Roadwork, laterals, more parking
By Scott Bellile
The first stage of a two-year reconstruction project downtown will officially begin in the coming months.
The New London Common Council on March 21 unanimously voted to award a $1.9 million contract to DeGroot Inc. of Green Bay to perform the following street and utility work:
• Replacement of sanitary and water main beneath a quarter mile of West North Water Street, from North Shawano Street to 100 feet east of North Pearl Street.
• Replacement of sanitary sewer laterals and water service laterals beneath North Water Street and three side streets: State Street, Lincoln Court and St. John’s Place.
• Installation of new water main on St. John’s Place, from West North Water to Park streets.
• Reconstruction of storm sewer, road surface, sidewalks and curb and gutter on the three side streets.
• Expansion of the public parking lot north of the 200 block on West North Water Street.
City officials detailed the project and collected feedback at a public information meeting on March 14.
Public Works Director Robert Garske said work will begin whenever the Wolf River is low enough, mostly taking place over summer.
Work will progress one block at a time with detours posted to keep businesses accessible.
Garske presented photos of property owners’ sanitary sewer laterals showing many are broken or blocked.
North Water Street’s sanitary sewer system was installed in 1927 and the water main in the 1930s and ’40s.
Both are reaching the end of usability, according to the city. The pavement is also showing significant cracking.
Assessments
Commercial and residential property owners inside the work zone will be charged up to $5,037 to have their private sanitary and sewer laterals reconstructed in the public right-of-way, said Brad Werner, senior project manager with McMahon Associates.
That amount can be paid upfront or over 10 years with 1% interest.
Werner said he frequently sees assessments of $12,000 to $15,000 in other cities.
“Many, even most, other communities will charge assessments for curb and gutter, sidewalk, pavement, your sanitary [mains], your storm mains,” City Administrator Chad Hoerth said. “New London doesn’t do any of that.”
New London Utilities does not plan to offer financial assistance to property owners, NLU General Manager Jason Bessette said.
In addition to the right-of-way, the city will inspect everybody’s laterals on their private property.
Property owners who are noncompliant with current building codes – such as those with defective laterals or clay pipes rather than PVC – must enter the city’s contract to replace their lateral at an additional cost or hire their own plumber.
More parking
A public parking lot will be redesigned and expanded from an “I” shape to an “L.”
The first block of Lincoln Court, between West North Water Street and Wolf River Plaza, will cease to exist.
In its place, a new section of parking lot containing 19 stalls will be constructed west of Lynn Tank Agency on the former Wolf River Theatrical Troupe property.
Drivers will be able to enter or exit the expanded parking lot via North Water Street, St. John’s Place and Wolf River Plaza.
The parking lot will be wider than a standard lot, Werner said, and designed with barriers to discourage speeding and through-traffic.
Several street-parking spots on North Water Street and St. John’s Place will be lost due to curb bump-outs planned at those parking lot entrances in 2024.
Bump-outs are designed to help drivers exit parking lots safely. They eliminate street parking around the driveway that would otherwise obstruct the driver’s view of oncoming traffic.
The one-way Lincoln Court will become a two-way road running from Wolf River Plaza to Waupaca Street.
More work, ‘heartache’ ahead
This year’s work on North Water Street includes a temporary one-inch asphalt overlay to keep it drivable through next winter.
In 2024, the street and sidewalks will be reconstructed to be narrowed for drivers and widened for pedestrians. Streetlights will be replaced.
The potential impact on business of two summers of construction concerned Jolly Roger’s Pizzeria owner Shellie Leahy.
She asked why the city cannot finish North Water Street this year and save the side streets for 2024.
Hoerth said the city explored a one-year North Water Street project. However, crews would need to begin in early spring when river levels – and dewatering costs – would be high.
Garske further explained, “The amount of construction that we have to do on North Water alone is so time-consuming that to try to fit all that in in one time frame – especially if we run late in starting the sewer and water installation – you’re going to run out of time at the end of the season.”
In addition, Hoerth said the Department of Transportation is supporting the project with a $2.9 million grant, which means working on the DOT’s schedule.
“We understand that there’s going to be some heartache over the next two years for sure,” Werner said. “And once it’s done, hopefully everybody’s back to normal, and it’s such a nice improvement that it encourages even more people” to come downtown.
To support impacted businesses, the city council on March 21 approved doubling the annual budget for the Building Facade Improvement Grant Program to $40,000.
Priority for the matching grant, which encourages aesthetic improvements like signage, lighting and structural repairs, will be given to retail businesses located within the work zone.