Politics & Government

Port's Plan Adds a Touch of Pretty to Lake Street

City to revamp parking area near Veteran's Memorial Park, adding green space and pedestrian friendly pathways.

Port Washington city officials are planning a makeover for the portion of Lake Street that borders .

"Right now it's just one large parking lot," City Engineer Rob Vanden Noven said. "It's our intent to improve that."

The plan enhances walkability and pedestrian safety, while also maintaining the amount of parking that is currently available, he said. Plus, it offers a new route for water drainage in order to avoid flooding β€” such as what happened in 2008, when the creek behind the lot overflowed, sending water into a nearby underground garage and flooding a number of vehicles to the point of a total loss.

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Because the project is mostly based on protecting this area from flooding, Vanden Noven said the city was able to obtain a Community Development Block Grant administered through the state to fund the project.

The finished product will offer a new low-point in the parking lot, forcing overflowing water to run through Veteran's Memorial just north of the playground equipment and into Lake Michigan.

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But the necessary changes also paved the way for some aesthetic upgrades, Vanden Noven said.

"While we had to reconstruct the road, we're using that as an opportunity to improve (the area)," he said.

The plan adds more "green space" to the street as well as a more coherent sidewalk, connecting the end of the walkway in Veteran's Memorial Park to the sidewalk at the bottom of the hill in the Guenthner picnic area.

While the city currently has no official bids, Vanden Noven said the cost of the project is roughly $200,000. The grant is worth about $206,000.

Vanden Noven said the project is slated to take place in April and May, during which time the road will be closed to through traffic and parking.

As long as all goes as planned, the city will be showing off this near lakefront street's facelift for the summer season of festivals.


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