A view of the Bukolt Park corridor. (City-Times photo)

By Patrick Lynn

City leaders plan to completely rebuild Bukolt Avenue beginning July 14.

The construction will take place on a section of road from Front to Second streets, as well as a portion of Georgia Street, from Bukolt to Sixth avenues.

The project will be identical to the re-build of Ellis Street in 2013, which replaced outdated underground utilities, improved curb and gutter and installed a new concrete road surface.

City crews in February replaced part of a water main under the street after it burst amid an extended period of sub-zero weather.

Public Works Director Scott Schatscheider said crews plan to complete the project, which carries a price tag of about $850K, sometime in October.

“What we’ve done for this project is we’ve split it up into phases, tackling smaller chunks at a time,” Schatschneider told the City-Times in June. “If you remember, Ellis (Street) was ripped up from one end to the other right out of the gate. This project is different from the standpoint we’re doing it in phases to allow residents to park closed to their homes so their walk isn’t nearly as far.”

Schatschneider said motorists on Ellis Street had more parking space along side streets and alleys during roadway reconstruction there, but crews will tear up Bukolt Avenue 1-2 blocks at a time because of fewer alternative parking options.

While city leaders say they’ve been planning this project for a number of years, residents who live along the affect-ed roadways may be caught off guard by the added expense. At least some residents can expect a special assessment bill for any outdated laterals that need to be replaced during the construction.

According to Schatschneider, the expense totals $450- $3,150 for a new nonstandard sanitary sewer lateral, nonstandard water service, or the installation of new non-standard storm sewer lateral, or all three.

Stevens Point Comptroller-Treasurer Corey Ladick said residents who face the special assessments will have three op-tions for payment.

“They can either pay the total bill within 30 days, pay over 5 years at 2 ½ percent interest or pay at 4.6 percent interest over a period of 10 years,” Ladick said.