13th Street, Puetz Road Intersection To Be Reconstructed

The intersection of Puetz Road and 13th Street has outgrown its current setup, it seems. 

The busy corner, now consisting of four stop signs and single-lane traffic, will be reconstructed later this year. Stoplights will be added and the road will be widened to include turn lanes.

The project is part of a bigger effort to expand Puetz Road from Liberty Lane to the interstate.  

The city is in the process of acquiring right-of-way from a few of the neighboring property owners, Acting City Engineer Mike Simmons said.

Construction is set to begin in September.

The Common Council originally entered into an agreement with the state Department of Transportation last May. The agreement states federal funding will reimburse the city for 90 percent of its costs, which was then estimated to be about $728,000.

The total cost has since increased by $95,000 after a state law was passed requiring bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The council passed a revised agreement last week.