By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
What is the future of the Church and Division streets corridor in Stevens Point?
The route created by horses and wagons has developed into the main north-south corridor in the community, handling thousands of motor vehicles per day.
Monday, Aug. 7, the Stevens Point Plan Commission learned Becher-Hoppe, a Wausau engineering firm, has been hired by the state Department of Transportation to conduct a study of the corridor from the south city limits to Fourth Avenue.
The study will exclude the section between Monroe and Dixon streets, which was the subject of an earlier study. Becher-Hoppe was also hired to complete that study.
Jim Schulz of Becher-Hoppe said a letter will be going out within a week to residents of the area seeking their input on the corridor. The firm will gather responses through October and hold an informational meeting in November.
A Citizen Advisory Committee will also be formed to assist on the project.
The future project will involve resurfacing the entire area with either concrete or blacktop.
Issues to be considered, he said, include access control to decrease the number of access points and signal lights at Patch Street and other intersections.
A recommendation will be made by June 15, 2001, he said, with any construction beginning in 2004.
John Gardner, director of planning and community development for Stevens Point, said widening the corridor would be expensive and the city needs to address the question of expanding the commercial area, which would require more access.
The city can impose zoning and access controls, he said, and Plover and Whiting are looking at similar issues on Post Road while the city is doing its study.
Related to the corridor, the commission recommended rezoning the property at 3024 Church St. from multiple family II/single family districts to commercial district.
The lot is the final single family property along Church, and is basically a landlocked parcel situated behind the multifamily parcel without street access.
The Mautz Paint Store plans to relocate on the property, using the front lot for parking and maintaining a 10-foot setback from the street if the city decides to widen Church.