STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — Reconstruction of Division Street, or Business 51, in Stevens Point is officially underway.
The long-discussed, long-planned, and at times controversial project involves a new traffic pattern and complete reconstruction of the underground utility infrastructure. Mayor Mike Wiza says they will start at the south end of the street. “We will be [starting] from Minnesota Avenue, basically the southern boundary of the city, to about Michigan Avenue. Traffic will be rerouted through detours, which will remain in place through most of the construction,” said Wiza.
The reconstructed street will consist of two traffic lanes with a shared left-turn lane. Some intersections will also have a raised median to prevent left turns
He invites everyone to continue supporting the small businesses along Division Street because there will be times when their front doors aren’t accessible. “During construction, we will try to keep as many front-access points open as possible. Unless we are working right in front of the business, you will have access. Though you may have to go over some gravel.
“This construction is going to be disruptive, especially for those businesses along those corridors. I’m asking everybody to keep that in mind and support those local businesses through this construction season because some may not survive if we don’t show them a little love,” added Wiza.
City leaders are asking residents to utilize the exact detours whenever possible, even if they aren’t the most direct route to their destination. That’s because the official routes will follow streets designed to handle a large amount of traffic.
Future phases will be completed over the next four years, including segments between Michigan and Rice, scheduled for 2027, and a Central Segment project in 2029. For more information on the project, click here.
Other topics Mayor Wiza discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- Business 51 reconstruction
11:10- Bigger and better Riverfront Rendezvous
14:20- Mayor Mike goes to Vegas
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