Street reconstruction project on Stevens Point's north side adds roundabout and extends sidewalk

Erik Pfantz, Stevens Point Journal
·2 min read
The intersection of Maria Drive and Second Street, looking south, on Jan. 22. As part of a road construction project at the intersection, the city plans to add a mini-roundabout that will eliminate the stop signs for traffic on Maria Drive.
The intersection of Maria Drive and Second Street, looking south, on Jan. 22. As part of a road construction project at the intersection, the city plans to add a mini-roundabout that will eliminate the stop signs for traffic on Maria Drive.

STEVENS POINT – Plans for roughly 7,100 feet of street reconstruction on the city’s north side is starting to take shape, and in addition to routine maintenance, the project also calls for a roundabout and additional sidewalks.

Portions of Maria Drive, Vincent Street and Walker Street will be under construction beginning in May and continuing through the summer as the city completes work on both underground utilities and surface elements.

The city held public information sessions in August and December and is using suggestions from those meetings to create a design draft that is expected to be finished in February.

The intersection of Maria Drive and Second Street, looking east down Maria Drive, on Jan. 22. A major street reconstruction project is planned for Maria Drive, Walker Street and Vincent Street starting in May.
The intersection of Maria Drive and Second Street, looking east down Maria Drive, on Jan. 22. A major street reconstruction project is planned for Maria Drive, Walker Street and Vincent Street starting in May.

One significant feature will be the addition of a “mini-roundabout” at the intersection of Maria Drive and Second Street. A mini-roundabout is designed with lower curbs so larger vehicles or a vehicle with a larger turning radius, like “delivery trucks, emergency response vehicles and school buses,” are more safely able to move through them, according to Scott Beduhn, the city's director of public works. This will eliminate the stop signs for east-west traffic on Maria Drive.

A second feature of this project will happen away from the major street work − the extension of the sidewalk on the north side of Maria Drive and west of Madison Elementary School. Currently, the sidewalk ends essentially at the edge of the Frederick Street right of way. Beduhn said this will facilitate safer child pickup from the school on Georgia Street.

The end of the sidewalk on the north side of Maria Drive, west of Madison Elementary School, on Jan. 22. As part of a street reconstruction project slated to begin in May, the sidewalk will be extended to facilitate safer pickup from the school.
The end of the sidewalk on the north side of Maria Drive, west of Madison Elementary School, on Jan. 22. As part of a street reconstruction project slated to begin in May, the sidewalk will be extended to facilitate safer pickup from the school.

The street project's boundaries are Maria Drive from Second Street to Division Street; Walker Street from Second Street to its west end; and Vincent Street from Maria Drive to Sixth Avenue.

Voters approved $2.9 million in an April 2023 referendum for the road project.

The requirement to put such measures to a public vote is a result of a binding referendum voters narrowly approved in August 2022 that created an ordinance that requires the city to put all transportation projects that cost taxpayers more than $1 million before voters.

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Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA-TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Reach him at epfantz@gannett.com or connect with him on X (formerly Twitter) @ErikPfantz.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Stevens Point street reconstruction project adds roundabout, sidewalk