Airport Drive, from state Highway 22 to state Highway 29, is scheduled for resurfacing and widening as early as next year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
The project could cost as much at $2.5 million, DOT officials said this week.
Pavement on Airport Drive, which also is state Highway 47, has deteriorated, shows severe cracking and uneven surfaces, and has simply reached the end of its useful life, DOT spokesperson Kristin McHugh wrote Wednesday in response to a reporter’s questions.
The project removes existing asphalt and adds a new overlay the entire length of the project. Storm sewers inlet, curb and gutter, and signage also will be replaced where necessary.
Airport Drive is a mix of two and four lanes, divided and undivided roadway. It will be reconfigured to a three-lane roadway with one travel lane in each direction and two-way left turn lanes, based on public input.
The Airport Drive and Green Bay Street intersection has a higher than average accident rate and planned safety improvement include the following:
• Adding left turn lanes in each direction.
• Modifying the median on the intersection’s southwest corner to accommodate turn lanes.
• Retiming traffic signals to optimize traffic flow.
At the Airport Drive and County Road B intersection, plans include the following:
• Installing a four-way stop to reduce delays for County Road B motorists crossing or turning onto Airport Drive.
• Adding traffic islands and modifying medians to accommodate turn lanes.
The DOT calls the new roadway design an enhanced two-lane configuration, which creates shoulders between travel lanes and the curb, and also allows adding left turn lanes at Beauprey Road and Richmond Street.
Two-way, left-turn lanes added between intersections will provide access to adjacent properties.
A right turn acceleration lane will be added from Richmond Street to Airport Drive as another safety measure.
Gates will be added to the rail cross due to inadequate sight lines. A curbed median will be added between opposing lanes of travel, and bus pullout lanes will be installed in each direction to improve traffic flow.
Six trains traveling at 40 mph maximum use the Airport Road crossing daily, and about 6,900 vehicles travel the roadway daily, according to the DOT.
Airport Road’s 45 mph speed limit will remain after construction is completed.
The DOT will not know if project funding is available until the next state budget is finalized, McHugh noted.
Construction is scheduled for 2017, but could begin next year if funds are available. The project is scheduled to be bid in May 2016.
Traffic will be detoured for two or three months from Airport Drive between County Road B and Green Bay Street via Highways 29 and 22.
Construction will be staged to balance traffic safety and mobility with progress of the work so traffic impacts are minimized.
Access to adjacent properties will be maintained through the construction process, which is scheduled to last several months.
Because Highway 47 is a connecting highway, the state picks up 75 percent of the construction cost with local government sharing 25 percent, which the DOT calculates at $75,000. Local utility costs are an estimated $6,000.
A call to Brian Knapp, city administrator, was not returned before deadline.
