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TO:

Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council

FROM:

Jim Collins, Director of Transportation

DATE:

February 25, 2025

SUBJECT:

Res 25-81 Approve Recommendation for the Layout of Bowen Street in the Area of the Intersection of Mill Street and Waugoo Avenue

BACKGROUND

The stretch of Bowen Street between Otter Avenue and East Parkway Avenue was most recently constructed in 1969 and has a right-of-way (ROW) width of 49’ and is planned for reconstruction in 2027. The City of Oshkosh (City) submitted an application to East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC) through the Oshkosh Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to receive partial funding from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WDOT) STP-Urban Program. The initial design/concept for this project was presented to the Transportation Committee in January 2024. The Common Council, at their July 23, 2024, meeting, gave directions to staff to exclude bike lanes and keep the parking as it is today.

AECOM, the City’s design consultant on the Project, has gathered public input throughout the design process. The general design of this section of roadway and parking will remain mostly unchanged with some bump-out areas added to increase pedestrian safety. However, the unusual intersection of Bowen Street/Mill Street and Waugoo Avenue was identified as a safety concern. After a recommendation from the Transportation Committee, AECOM further studied the intersection and design alternatives over the past year.

ANALYSIS

AECOM identified fourteen (14) vehicle and one (1) pedestrian crashes in proximity to this intersection from 2017-2023. They also collected vehicle counts showing that only 186 vehicles used the “slip lane” (Mill Street to Bowen Street) on a daily basis. Based on this information, AECOM recommends constructing bump-outs to shorten pedestrian crossings, improve sight distance, and calm traffic. They also recommend dead-ending Mill Street at Waugoo Avenue. This will increase green space in the area. Please see the attached PowerPoint from the February 11, 2025, Transportation Committee meeting, which shows the proposed new intersection layout. This alternative will increase the terrace width of a few properties by up to sixty feet (60’). The property owners received letters from the Department of Public Works, as well as notices from the Transportation Committee meeting. No feedback has been received from these residents.

BOARD/COMMISSION INFORMATION

The transportation committee voted to proceed with consultant recommendations to dead-end Mill Street as presented after roll-call vote (5-0).

FISCAL IMPACT

The fiscal impact of this change is minimal and will be incorporated into the street reconstruction cost.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff and the Transportation Committee recommend that Mill Street be dead-ended at Waugoo Avenue as part of this street reconstruction.

Attachments

RES 25-81

TC Presentation