LITTLE CHUTE, KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Kaukauna and Little Chute are considering bridging the divide between their two communities.
For the last four months consultants have been working on plans for a bridge connecting trails in Little Chute and Kaukauna.
Patrick Skalecki, the lead planner on the project, spoke with WLUK.
“Really trying to have that access to the waterfront area that people wanna enjoy”
Tuesday there was a public meeting for people to look at some of the options for the pedestrian bridge.
“Alternatives to what the bridge is, what type of bridge it is, what type of decking it’s going to be and railings”
The boardwalk would connect the Island Park Trail in Little Chute to the Kaukauna trails.
Skalecki says local communities are really taking advantage of their waterfronts and trail systems.
“It’s really happening and accelerating throughout the communities and this is just another piece of that puzzle”
Local tourism experts say this project is a prime example of how important trails are to this area.
“It’s an opportunity for communityes to come together. The Trestle Trail is a perfect example of that, really bridging Neenah and Menasha,” said Mary Rhode with the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Loop the Little Lake around Little Lake Butte des Morts is another example.
But while there’s a lot of pros to this project, it comes with cons too. The cost is one. It’s expected to be between two and three million dollars.
Larry Van Lankvelt, a member of the Little Chute Village Board who told us the communities will need donations and grants.
“I’ve heard a lot of positive things, but, of course, when it comes to spending money then the purse strings tighten up a little bit”
And then people living near the proposed bridge are worried too.
Diane Williamson of Little Chute has lived in her house near the Fox River for 16 years.
“We were in the midst of nature and now, now we’re gonna have people in our backyard, it sounds lik, year ’round, which is not really thrilling for us”
At this point, there’s no set timeline for the project. It would need approval by leaders in Kaukauna and Little Chute.