By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The decision on a Highway 10 route across the Wisconsin River north of Stevens Point and then west to Wood County has been delayed.
Mike Berg, district manager of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation office in Wisconsin Rapids, said Wednesday, Feb. 20, the delay is due to reviews being made by the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies and environmental groups.
In October, state DOT officials indicated they would announce a decision on a route in either late January or early February.
"Our decision will be delayed by about six months," Berg said, indicating the decision probably won't be announced until late March, April or even May.
The DOT wants to construct a Highway 10 bypass route to the north of Stevens Point to remove truck and other through-traffic from going through the city and crossing the river on the Clark Street bridge.
The DOT has indicated the proposed route will cross the river either near County Trunk X or Maple Road, which is farther north from the city.
The delay, Berg said, is due to completion of an environmental impact statement (EIS) about the crossing sites, which required some in-depth study.
Consultants had indicated the EIS would be a more-detailed study west of the Wisconsin River because of wetlands in the area.
Once the decision is announced, Berg said the department will gather information at a public hearing about the proposal.
Construction on the project is slated to begin before 2010.