Home Grange Ave Project 

The Village of Greendale, with their consultant Ayres Associates, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), are planning to rehabilitate West Grange Avenue, from S 76^th Street to S 84th Street, in the Village of Greendale, Milwaukee County.

The project is 0.498 miles in length and involves pavement resurfacing, sidewalk repairs, curb and gutter repairs, storm sewer repairs, lighting replacement and repairs to the Grange Avenue Bridge over the Root River. Right-of-way temporary limited easements will likely be required for construction purposes. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024.

Project Updates
WE Energies successfully completed necessary gas utility upgrades from December 2023 through March 2024. Road construction will begin in late March 2024; the road section will be fully closed beginning on or around March 27 and will remain closed until road work is completed in August. Root River Parkway will remain fully accessible, ensuring continued enjoyment of its natural beauty. Additionally, sidewalks will stay open for pedestrian use, and access to Ridgedale Apartments will be unaffected. Although road work is expected to be completed by September, street light installations is expected to take place in November 2024 when materials are available.

Public Information Meeting
A Public Information Meeting for the project was held on July 14, 2022 at the Greendale Public Safety Center. About 30 members of the public were in attendance to learn about the project and ask questions. The following materials were provided at the meeting:

• Grange Ave. Public Information Meeting Presentation - 7/14/22
• Grange Ave. Public Information Meeting Handout

Meeting attendees and other members of the public were invited to submit questions or comments on the project by July 28, 2022. Below is a Frequently Asked Questions that was compiled based on the questions and comments that were submitted.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Project 

When is construction?
Construction is planned for approximately 4-6 months in 2024. 

Why is construction not scheduled sooner?
The Village of Greendale was awarded federal funding for this project. The funding is administered by WisDOT.  Project funding is scheduled for fiscal year 2024.  To make infrastructure improvements in the Root River Parkway boundary of the National Register of Historic Places, the project must have approval from multiple State and Federal Agencies. After identifying the project needs the preliminary plans must be approved that they are compatible with the overall parkway design. The new bridge railings must meet FHWA crash tested designs and meet historic parkway aesthetic compatibility. 

What is the project purpose?
The purpose of the project is to address deteriorating pavement, sidewalk, curb and gutter, bridge railings, and bridge masonry, as well as maintenance of the existing storm sewer system.

How is this project funded?
The Village of Greendale applied for Federal funding administered by the Wisconsin DOT. The funding requires 20% minimum Village funding, and the 80% Federal dollars are capped. Additional work beyond the current project proposed improvements would need to be funded 100% by the Village.

What are the proposed improvements?
Improvements along this segment of West Grange Avenue include rubblizing the existing concrete and resurfacing the existing roadway with asphalt.  Update sidewalk curb ramps to ADA standards and minor repairs to existing sidewalk. Spot segments of deteriorated curb and gutter along the corridor will be replaced. Storm sewer will have spot repairs. The Grange Avenue bridge over the Root River will be rehabilitated, new railings and concrete repairs.

Will a right turn lane be added at S. 76th Street for eastbound Grange Avenue traffic?
Adding a right turn lane for eastbound Grange Avenue traffic at S 76^th Street was studied and was found to not have a substantial improvement for the intersection Level of Service (LOS).  Federal funds would not be available for adding a turn lane. Increasing the footprint of the intersection in the southwest quadrant will impact large utility vaults. The requested right turn lane will not be added.

Will bicycle lanes be added on Grange Avenue?
Due to the possible impacts to the Historic Root River Parkway property, any roadway footprint modifications will be difficult to move forward.  Keeping the existing roadway configuration for this rehabilitation project allows the Village more flexibility in addressing future mobility needs after redevelopment of the Southridge site occurs in the next few years.

Adding a separated off-road bicycle/ pedestrian path was investigated for this project. The preliminary cost estimates to install the path, a new bridge over the Root River and required retaining walls were nearing $1 million that would need to be funded by the Village. At this time funding is not available for a path. 

The Village's intentions are to provide accommodations in accordance with Wisconsin Department of Transportation guidance. The Village is proposing a 4' on-road bicycle accommodation as part of this project.

Will lighting be replaced?
Existing lighting is planned to be replaced in kind.

Will the road be closed during construction?
West Grange Avenue will be closed to through traffic from S 84th Street to S 76th Street during construction.  Access will be maintained to the Ridgedale Apartment complex.  Pedestrian access will be maintained during construction along West Grange Avenue and across the Root River Bridge using pedestrian traffic control measures.