By Josh Staloch
Staff Writer

ALLOUEZ – Residents got a chance to hear plans for major reconstruction along a section of Libal Street at an informational meeting Sept. 22.

About 30 people were on hand at Village Hall to learn more about the project, which consists of a 1.6-mile section of Libal, from 172 up to Kalb Avenue.

The section from Highway 172 to Allouez Avenue is slated for a full reconstruction, with all existing roadway, curbs, gutters and sidewalks replaced, along with the storm sewer system.

The section north of Allouez Avenue up to Kalb Avenue will be a pavement replacement project only, with the goal to reconstruct the pavement between the curb lines while keeping the existing curbs and sidewalks in place.

“There was a lot of good discussion,” Brian Andreas, project manager at Strand Associates, said. “There were people for and against what was proposed. We’re at a very early point in the project so we were really there to start to identify concerns.”

Andreas said environmental concerns were voiced at the meeting.

“From an engineering standpoint, it’s all relatively straightforward,” Andreas said. “If we’re going to have any impact on park lands or wetlands, we have to address those environmental concerns. Initially, our thought is that we’re not going to have to deal with that because we don’t think we’ll have to go through any wetlands. But that’s definitely a challenge we’ll be watching.”

Andreas said the intent is to re-stripe the road to add bike lanes, which will limit the street’s width and restrict parking to one side of the road.

There is also talk of adding a sidewalk from Green Avenue up to Allouez Avenue on the west side where there is no sidewalk.

The design phase of the project is scheduled to wrap up in the summer of 2023 with construction beginning in 2024, following a bid process.