Barricades pushed aside as Streetscape ‘functionally complete’

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Traffic in downtown Rhinelander is flowing freely again after the third and final phase of road construction wrapped up Friday on the Streetscape project, which is now “functionally complete.”

Portions of Stevens, Rives and Pelham Street had been barricaded off before the final paving and striping took place to finish those streets.

The second of two years of work for the Streetscape project began last month with the first phase having involved North Brown Street between Frederick and Davenport Street, along with Davenport Street east of the bridge to Stevens Street and portions of Courtney and Anderson Street.

In addition to the Davenport Street Bridge having reopened to traffic after being closed to motor vehicles as part of the Streetscape construction, the second phase of the street work that was completed had involved South Brown Street and portions of North Anderson and West King Street.

Public Works director Tim Kingman said there is miscellaneous work left to be done with the Streetscape project that won’t require closing streets, such as removing bad sections of concrete along the sides of roads.

Kingman said there will a road closure after the Fourth of July weekend for one day yet to be scheduled when decorative painting takes place for the intersection of Brown and Davenport Street, which calls for painted crosswalks in the walkways bordered with white stripes as well as painted concrete for the bump-outs.

Rhinelander’s Streetscape project began in March of last year and wrapped up for 2016 in November. Numerous street closures occurred downtown last year when work took place separating the combined sanitary and storm water sewers and upgrading both systems along with putting down new pavement. The project has also involved increasing the width of sidewalks, installing decorative lighting, planting trees and other beautification projects.