MANAWA – The city is facing a significant reduction in parking spaces downtown ahead of a major state highway reconstruction project scheduled for 2028.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) is planning a $2 to $3 million project to mill and resurface about two miles of State Highway 22, known as Bridge Street in Manawa. The roadwork will span from County B to County N and is expected to take about five months to complete.
To improve pedestrian safety and visibility, the state plans to upgrade all curb ramps to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That includes installing sidewalk “bump outs” at Second Street and County N, as well as adding an additional pedestrian crosswalk downtown.
Under state safety guidelines, municipal parking spaces are restricted within a specific distance of intersections and crosswalks. Manawa Public Works Director Josh Smith said at a Common Council meeting last month that because of the new crosswalk and planned bump outs, the city has “no say” in losing a notable portion of its downtown parking spots.
Smith explained that the city had previously painted hashed buffer zones on the pavement to keep parked vehicles back from the crossings. However, he said that even with the painted hashes, pedestrians still get hidden behind parked cars as they try to cross. Because the painted lines failed to solve the visibility issues, the state is mandating physical curb changes.
“So we’re stuck with both,” Smith told the common council.
To deal with the reduction of downtown parking spaces, city officials recently met with DOT representatives to discuss parking alternatives. Local officials are also working alongside the Chamber of Commerce and the Manawa Revitalization Committee to explore alternative parking solutions. Smith noted that while several ideas have been floated, no concrete plans have been finalized.
The DOT expects to complete final plans for the highway project by next May. Minor real estate acquisitions and temporary easements, including a temporary easement in Triangle Park to accommodate pedestrian detours, are ongoing through next spring.
To minimize disruptions to local businesses and tourism, state officials have agreed that no construction work will take place during the annual Manawa Rodeo.
The parking cuts are part of a broader push by state engineers to upgrade pedestrian safety along the highway corridor. In addition to the downtown crosswalks and curb bump-outs, the project also includes about 350 feet of new sidewalk on the west side of Highway 22 to improve pedestrian connectivity.
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