Gov. Scott Walker announced in a letter to town of Hull Chairperson John Holdridge a $1.2-million grant to reconstruct North Second Drive will be awarded to the town.

In Hull, North Second Drive runs from Stevens Point’s city limits north for 3.46 miles to Highway X in the town of Dewey. The last time any major road work was done on North Second Drive was 1990.

Walker said in his letter, the grant, through Wisconsin’s Town Road Improvement-Discretionary (TRID) program, is meant “to assist local units of government in improving seriously deteriorating town roads by paying up to 50 percent of the total project cost.”

Hull will receive $1.2 million of state funds to be matched with Hull funds to bring the estimated total cost of the North Second Drive project to $2.4 million. For Hull officials, reconstruction of North Second Drive has been a priority for a number of years, but because of project costs, was unlikely without state of Wisconsin financial support. With this grant, the reconstruction of North Second Drive is now possible. 

There were 42 TRID projects funded in Wisconsin, with one of the largest awards going to the town of Hull. Walker commended the town of Hull for its commitment to quality transportation, including the promotion of public safety.

Holdridge said to enhance safety, the North Second Drive reconstruction will include a four-foot pedestrian/bicycle lane on each side of the reconstructed paved roadway.

In the grant application, Hull officials received letters of support from Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza, town of Dewey Chairperson Dennis Hintz and John Gardner, president of Heartland Bike Club.

Holdridge said Steve Schlice, of the Portage County Highway Department, assisted the town with its navigation through state regulations and project guidelines.

The project is funded through the 2016-17 Wisconsin biennium budget. State regulations require that North Second Drive reconstruction be completed by June 30, 2021.

Hull officials are evaluating how to fit this large project into the many other road needs of the town which includes the resurfacing of Torun Road, Pinewood and Driftwood Drives road work and the annual budget expenditure of $100,000 to seal coat Hull roads. Hull has 82 miles of roads and 30 percent of Hull’s annual budget is spent on roads.

All questions can be directed to Holdridge by email to [email protected] or by calling the Hull municipal building at 715-344-8280.