Plaza work to close Main Street for two weeks

Shawano residents will need to adjust their plans for navigating around the downtown area as work begins on the new plaza.

City Administrator Eddie Sheppard said that work has begun on Washington Street, including the crossing from the plaza to Franklin Park. He told the Shawano Common Council on April 13 that it had originally been discussed to start road work on Main Street first, but with asphalt plants not getting up and running until mid-May, there was a concern that having one of the city’s main thoroughfares for a lengthy period would not be acceptable.

Main Street will be closed down April 25 at the spot where the plaza is going to be connected, just south of Division Street, so anyone going to the post office will need to take an alternate route. The closure is expected to last two weeks, according to Sheppard, and access to the post office and businesses will still be available during the closure.

Once the road work is done, crews will begin work on the east side of the plaza, next to Stubborn Brothers Brewery, and then proceed to the west side of the plaza, adjacent to the Shawano Civic Center. Sheppard said the work could be completed around mid-August if weather doesn’t cause delays but said it would be more likely finished at the end of the month.

“We’ve been having weekly meetings with the contractors, who are right on the ball with stuff,” Sheppard said. “From my perspective, things are moving along well from the beginning.”

That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be some shifts in the plan, depending on weather and unforeseen situations, so Sheppard is asking residents and businesses to be flexible.

“Until we get everything out of the streets, there are going to be hiccups, so I’m asking for everyone’s patience until we get it done,” Sheppard said. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be awesome.”

The city will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. April 22 on the east side of the proposed plaza. Attendees are welcome to bring their own shovel.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com