineer Rob Vanden Noven said the estimated $13.5 million state project is expected to cost the city approximately $1.5 million and is  "anticipated to start mid-May and continue into December."

Vanden Noven said the project will be completed in segments and detours will be kept relatively minimal — though the final leg of construction will bring a one-month detour at Tower Drive and Port View Drive.

Shooks also said there will be "a short two-day detour around the LL and while ramps are reconstructed."

Port Washington 2011 updates:

Port Washington will also see at Veteran’s Memorial Park this coming April and May.

Work in that area will provide more protection from flooding, as well as better sidewalk space. Any through traffic will be detoured, but local traffic will remain open.

Bids will open next week for the Lake Street project, which is estimated to cost around $200,000, according to Vanden Noven.

Saukville 2011 updates:

Saukville Village Administrator Dawn Wagner said construction work in the village is a continuous process that also has to be balanced with the village's funding.

"In order to provide longevity and quality service life for roads in a cost effective manner versus total replacement at a much higher cost, it requires ongoing maintenance — such as crack filling and overlaying the existing pavement with a new layer of asphalt — to provide a new travel surface that is smooth, safe and drains properly," she said.

If funds allow, both Mill Street and Progress Drive from Highway 33 to Cold Spring Road could face mill and overlay work. Additional storm sewer and curb repair could occur at Mill Street, while shoulder work may be done on Progress. The estimated cost of the respective projects is projected to be $125,000 and $150,000, Wagner said.

Beam guard improvements for Ozaukee County

Finally, expect to see beam guard upgrades on I-43 along the entire length of Ozaukee County starting in May.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation State Program Engineer Tom Longtin said he expects the $1 million state project to last a couple of months and that there will be only minor impact on travel.

Longtin described the anticipated area roadwork as "pretty quiet this summer."

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