The Washington Avenue (STH 20) Reconstruction Project in the City of Racine has been awarded an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Wisconsin Engineering Excellence State Finalist Award. The 1.3-mile STH 20 corridor was last reconstructed 60 years ago, had a crash rate nearly twice the statewide average for similar roadways, did not provide for bicycle accommodations or comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for pedestrian accommodations, and lacked parking. This urban corridor is also constrained by two historic districts and several individual historic properties.
The City of Racine hired us to design the project and, through collaboration with the City and the public, address the following goals:
- Replace the deteriorated pavement that was long past its useful life.
- Improve the safety and aesthetics of the corridor by implementing a road diet.
- Provide on-street bicycle accommodations, improve pedestrian accommodations by providing bump outs within the business district, and provide on-street parking where possible.
- Create a gateway corridor into the City of Racine utilizing stamped concrete terraces and other streetscape features.
The reconstructed Washington Avenue represents the values of the City of Racine and its residents. It focuses on multimodal accommodations and encourages alternate modes of travel, while still acknowledging the importance of the roadway as one of the major gateways to the city. This project was also awarded a Wisconsin Department of Transportation Excellence in Highway Design for Best Urban Project.
