OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A portion of W. College Ave. in Appleton and Grand Chute could see improvements in coming years.
Leaders say the final vision of the project is an open book. In partnership with Outagamie County, they’re working to make changes to roughly 2.5 miles of the roadway.
The project spans from N. Richmond St. in Appleton to N. Mall Dr. in Grand Chute.
With no official designs yet leaders want to hear thoughts from the public. A community survey is now open.
While construction work is several years out, one of the key improvements leaders want to make is lane configuration to ease traffic congestion.
“The fact that the frontage road system is in such close proximity to the main intersection with other streets that cross College Avenue, creates congestion,” said Michael Patza, Grand Chute’s community development coordinator.
Data shared by the town of Grand Chute, city of Appleton and Outagamie County show there’s more than 1,000 businesses in the project area.
An estimated 85% of people who live in the project area drive or carpool to work. Walking is the next most common way to get around, with 4% walking to work.
Leaders are also looking at making this stretch of College Avenue more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.
“The large concern that I’ve been hearing from the public is from the railroad viaduct, which is about, roughly by Lynndale heading west out to Mall Dr. And so, that segment of this corridor is lacking a sidewalk or a trail,” said Lindsey Smith, principal planner for the city of Appleton.
“More often than not, I see someone trying to walk or bike down that corridor and there’s frankly no facilities on the mainland of College Avenue. Some of the frontage roads do have bike lanes, but they’re disjointed,” said Patza.
The community survey is expected to remain open through the summer.
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