Approval of new sidewalks on the north side of Pine Street in Eagle River will be part of the 2019 reconstruction of four lane Highway 45-70 to three lanes after the city council whittled down the Dept. of Transportation proposal by eliminating sidewalks on the south side.
Dept. of Transportation project manager Jed Peters identified 3,450 feet of new sidewalk that would cost $22 a foot. The city would pay 20 percent or $76,000 proposed for both sides. But Alderman Paul Hennes proposed eliminating plans for sidewalks on the south side, thereby reducing about the cost to near $55,000, which the council accepted.
New sidewalk would go from 4th Street east to the Shell station and from Railroad Street west to the traffic lights. It would be six feet wide starting at the curb. Concerns were expressed about winter snow removal and county snow plowing highway snow onto the sidewalk.
Since this is a state project with grants, individual property owners would not be assessed for the new sidewalk.