As one phase of the state Highway 22 street project winds down, another is set to begin.
About 20 people attended an informational meeting Friday morning at Oconto Falls City Hall to learn about reconstruction plans for the downtown area of Main Street. The anticipated start date for this phase of the project is Monday, Aug. 10, with an anticipated end date of Friday, Nov. 6. Construction will start at Cherry Street.
“I’m glad everyone came,” said Duke Peters, project manager for Peters Concrete Company. “You can start thinking about it. You can start telling your customers what’s going to be happening and how they’re going to be able to get to your business.”
Matthew Ternes, Wisconsin Department of Transportation project manager, said businesses should plan to use a back entrance to their buildings.
But that’s not an option for several property owners on Main Street, including Max Mayer of Shellman Rentals, 105 S. Main St.
“How long will (sidewalks) be shut down, each side, where they can’t get into the front door?” he asked.
“We’ll make every effort to get you in the front door,” Peters responded, although he admitted access would be an issue at times.
“There’ll be some tough days in there,” he said.
Sidewalks can be removed and replaced within a week, but there will be times when front door entry will be limited, Peters said.
“There’s going to be individual circumstances we’ll just have to work through, one way or another,” he said.
He encouraged business owners to inform customers to park on the side streets and access the front of the business by using the sidewalk.
“That will be safer for everyone, and we can get our work done that much quicker,” he said.
The state Highway 22 project involves pavement removal and replacement, curb and gutter, sidewalks, storm sewer, street lighting, pavement marking and street signing. Project boundaries for the 1.6-mile stretch are West Highland Drive to East Highland Drive.
The stretch from East Highland Drive to South Main Street, which began in April, is scheduled to be finished Aug. 7. In the next few weeks, crews will work on landscaping, sidewalks, driveway entrances and pavement marking.
