APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Drivers in Appleton should start preparing for some headaches.
This week is the first step in a long process of construction at the Northland Avenue and Richmond Street intersection.
The city describes the intersection as the city’s most dangerous.
A long awaited construction project has begun.
Mike Hardy, Asst. Traffic Director with the City of Appleton
“The intersection has a very high accident rate, a lot of crashes compared to the amount of traffic that’s going through there.”
To fix the issues, the city, county, and state are working together to build a roundabout. But not before some bumps in the road– starting this week with utility work, causing some lane closures.
Project leaders say the utility work near the intersection could take several months, but that the real change will happen next June, when the entire intersection is shut down for construction of the new roundabout.
Kim Seidler owns nearby Cousins Subs
“I’m concerned what it’s going to do to my business. I’m just going to have to come up with new, innovative ways to draw my guests in.”
Guests that may struggle getting into the Northland Mall and businesses near the intersection while it’s shut down.
But Seideler says the upgrade will be worth it in the end.
“I’m leery myself sometimes at this particular intersection, because it’s so dangerous and there’s so many accidents. So I want people to be safe, and I think the roundabout is what’s going to take care of that.”
Mike Hardy says the temporary traffic headaches are a necessary evil to fix this intersection and keep it up with the times.
“Concrete doesn’t last forever. Eventually we grow out of our clothes, we grow out of our roads.”
Construction of the roundabout is expected to be complete by next fall.
