City Council takes up intersection safety proposals

The safety of the traveling public was at the center of discussion during the May 26 meeting of the Rhinelander Common Council as the alderpersons supported a proposal from the police department to prohibit left turns at the intersection of Lincoln Street and Baird Avenue and discussed the possibility of converting the intersection of Brown and Phillip streets to a four-way stop. The panel also discussed a rezoning proposal that drew spirited public comment, reviewed changes to the city’s UTV ordinance, and approved a major street construction contract as well as a maintenance fix at the city’s reservoir.
Left Turn Ban at Baird and Lincoln
The council approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-02, which would make the exit from South Baird Avenue onto Lincoln Street right-turn only. The measure was brought forward by the Rhinelander Police Department after years of accidents at the busy intersection.
Captain Chad Brown told the council the department has responded to 20 crashes at the intersection since 2016, seven of which resulted in injuries. Brown said left turns by southbound drivers — particularly those unfamiliar with the area — have been a major contributing factor.
“A lot of people coming from the courthouse area might not be familiar with our area, trying to make a left turn,” Brown said. “That being a four-lane road, it’s very difficult for people to see if somebody’s in the inside lane.”

City administrator Patrick Reagan noted that an ongoing detour in the area has made the hazard even more pronounced. The ordinance also cleans up several outdated provisions in the city’s traffic code and creates a new “right turn only” zone category that could be applied elsewhere in the future.
Alderman Steven Jopek, who said he lives on the block and has himself attempted the left turn, voiced strong support. “I can say that this is a good call, and I think it’ll be better for the safety of the whole town.”
The ordinance passed its first reading unanimously and will return for a second reading at the June 8 council meeting, after which it would become law if approved.
Four-Way Stop Floated for Brown and Phillip
The council also discussed adding a four-way stop at the intersection of North Brown Street and Phillip Street, a proposal that would be timed to coincide with an already-approved construction project on North Brown.
City staff presented traffic and incident data to support the discussion. While the numbers were described as modest, Mayor Kris Hanus noted that limited sightlines — caused by century-old buildings sitting close to the sidewalk, on-street parking, and vehicle speeds — make the intersection a concern.
Several council members said they had personal experience with the hazard. Council president Carrie Mikalauski said a constituent had specifically flagged the difficulty of seeing oncoming traffic on Phillip Street when vehicles are parked near the Fun Factory or a neighboring hair salon. “You would have to pretty much get into the middle of the intersection before you can see if a car is coming from downtown,” she said.
Alderman Thomas Barnett said he had seen drivers roll through the existing stop sign without hesitation. “With all the cars parked up and down that street, it’s really hard to see if someone’s coming.”
Because stop signs in Rhinelander are governed by city ordinance, the council cannot act on the proposal immediately. The mayor asked alderpersons to email any additional intersection concerns to the city administrator by May 29. Staff will consult with the police and fire departments before bringing a formal ordinance for consideration at the June 8 meeting. The Brown-Phillip stop could be bundled with other locations into a single ordinance update.
Alderman Jopek also requested that a no-right-turn-on-red designation be explored for the Lincoln Street and Oneida Avenue intersection, citing near-misses involving cyclists.
West Wind Drive Rezoning Draws Public Opposition
The council approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-01, which would rezone three parcels off Highway 47 from light industrial to R-3 residential — a step that could pave the way for a large residential development accessed via West Wind Drive. The vote to proceed was unanimous, though the council rejected an amendment that would have waived the required second reading, meaning the matter returns June 8 before becoming final.
Two residents of West Wind Drive spoke during public comment to raise concerns — not about development itself, but about routing traffic through their quiet neighborhood street.
Mike Hendricks said the 12-home street currently has roughly 45 residents. The proposed development, he said, could bring between 152 and 206 units and hundreds of additional vehicles daily. “Basically, putting this through — if you extend West Wind — it’s going to wreck that part of the neighborhood,” he said. Hendricks asked council members and planning commissioners to visit the site before casting a final vote.
Neighbor Cristi Corey-Luse raised a longer list of technical concerns, including the presence of extensive wetlands on the development site and questions about DNR permitting, stormwater management, mosquito breeding in open drainage pools, and whether the existing eight-inch sewer line running through the neighborhood could handle the added load. She also asked how utilities would be extended to the new development and whether sidewalks and traffic calming measures would be part of the plan.
Several aldermen echoed those concerns. Alderman Gerald Anderson said the public comments had surfaced enough unresolved issues to warrant more review. Alderman Barnett agreed, saying he wanted more time to speak directly with affected residents before voting. Those objections were enough to defeat the amendment to waive the second reading, with five members voting against it.
Council members were careful to note that the vote is solely on rezoning — not on any specific development plan. Any future project would still require site plan approval, a development agreement, and additional review by the planning commission and council.
UTV Ordinance Draft Gets Detailed Review
The council spent considerable time reviewing changes city attorney Steve Sorenson made to the ordinance governing all-terrain and utility task vehicles on city streets. Sorenson presented the working draft, which he said was drawn from state statutes and ordinances from other municipalities.
The draft covers vehicle definitions, permitted routes, noise and nuisance restrictions, enforcement mechanisms, and an annual route review process. Sorenson noted that the document also expands the city’s ability to address disruptive ATV and UTV use — such as jumping curbs or treating streets as a playground — on both public and private property.
Among the issues flagged by aldermen: Alderman Luke Kramer asked about adding language requiring operators to dim auxiliary and multi-beam lights late at night. Alderman Bob Lueder raised the question of whether definitions in the ordinance should simply reference state statutes directly, which would keep the city’s code current as state law evolves. Alderman Anderson asked whether turn signal requirements could be built in as a safety measure.
A recurring point of debate — Hanus referred to it as “the elephant in the room” — was the city’s most contested question: whether UTVs should be permitted on Lincoln Street. Alderman Jopek argued that the Lincoln Street question should be separated from the broader ordinance so that the widely-supported reforms don’t get tangled up in that single unresolved issue. Sorenson said he would restructure the draft to include a clearly designated section listing restricted streets, which could be filled in — or left reserved — when the ordinance comes back for a formal first reading.
Alderman Barnett moved to bring the revised draft back as a first reading at the next meeting, a direction the council agreed on. Alderperson Linnaea Newman reminded the group that UTVs are not permitted on bike paths or the Riverwalk, after she said she recently witnessed one traveling along the riverfront path.
Council Awards 2026 Street and Utility Contract
The council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-43, awarding the 2026 street and utility improvement project to Musson Brothers Inc. for $1,512,889.06. The contract covers a package of street reconstruction and utility work across several city blocks, with funding drawn from the Local Roads Program, Tax Increment District funds, and PRAT (premiere resort area funds) for work on Eagle Street.
Nik Dorava of Town and Country Engineering presented the bid results, noting that two contractors submitted bids and that Musson came in substantially lower than the other bidder, Pitlik & Wick, on every component of the project. Doraba said part of Musson’s cost advantage stems from the firm already being in the area for a separate DOT project on the bypass, reducing equipment and material transport costs.
Base bid work includes Alban, Brown, and Frederick streets. The council also approved several alternate bid items, including two segments of Phillips Street between Maple Street and Thayer, a short section of Thayer Street near the railroad tracks, and a stretch of Davenport Street from Maple to Sutliff Avenue. On Eagle Street, the council selected a pulverize-and-repave treatment over a simpler mill-and-overlay, which staff said would better address any underlying base course problems.
Two alternate bids were not awarded: Timber Drive and a second Eagle Street treatment option. The mayor noted that the remaining untreated section of Davenport is being held for a future project that will address utility issues beneath the roadway, and that the Eagle Street work was intentionally limited to city-owned right-of-way while the city remains in talks with the railroad about potentially converting a crossing into a multi-purpose trail.
Reservoir Gate System Approved
In routine business, the council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-45, authorizing an $11,470 contract with Entrance Systems for a new gate operation system at the city’s reservoir, which also houses Wells 4 and 5.
Reagan said the existing gate mechanism has experienced persistent problems opening, closing, and freezing during winter months. The cost will be covered by water department operating funds.