Designs With Sidewalks For Beaver Dam Reconstruction Project Approved

(Beaver Dam) Designs have been approved for this summer’s reconstruction of Roosevelt and Warren streets in Beaver Dam. The designs include the installation of brand-new sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, but the door was left open to the possibility of only installing sidewalk on one side. Property owners are required to pick-up the tab on sidewalk installation for the $950-thousand-dollar reconstruction.

Project Manager Todd Janssen with MSA Professional Services says from Hillcrest to Park Street, Peace Lutheran Church and Wayland Academy have a lot of frontage that could result in special assessment costs. City officials in committee this week chose a design with sidewalks on both sides of the street. However, it was confirmed that the design could be easily scaled-back to sidewalks on one side of the roadway. Engineer Mike Laue with MSA says there would be little-to-no cost to change the designs to remove sidewalk while the project itself would be reduced in cost.

If a design with sidewalks on one side is chosen, the concrete would likely be poured in front of the residential properties as opposed to the properties owned by Wayland and Peace Lutheran. However, those entities would not necessarily be spared the sticker shock from the assessment of new sidewalks. City Attorney Mary Ann Schacht says the city has the authority to assess property owners on both sides of the street, even if sidewalk is only installed on one side. Conversely, the sidewalk portion of the project would cost half as much.

The decision on whether sidewalks should be installed on both sides of Roosevelt and Warren streets is expected to be made after a public hearing on the project.