WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOTIFIES VILLAGE OF AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO WIDEN STATE HIGHWAY 165 TO FOUR LANES WEST OF TERWALL TERRACE
GRANT APPLICATION AUTHORIZED
On Monday, February 1, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board authorized village staff to submit applications to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA). The grant applications were related to a project that would widen State Highway 165 between Terwall Terrace and Corporate Drive (east of Interstate 94).
BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project calls for the expansion of Highway 165 from two lanes to four lanes in an area adjacent to and west of Prairie Springs Park. The project would include an additional bridge crossing the Des Plaines River and would accommodate a shared use path on the north side of the Highway. State Highway 165 is a main connecting Highway between LakeView Corporate Park and Interstate 94.
PROJECT FUNDING
Total project costs for the expansion of Highway 165 are currently estimated to be $6.5 million. Initial funding plans called for the Village to solicit one TEA grant at $500,000 on behalf of Meijer, Inc. and another at $500,000 on behalf Niagara Bottling, LLC to help fund the improvements. Pleasant Prairie's TIF District #2 would have matched each grant for a total of $1 million towards the project. The State of Wisconsin's Road Improvement Fund would provide the remaining amount.
Meijer, Inc. operates a warehouse and distribution center on State Highway 31 in the Village of Pleasant Prairie, and Niagara Bottling, LLC operates a bottling and distribution facility in LakeView Corporate Park. The expansion would support the transportation needs for both companies as well as others in and near LakeView Corporate Park.
GRANT/TIF FUNDS NO LONGER NEEDED
On Tuesday, February 9, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) informed representatives for the Village that the TEA grant and TIF (tax increment financing) funds would no longer be needed for the project to proceed. WisDOT indicated that they had been successful in securing federal financing for the project instead.
PROJECT TIMING AND JURISDICTION
On February 9, WisDOT also informed Village representatives that project is now expected to be placed out to bid during June of 2016, with work on the project beginning this August. WisDOT will have full jurisdictional responsibility for, and will administer and oversee, the transportation improvements.