Crews have completed reconstruction of a major entry into the city of Gillett.
The City Council received a report on the rebuilding of Washington Street during its regular monthly meeting Dec. 7.
Craig Schuh, manager of engineering services at Ayres Associates, and Elise Fitzsimmons, a civil engineer with Ayres, shared before-and-after photos of the street, which underwent a makeover from a rural road to an urban street complete with curb, gutter, storm sewer and water main.
“The road had no storm sewer on it, outside of a few culverts, and culverts in the driveways, so when you go to an urban section, you’re adding a lot of underground utility infrastructure,” Schuh said.
The photos documented the progress of the $2.6 million project, which was funded in part by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant in addition to a local loan.
“We’ll take pictures of every driveway as we go through to start the job, just in case there’s any questions on what was there beforehand, so that we can go back and show the homeowner just in case they forget, especially when the project goes six months long,” Schuh said.
Perhaps the most dramatic difference is in the area near Seneca where the road crosses a small creek. Alderperson Irene Drake said she was surprised the new bridge has no railings, and drivers may not even notice it’s a bridge.
“It was designed wide enough that the curb and gutter that you have there now is a small barrier to keep vehicles on the roadway that it wasn’t needed,” Schuh said. “The clear zone is wide enough, the recoverable slopes are better than what they were previously if a vehicle went over the curb and down.”
The project was completed on budget, and only some spot cleanup remains in the spring, Schuh said. Fitzsimmons, city and USDA staff, and contractor Todd Dorner reviewed the work before the Dec. 7 council meeting.
Alderperson Jerry Luther said the street “looks very nice” and helps prepare the city for the upcoming reconstruction of state Highway 22 through and around Gillett.
“With the project coming up in 2025-26, for people who will be coming into town from that end, it looks welcoming,” Luther said. “It looks like a city.”
wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com
Washington Street rebuild completed
