Onalaska’s Holiday Heights could see $1.4 million street project – La Crosse Tribune

The city of Onalaska has on its radar a potential street improvement project at the Holiday Heights neighborhood, east of Hwy. 16 and south of Valley View Mall.

The Board of Public Works Thursday night discussed the potential project, which would widen over a mile of city street and provide curb and gutter to areas with recurrent drainage issues, including East and West Young drives.

The pavement in that neighborhood ranges from 24-26 feet wide, and a typical street, per city code, is supposed to be 37 feet wide. On top of drainage issues, this is causing tight squeezes between cars when both sides are parked on, according to City Engineer Jarrod Holter.

But before anything moves forward with the project, the board decided it best to set up a public meeting to allow the folks living in the neighborhood to ask questions or express any concerns they might have.

We dont want to jam anything down anybodys throat, Onalaska Mayor Joe Chilsen said.

Holter said that he thought people could be hesitant of the project, but added: From a staff standpoint, I think curb and gutter would really help this neighborhood ... It would help us clean it up and it would help with the drainage of the streets.

The date and time of the public meeting with the neighborhood werent nailed down Thursday night.

The project could cost as much as $1.4 million, and was outlined in the citys 2017 Capital Improvements budget.

Four flashing crossing beacons are going to be installed on Sand Lake Road at the cross streets of Quincy and Well.

The 10-foot-high posts will allow pedestrians to notify drivers that they want to cross the street by pushing a button that flashes a crosswalk sign. The city of Onalaska installed them on East Main Street three years ago and city officials say the structures work well and are holding up nicely.

With traffic picking up on Sand Lake Road, and expected to increase with current and future development, public concern brought this item onto the June 29 Board of Public Works agenda.

All four crossing beacons (two at each intersection), will cost $22,000 with installation.

State law requires drivers stop for any pedestrian at a crosswalk, flashing beacons or not.

The city of Onalaska doesnt seem to have a problem paying a little bit more per-capita for a household hazardous materials program run by La Crosse County.

The county-run program has been operating since 2004, but because of growth, La Crosse County asked all 18 of its municipalities for a little help bringing the program out of a deficit, which its been operating at for three years.

The quarter per-capita increase will cost the city of Onalaska an additional $913 a year, which the city of Onalaskas finance director Fred Buehler said shouldnt be a problem for the city to cover.

Smaller municipalities in the area appeared hesitant of the fee-increase when the county proposed it a few months ago.

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Onalaska's Holiday Heights could see $1.4 million street project - La Crosse Tribune