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Elkhorn street repair work starts June 13

Photo

Photo by Tony DiNicola

Elkhorn project area

ELKHORN — Nearly 30 city trees will fall during the $1 million reconstruction of North Washington Street, an Elkhorn thoroughfare north of the Walworth County Government Center.

Although there was little dispute in public meetings about the need to fix North Washington Street, a neighborhood couple told the Gazette they were upset with the loss of mature trees.

“They shouldn’t do that,” said Sharon White of 301 N. Washington St. “I think trees should have a priority.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Andrew White said.

The Elkhorn City Council earlier this week approved a construction bid of about $1.1 million from Mann Brothers of Elkhorn for the street project.

The bid came in under what originally was tagged as a $1.8 million project, City Administrator Sam Tapson said.

Reconstruction of the four blocks from Court Street to Second Avenue is scheduled to begin June 13. Residents of North Washington Street should be able to drive on the new surface by Labor Day, even though work likely will not be complete, said Gary Welsh, city engineer.

The council also approved tree removal, in part, because a study showed the existing trees were not in good condition.

An evaluation by Arbor Images, a Burlington firm that specializes in tree care, reported 18 trees are in poor condition and four would be in the wrong place, according to a city report

The remaining trees marked for the ax are ash, which potentially could become infested with emerald ash borer, the report states.

The North Washington Street reconstruction is part of a plan launched 11 years ago to improve the major roads in Elkhorn.

Tapson said Elkhorn streets were dismal before the program.

Former Mayor Paul Ormson conducted a survey that asked residents what improvements they wanted in Elkhorn. Survey respondents said improving streets was the top priority, Welsh said.

Since then, many major streets were improved, including Windsor and Broad streets, most of downtown, and Walworth and Church streets, Welsh said.

North Washington Street will be narrowed to slow traffic, Tapson said.

City officials are working to find after-hour parking spaces for residents who will not be able to use their driveways during construction.

The loss of trees does not trouble Peggy Ludenbeck, 519 N. Washington St. She has lived on North Washington Street for 80 years and grew up in the house next to her present home.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” she said. “The street is a wreck.”

Ludenbeck said the city has taken down trees in other street projects, and the new tree plantings are doing fine.

“You have to be patient,” she said.

Tapson confirmed that new trees will be planted after construction is complete.

A new sewer main and laterals will be installed in the construction area, Welsh said. There are potentially 41 residences that could get new laterals, he said.

Mike Kohl, 117 N. Washington St., said he was pleased the city kept him up to speed about the project. He has lived in the neighborhood since 1980.

“Obviously, nobody wants the street torn up in front of their house during summer, but it’s badly needed,” Kohl said.