City asks for public input
By Angie Landsverk
Temporary striping on reconstructed parking areas in downtown Waupaca is allowing city officials to watch how these areas are working.
The city opened East Fulton Street and the lot behind city hall and the library as work began on East Union Street.
“There will be a second layer of asphalt going on,” said Justin Berrens. “The road is not 100 percent complete. We striped it temporarily to see how it works, functions. Before we pave the final layer, we are open to comments.”
Berrens is the city’s director of public works.
Earlier this month, he provided the common council with an update about the project.
Brennan Kane, the city’s director of community and economic development, says the final layer of asphalt and permanent striping are expected to provide some relief to the current tightness.
Berrens said the general feel of the parking lot and street changed.
It is tighter, he said.
“It’ll be a two-way on Jefferson, Fulton and Union just as it was,” Berrens said. “With the addition of bumpouts and islands, it will slow people down.”
When the overall project is done, about 30 parking stalls will have been added, he said.
He said that does not include the handicapped stalls.
Berrens reminded the council the project is in preparation for the upcoming reconstruction of Main Street.
“We will lose parking during construction,” he said. “After, we expect to lose small stalls. They will be wider to (Wisconsin) DOT (Department of Transportation) standards.”
Kane said there is no doubt there is a significant change in this area with the reconstructed parking.
Ald. Lori Chesnut expressed concerns about the new perpendicular parking on East Fulton Street and behind city hall.
People cannot back out without going left or right over the center line, she said.
However, Police Chief Brian Hoelzel said none of these streets will have lines down the middle of them.
Mayor Brian Smith said the council has a few weeks before it needs to make a final decision.
If there are accidents in that area, the information may be tracked and brought back to the council, Hoelzel said.
Kane said the design’s intent is to slow traffic down.
“It is still a public street,” he said.
Jefferson and Fulton streets meet the public criteria, but have the same feeling as if one is driving through a parking lot, Kane said.
Ald. Mary Phair said both Berrens and Kane explained how some things will change after the final paving.
“We voted on this. We had input from experts who brought it to us, and we approved it,” she said. “I think we need to support what we decided to do.”
Phair said it is the responsibility of council members to listen to any complaints and concerns of the public and to then direct those people to Berrens and Kane.
Kane said the design is based on the urban standards for parking lots and roads.
“Let’s see what happens here. I still think the project needed to be done,” the mayor said. “Let’s let people give it a chance.”