By Brandi Makuski

City leaders have organized a public informational meeting to discuss the upcoming Sixth Ave. reconstruction project. 

The project will overhaul the roadway between Second St. and the city’s garage at the Old Wausau Rd. intersection. Similar in nature to the Ellis St. rebuild of 2013, workers will replace underground utilities, install new curb and gutter and update sidewalks. The project is tentatively slated to begin in June, and new pavement on the roadway should open by fall.

The road will be closed to thru-traffic during the construction, and many driveways will not be accessible during phases of the project. Residents with specific questions can find more information here.

Scott Schatschneider, director of public works, said underground utilities along that stretch of road are nearly 100 years old.

“We’ve got a handful of [streets] there are in pretty tough shape,” Schatschneider said. “But what we need to do between the city’s engineering department and the utilities department is pick streets that are a good value for all of our taxpayers — roads that have underground utilities that are nearing that century mark, and pavement that is real bad. Sixth Avenue is a classic example; there are sections of water main on Sixth that predate the water utility.”

The public informational meeting will be held on Tues., March 1 at 6 PM in the gymnasium of Madison Elementary School, 600 Maria Drive.