S. 51st St. ARRA Project – W. Grange Ave. to W. Loomis Rd. (STH 36)

The Village of Greendale and the City of Greenfield jointly applied for and received federal stimulus funding to assist with the reconstruction of S. 51st St. between W. Grange Ave. and W. Loomis Rd. (STH 36).

Beginning in the spring of 2010, S. 51st St. will be reconstructed with two driving lanes, bicycle accommodations, curb and gutter, drainage improvements, sidewalk improvements, enhanced signing and pavement markings. The roadway will be closed to thru traffic during construction and allow for local property access. Project work is anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2010.

W. College Ave. (CTH ZZ) ARRA Project – W. Loomis Rd (STH 36) to S. 51st St.

Milwaukee County has received federal stimulus monies for the rehabilitation of W. College Ave (CTH ZZ) from W. Loomis Rd. (STH 36) to S. 51st St.

Beginning in the spring of 2010, W. College Ave will be rehabilitated with new asphalt pavement (2 lane road), curb and gutter in some locations, storm water management ponds, drainage improvements, bicycle accommodations, school loading zone improvements, pavement markings, and signage. The roadway will be constructed in segments to allow for local traffic to access neighborhoods and the College Park elementary school property.

W. Loomis Rd. (STH 36) Rehabilitation Project – South Village Limits to North Village Limits

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be rehabilitating the asphalt pavement on STH 36 through the Village of Greendale in the 2010 construction season. Improvements include base repairs, new asphalt pavement, signal and geometric improvements at intersections, signing and pavement markings.

Root River Parkway Bridge Replacement ARRA Project ¼ Mile West of STH 36

Milwaukee County has received federal stimulus monies to replace the bridge over the Root River on the Root River Parkway during the summer of 2010. It is anticipated that the bridge work will necessitate the closure of the Root River Parkway road between STH 36 and S. 76th St. (CTH U) while the work is being done.

The 2010 Recycling Calendar and other recycling information is now available. The calendar is also available at the DPW offices, Greendale Village Hall, The Greendale Public Library and at the Greendale Safety Center. Click here to download (pdf)

Please take the time to review the condition of your on street mailbox before the snow flies.

On street mailboxes must conform to United States Postal Service guidelines. The proper height from the road surface, the proper set back from the road or curb edge and the use of correct materials for installation are necessary for a durable, long lasting structure.

The Village can only review mailbox damage complaints to properly maintained and positioned structures that have been physically struck by a Village vehicle since the structure must be robust enough to withstand the force of plowed snow. Plow drivers will get as close as possible to mailboxes but you can expect that extra snow removal efforts by the owner may be necessary especially after heavy snow events.

The Department of Public Works will conduct a final leaf collection service throughout the Village beginning on Monday, November 16, 2009. Residents may place bulk leaves in the street until Sunday, November 15, 2009.

Please remember to place the piles at least 2 feet out from the curb and only leaves will be collected. Piles containing branches, rocks, soil, garbage or any other materials will be rejected and become the homeowners responsibility to properly dispose of. As each street is completed the street sweeper will do a final pass. The street sweeper cannot pick up piled leaves so please do not place leaves in the street after November 15.

Leaves may always be disposed of at the Refuse Recycling Center during regular open hours. Please call 423-2133 for further info.

Treating Ash Trees – Fact vs. Fiction

Do you have questions about the care of your ash trees? Are you confused by all of the offerings to “treat” your ash trees to protect them from emerald ash borer? Have you taken down an ash tree and don’t know what to do with it? Come to the emerald ash borer (EAB) workshop to get all of your questions answered about ash tree care, emerald ash borer and the quarantine regulations that exist in our county concerning transport of all hardwoods. This workshop is designed for homeowners, but anyone who has a responsibility for making tree care decisions is encouraged to come.

Kristin Krokowski, Commercial Horticulture Educator for Waukesha County UW-Extension, will facilitate the workshop and discussion on EAB. Dr. Chris Williamson, entomologist for UW-Extension in Madison will explain how emerald ash borer kills trees and teach you how to identify the insect. He will also explain the potential treatments available to protect ash trees from emerald ash borer and dispel many of the myths you may have heard about different treatments. He will also discuss costs of treatments, and long-term effects of treating ash trees.

Dr. Robert Dahl, Pest and Disease Specialist with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, will explain how the quarantine works in our area, and describe the regulations surrounding firewood and all hardwood materials in our area.
The workshop is scheduled for Friday, November 6th at the Boerner Botanical Gardens Education and Visitor Center located at 9400 Boerner Drive in Hales Corners, an accessible location. The program will run from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and there will be time for questions. Publications will be available for participants to explain EAB, treatment options and quarantine regulations. In addition, EAB adult and larval insect samples will be available to examine along with bark samples showing the “D”- shaped exit holes of the adult borer.

There is no fee for this program, and it is open to everyone.

The Department of Public Works will collect bulk leaves from one, two and three family residential properties only beginning on October 19 and ending on November 13. Each street in the Village will receive collections on your two recycling days during that period of time.

Please place your leaves in the street at least two feet from the curb and in piles no wider than four feet. Never place leaves within fifteen feet of a storm sewer inlet and PLEASE help keep inlets clear of leaves at all times to help prevent street flooding during rain events. 

Leaves and grass clippings only can be accepted from the street. Piles containing branches, garden waste, soil, rocks or any material that could damage our expensive machinery will be left and become the property owners responsibility to remove and recycle.

Please remember that the Village Leaf Collection is intended to assist residents during the heaviest part of the leaf fall. All equipment used during the Leaf Collection must be reconfigured into a snow removal mode immediately after November 13, thus ending the leaf season. Leaves may also be brought to the Public Works Yard for recycling during our normal hours of operation. No leaves may be placed on the street after the last scheduled collection for your street. Please call the Department of Public Works for more information, 423-2133

As reconstruction of Grange Avenue comes to a close, a number of people have asked questions about the wildflower covered medians in a portion of the project. Sections of the new pavement on the Grange Avenue project have been shaped to direct storm water toward the median and into the bio-retention swales. A series of 41 openings in the curb-line equally distributes the water in the filtering area via concrete flumes. After being collected in the swale, the water then percolates through large native wildflower covered beds comprised of layers of engineered soils, crushed stone and sand. The filtered water collects at the bottom of the swale and flows through a series of distribution pipes into Dale Creek.

This bio-filtration device is designed to remove silt and other pollutants from storm water runoff. It is an excavated area that is backfilled with crushed stone (for storage) and an engineered soil mix (consisting of sand, topsoil and compost) that is covered with a mulch layer and then planted with wildflowers. Storm water percolates through the mulch and engineered soil, where it is treated by a variety of physical, chemical and biological processes that trap pollutants and silt before infiltrating back into the native soil or overflowing into the storm sewer system.

The construction of the Grange Avenue bio-retention swales will help the Village of Greendale meet WDNR storm water permit compliance goals. The Village is proud to have participated in this beneficial Water Quality Initiative Project, with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.


Graphic: Bio-Retention Swale

The Village of Greendale is watching the approaching Emerald Ash Borer threat very closely. The recent confirmation of the insect in Franklin has ramped up response planning and the monitoring of vulnerable tree assets.

Public Works Forestry staff has been undergoing EAB training for more than two years on various topics such as identification, de-barking methods, quarantine issues and pesticide application as well as monitoring Village Ash trees for the insect. The Village EAB Response Plan will allow for guidance from the Wisconsin Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as intergovernmental cooperation with area municipalities.


Emerald Ash Borer

Residents can help by monitoring the Ash trees in their yards for signs of the insect. Adult EAB's are about 1/2 inch in length and dark metallic green. The larvae leave a 1/8 in "D" shaped hole when they emerge from under the bark to take flight in the summer. Trees may take several years of infestation before they begin to show the debilitation and canopy die-off that is a common indicator of infection. Unfortunately it is quite likely that like many other invasive pests such as Japanese Beetle and Gypsy Moth the Emerald Ash Borer is here to stay. Minimizing the initial damage and managing cyclical outbreaks may be the best option for the near future.

For more information, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website at http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry/fh/ash/ or call the Public Works Department at 423-2133.

The Village of Greendale has two projects in the planning stages as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

West College Ave will be reconstructed from Loomis Rd. to S. 51st St. Highlights of this project will include new pavement, curbing in select areas, stormwater conveyance and storage improvements,  a bicycle lane and grade corrections.

The other project involves the reconstruction of S. 51st St. from Grange Ave. to Loomis Rd. with the same type of improvements. 

Both these projects will be significantly financed by the Federal Government with additional funding provided through cooperative agreements between Greenfield, Greendale and Milwaukee County.

Work is in the design stage now and will be put out to bid in the Spring of 2010. Construction will begin shortly after that. Please watch for updates as more information becomes available.

Click the links below for preliminary information on the projects:

• Suggested Typical Street Section (pdf)
• West College Avenue Proposed Curb Location (pdf)
• South 51st Proposed Curb Location (pdf)

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be resurfacing W. Forest Home Ave.from Hwy. 100 to W. Oklahoma Ave. Project highlights include curb, gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer improvements and complete resurfacing of all traffic lanes.

Please remember that road construction can cause delays and dusty conditions. Always be extra alert in work areas.

The Village of Greendale has awarded its 2009 Street Rehabilitation Program contract to Black Diamond Inc. to provide numerous stormwater conveyance improvements, pavement repairs and to resurface the following streets:

• Eastway.- S.51st St. to W. Ramsey Ave. (Through the “L” Section)
• Mead Rd..-All
• Radcliff Dr.-All
• W. Grange Ave. Project ( Now Underway)
• Spot Pavement Repairs - S 43rd St. Along Grootemaat Park, S 68th St. North Bound lanes from Manchester Dr. to W. Edgerton Ave.
• Stormwater Conveyance Improvements - Glenwood Dr., Mansfield Dr., Manchester Dr.
• Misc. Sidewalk Repairs, Cracksealing- S. 51st St. From W. College Ave. to W. Grange Ave.
  

Construction work related to streets and storm sewers are expected to begin approximately June 15, 2009. Weather permitting, all of the work is to be completed by September 18, 2009. Access to roads and driveways will be maintained except for short periods of time when work is being done in your immediate area. The contractor will provide emergency vehicle access at all times. Recycling and refuse collection will continue on regularly scheduled days. Property owners having concrete work done in front of their properties (curb, approach or sidewalk) will not be permitted to drive on the new concrete for a period of 7 days. When access to your property is not possible, you will be allowed to park your vehicle on the adjacent street by contacting the Greendale Police Department at 423-2121 for permission.

Resurfacing work will involve some noise and inconvenience, and we ask for your understanding and patience. It is important to note there are no special assessments incurred by the property owners.

*Property owners are reminded that per Village of Greendale Policy any private systems such as lawn sprinkling apparatus, invisible pet fences, plantings, pathways and security systems that are installed in or placed on Village of Greendale Right of Way are the property owners responsibility. The Village cannot accept responsibility for damage done by contractors or Village personnel while working in the Right of Way.

If you have any questions regarding the Street Rehabilitation Program, please contact the Department of Public Works at 423-2133. Thank you for your cooperation.

Reconstruction of the roadway is scheduled to begin tomorrow on West Grange Avenue from Loomis Road to S. 76th Street, South 60th Street from West Grange Avenue to the Water Utility Building and the concrete section of Northway adjacent to the Police Department. Work will include rehabilitated pavement, storm sewer improvements, new street lighting, traffic signal improvements and a bio-retention area to clean pollutants from storm water that is discharged into Dale Creek. The project is estimated to be completed by August 28, 2009.

Work will be completed in stages and the roads will always be open to traffic. Travelers can expect reduced speed limits in the construction zones and occasional short delays. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes if possible. There will be brief periods of time when portions of Northway, south of Grange on the west and east ends will be closed for reconstruction. The Northway reconstruction segments are not scheduled to be closed at the same time. Alternate routes will be noted with orange signage for the duration of the project.

The pavement on these streets is now 40 years old and severely deteriorated. Storm water conveyance structures are also dated and the existing street lighting is inefficient and nearing the end of its service life. The total project cost is approximately $5 Million. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is funding 80% of the project costs with the Village of Greendale funding 20%.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Existing pavement will be pulverized and replaced with new asphalt pavement.
• Traffic signals will be installed on W. Grange Avenue at S. 60th Street, S. 68th Street and at the west end of Northway.
• The storm sewer system will be rehabilitated with new inlets and catch basin lead piping.
• All street lighting will be replaced with modern, increased efficiency poles and fixtures.
• The traffic signals will be removed at the southeast access drive of Southridge Mall to improve traffic flow.
• New signs and pavement markings along the project routes are included in the project.
• New turn lanes will be added where appropriate as well as shaping medians to improve traffic flow.
• A bio-retention area utilizing four medians near the Dale Creek crossing will help filter pollutants from the storm water prior to being discharged into the Dale Creek waterway. This will be the first bio retention project of this magnitude on public property in Wisconsin!
  

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Reduced speeds on project roads.
• Some dust and noise.
• Periods of time when the street lights are turned off.
• Occasional delays due to equipment in the roadway.
• Occasional short duration road closures.
  

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Please be patient.
• Please be extra alert when driving in construction zones.
• Use alternate routes if possible.
  

Persons wanting additional information can contact Carl Tisonik, Director of Public Works at (414) 423-2133 with questions, comments or concerns about this project. Additional information is available on the Village’s website at www.greendale.org. Project updates can also be requested by emailing ctisonik@greendale.org.

The expected deicing salt shortage in the northern states will likely affect road conditions in the Village of Greendale and most other municipalities this winter. The severe winter of 2007/2008 completely depleted stockpiles in the Midwest and salt producers are experiencing difficulties in replenishing their supplies. The Public Works Department budgets and purchases road deicing salt for an average Wisconsin winter with an additional 15% more salt held in vendor reserve. For 2009 the Village has contracted for an additional 200 tons of road salt, however due to the early onset of winter, and the large number of salting operations this season, there is concern about having enough salt for the rest of this season. In an attempt to ensure an adequate supply for what is shaping up to be another severe winter, the Department of Public Works will be looking to conserve salt whenever possible.

The Department of Public Works will increase the frequency of plowing to lessen ice buildup on roads. Main, arterial and secondary streets will be plowed and salted as necessary to ensure a safe road surface. Residential streets will be plowed and only hills, sharp curves and stop areas will be treated with salt or a sand/salt blend. Please remember that the Village does not have a "bare street" policy for residential streets.

Some helpful winter tips:

• Wait until the street is completely plowed before clearing your driveway and sidewalk.
• Be extra cautious on snow covered roads and give snow removal vehicles space to work.
• Try to shovel snow to the "downstreet" side of your driveway to lessen the amount that the plow leaves after the next snowstorm.
• PLEASE do not shovel or blow snow back into the road after the street has been plowed.
  

Persons wanting additional information may contact: Carl Tisonik, Director of Public Works at (414) 423-2100.

The 2008 Leaf Collection is now complete. Leaves may no longer be placed in the street. Leaves may be brought to the DPW yard for recycling during regular hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please note that Saturday hours change to 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. after December 1. For more information call (414) 423-2133.

The Department of Public Works will begin a final leaf collection service beginning on November 17, 2008. Residents may continue to place leaves in the street through Sunday November 16, 2008.

Please remember to place leaves 2 feet from the curb line into the street in piles no wider than 4 feet. Only leaves and grass clippings can be collected. Leaves may be brought to the DPW Yard for recycling during regular hours of operation; Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please call 423-2133 for more information.