In less than 8 weeks, work will begin in downtown Rhinelander that could be the way the area looks for the next half-century. Rhinelander Public Works Director Tim Kingman and other city officials last evening update the public on the Streetscape project.
The project will upgrade the infrastructure beneath the downtown. The first work is scheduled to begin in April. Kingman says they initially didn't think they would be able to do everything that was on the community wish list, but that has changed....
"....do to the favorable bidding climate we experience it appears possible to do all the work we envisioned possible. We're on a track to do Brown Street, and Davenport Street and all these peripheral areas as well...."
Kingman says when work starts, one of the main city routes over the Davenport Street bridge will be closed about 90 days.He says the intersection at Courtney and Davenport Streets will be closed at that time. Kingman says the goal is to get the bridge and intersection back to normal around July 1. After that, Stevens Street and other thoroughfares will be affected.
Kingman says they want to have all the below ground work done by the end of construction this year. Then return in 2017 to do more paving and the above ground upgrades.
City Administrator Kristina Aschenbrenner says total project cost is $9.8 million dollars, with city residents paying just over $1 million dollars, below a $1.2 million cap. The funds to pay the rest are coming from federal and state sources. More information is at rhinelander streetscape.com
