The West Jackson Street Reconstruction Project earned a 2024 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Wisconsin Engineering Excellence State Finalist Award.
The existing corridor was last constructed in the 1970s and needed upgrading. The City of Wisconsin Rapids hired Strand Associates, Inc.® to work with staff, WisDOT, and the public to design the project to address the replacement of pavement in poor condition, provide bicycle accommodations along a corridor that had none, and meet the needs of all users within the existing right of way. This project transformed a vehicle-centered corridor with expansive pavement and little green space into one that provides comfortable accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as an improved experience for motorists. The complexity of this project included completing the design using an outside-in-design approach that matches existing buildings and parking lots to avoid property impacts, converting a tee intersection into a single-lane roundabout, and balancing truck turning and pedestrian accommodations in a constrained urban corridor.
Overall, this key arterial roadway complements the downtown atmosphere in the City of Wisconsin Rapids, has received positive feedback from stakeholders, and will continue to prove to be a valuable asset to the city. The West Jackson Street Reconstruction Project also won the 2023 WisDOT Excellence in Highway Design for Best Local Program Project Award.
