Update: The City of Rhinelander says the start date for the project has been pushed back a week due to weather.
Construction is set to start next week on Oneida Avenue in Rhinelander. Crews are expected to block off the intersection of Oneida Avenue and Lincoln Street.
The intersection is expected to be closed until June 12.
Accesses to businesses along that intersection will be kept open, though people will need to use the Lincoln Street entrances for the Holiday Gas Station and Burger King.
Traffic will be detoured from the east onto Shepard Street, down Barnes to Oneida to Kemp Street.
While many drivers will be happy to see the potholes gone from Oneida Avenue when this is done, Rhinelander Public Works Director Randy Myrum says utility lines are the main driver for this project.
“There is very old infrastructure for our sewer, sanitary, and water and Oneida is very old. There are a number of areas where we have ad hoc systems that have just been added on over time. We have dual mains in some places,” said Myrum. “We need to eliminate the confusion and get one sanitary system in there. We need to lower our existing water main and replace it in some places where it’s actually failing.”
Myrum says the lines need to be lower to better protect them from frost.
The construction is being done in two parts.
The Oneida and Lincoln intersection construction is expected to last through May 27th.
The second part will be Oneida Avenue from Lincoln, past the courthouse, to Frederick Street. That part will start next week and go until July 10th.
All of the dates could change if the weather delays work.
“I just want to encourage everyone to be patient. This is going to be a headache for a time. It’s a necessary headache. I think everyone will be happy with the end product,” said Myrum.
This project is costing $7.4 million dollars.
Myrum says 85% of that cost is covered by a USDA grant and a safe water drinking loan program that comes with principal forgiveness.
The city was also able to save costs by buying some of the utility materials last year.
“Material costs, they’ve been trending on an increase of 3-9% per month for the last two to three years. We purchased these early and also to make sure that we have no hiccups, no delays in obtaining materials,” said Myrum.
The city is paying for the remaining cost.
Myrum says the city plans to post weekly updates on the project on Facebook and the city’s website.
