Pheasant Branch Road Reconstruction Project

Pheasant Branch Road, near the Conservancy overlook

NEWS:  Council decides to remove bike lanes from preliminary design

On September 7, the City Council decided to modify the preliminary road design by eliminating the bike lane on each side.  They also requested that project staff develop an alternate design for a connecting trail at Whittlesey Road and Gaylord Nelson Road (meeting minutes).

BACKGROUND:

The City of Middleton is planning to reconstruct Pheasant Branch Road and Old Creek Road, from Century Avenue to the city's northern boundary.  With the assistance of MSA Professional Services, planning and design activities are currently under way.  

Major issues that have been identified to date include (in no particular order) improving safety, replacing deteriorated pavement, providing a new connection with the Middleton Hills subdivision, accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians, preserving the tree-lined road's "rustic" character, handling stormwater run-off, and accommodating increasing traffic.  

On June 28, 2004, following a public informational meeting, the city's Public Works Committee endorsed the concept of constructing an "urban cross-section" consisting of one 11 ft. driving lane and one 4 ft. bicycle lane in each direction.  Under this plan, curves and hills will be "softened" to improve sight distance, particularly in the vicinity of the future intersection with Gaylord Nelson Road and the entrance to the parking lot overlooking the Pheasant Branch Conservancy.  Because of concerns associated with building a wider roadway, a key issue appears to be whether on-street bike lanes should be included as part of the project.  The final design must still be approved by the City Council. 

On August 24, a second public informational meeting was held to obtain feedback on this proposed project (see the public comments that were generated at this meeting).  On September 7, the City Council decided to modify the preliminary road design by eliminating the bike lane on each side.  They also requested that project staff develop an alternate design for a connecting trail at Whittlesey Road and Gaylord Nelson Road .  

In addition to the resources available on this website, the approved preliminary plan, landscaping drawings, and additional information are available for review at City Hall weekdays between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  The primary staff contact for this project is City Engineer Shawn Stauske (phone: 608.827.1081).    

Copyright © 2004  City of Middleton. All rights reserved.
Revised: October 12, 2005