Upcoming road improvement project meeting scheduled
Wisconsin Department of Transportation representatives are set to conduct an informational meeting regarding their upcoming Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project on Thursday, March 19 at the Lake Geneva city hall building.
Lake Geneva residents will have an opportunity to receive information about an upcoming road reconstruction project.
Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are set to conduct a public informational meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 19 in the Lake Geneva city hall building, police training room, 626 Geneva St., regarding their upcoming Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction and resurfacing project.
The meeting is set to include a brief overview of the project, slide presentation and informational stations.
"That is an open DOTstyle meeting where you have multiple stations around the room," City Administrator Dave De Angelis said. "Each one encompassing a different aspect of the project."
De Angelis said information that is presented during the meeting later will be posted on the city's website, www.cityoflakegeneva.gov.
"So, anybody can look at them anytime they want," De Angelis said.
The project is scheduled to be conducted in 2027 and 2028 and is set to include pavement placement and road resurfacing work from Forest Street to Grand Geneva Way along Highway 50/Main Street in the city of Lake Geneva.
As part of the project, road reconstruction work, stormwater drainage improvements, pedestrian ramp upgrades, sidewalk connectivity, road resurfacing and crosswalk installation work is set to be conducted in the downtown area.
The area between Forest Street and Wells Street is set to include pavement replacement work, and the area between Wells Street and Grand Geneva Way is set to include road resurfacing work.
De Angelis said most of the work outside of the downtown area is set to be conducted in 2027, and the majority of the work in the downtown area is set to be conducted in 2028.
"The goal is to get as much of the periphery done as possible in 2027, so the only thing to be done in 2028 is the downtown and the milling and overlaying portion to the east," De Angelis said.
Areas of Highway 50/ Main Street are set to be open throughout the project. However, some areas will be closed with potential detour routes to Dodge Street.
Access to local residences and businesses is set to be available throughout the project.
City officials are considering establishing a trolley transportation program to help provide access to the downtown area.
De Angelis said city officials are considering contracting with Dousman Transport Company representatives to operate the trolley transportation program if it is approved.
"If we were to bring it in-house, we really don't have available staff that have enough time to adequately supervise another 10-15 employees, plus to do the scheduling, dispatching and management of that," De Angelis said.
City officials also are working with Lake Geneva Schools representatives to possibly establish additional parking in the Maple Park District area, which includes Central-Denison Elementary School, and to possibly use Badger High School, Lake Geneva Middle School or athletic field parking lots as possible trolley drop-off areas during the summer.
"They feel that it might be best at the middle school because there's actually less activity in the front of the middle school in the summer, where most of the activity is off to the side and not in the front," De Angelis said. "They will be circling back with us in the coming months as they review that."
Mayor Todd Krause said they also have talked with Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials about conducting portions of the project at night.
Lake Geneva alders approved a revised noise ordinance in 2024 which states overnight or early morning construction work must be approved by the City Council.
Krause said City Council members would have to discuss and vote on the issue in order for any nighttime work to occur.
"That would help with the efficiency of the project overall," Krause said. "They talked about the percent of proficiency that's gained by working at night with road construction. So, that's something we want to look at."
"They talked about the percent of proficiency that's gained by working at night with road construction. So, that's something we want to look at."
Todd Krause, mayor
