One half of the project to completely reconstruct Peoria’s Wisconsin Avenue is finished, well ahead of schedule.
City officials cut a ribbon on Wisconsin Avenue Wednesday, reopening a stretch of Wisconsin from Nebraska to McClure Avenue to the public. The $6.5 million job includes a resurfaced road, a multi-use path and improved sidewalks.
“The sidewalks were in pretty bad shape in the past, with Ameren poles in the sidewalks,” said City Engineer Andrea Klopfenstein. “We now have open sidewalks so that the school kids can get to their schools safely and not in the streets.”
Klopfenstein said engineering on the project presented its own challenges, as certain segments included houses that were closer to the street than usual.
“Wisconsin is not a straight stretch by any means,” said Peoria Public Works Communications Specialist Nick McMillion. “It kind of shifts. It divvies back and forth right? So when you’re looking at, when you’re looking at Wisconsin, the challenges are, how is the road going to fall?”
The city’s engineering department persevered.
Due to favorable weather and an aggressive approach to road closures, City Council Representative Tim Riggenbach says the project, expected to take two construction seasons, only took one.
“We’re hoping that making the neighborhood more walkable, giving that opportunity for more people to experience it, will increase some business presence and restaurants, shops, or whatever,” said Riggenbach.
The second part of the project, slated for construction in 2026, will continue the reconstruction on Wisconsin from McClure to Forrest Hill. Riggenbach says the money for the project is already budgeted.
The funding for both portions comes from a combination of local motor fuel taxes, American Rescue Plan Funding and state grants.
When completed, the reconstructed road will connect Von Steuben Middle School and the Glen Oak Learning Center.
“Having that multi-use path between the two schools is going to be a great feature of safety and convenience for the many students that live in the area,” said Riggenbach.
