Up next for street reconstruction debate: Brackett Avenue

Jeremy Gragert |

Eau Claire’s Brackett Avenue, the way birds and helicopters see it.
Eau Claire’s Brackett Avenue, the way birds and helicopters see it.

With all the mulling over the best way to reconstruct a major entrance to downtown Eau Claire from the southwest (Menomonie Street) a much larger project is on the horizon for possible reconstruction this summer: Brackett Avenue. Coming into downtown from the southeast, Brackett Avenue is the widest and busiest roadway to downtown, but it is more famous for its potholes. There is no doubt that it is in need of reconstruction as soon as possible, but it has been delayed for years, and maybe yet another.

Engineers in the City of Eau Claire Public Works Department have created a website so folks can follow planning of the Brackett Avenue project, and have already held two “open house” events this year for the public and property owners to share their vision for the roadway. But with all of the hubbub surrounding Menomonie Street, the schedule for finalizing road reconstruction projects has already been stressed, with projects such as First Avenue being pushed back until summer 2015. Could Brackett Avenue also end up being pushed back until 2015?

As of now, city engineers have not presented an alternative roadway design that better accommodates bicyclists and pedestrians, and have instead pushed for keeping the roadway automobile-focused.

There are many unanswered questions about the Brackett Avenue project, primarily the fact that the City of Eau Claire wants to acquire property from an adjacent private property owner in order to provide retention of storm water runoff from the roadway, since there is so much concrete out there to drain with up to five lanes of traffic and a ton of parking lots. The timeline for this acquisition could take months, and even end in the city exercising eminent domain.

And another large concern about the Brackett Avenue project is stirring: Over the past few months, neighbors and families with children attending the nearby schools have been vocal at the “open house” events asking that Brackett Avenue be rebuilt to be safer for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the roadway, and be able to travel along it. As of this writing, city engineers have not presented an alternative roadway design that better accommodates bicyclists and pedestrians, and have instead pushed for keeping the roadway automobile-focused much like a major highway. Rather than Brackett Avenue feeling a part of the neighborhood, it is more of a dividing force, and thus the businesses cater more toward passing motorists than folks who actually live in the neighborhood.

At the March 11 meeting of the City of Eau Claire Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC), members voted unanimously for a request that the city engineers bring an alternative plan to the next Brackett Avenue “open house” that addresses the needs of both bicyclists and pedestrians. The Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan of 2010 prioritizes Brackett Avenue as a major area for improvement, and neighborhood-friendly multi-modal street corridors are touted throughout for their public health and environmental benefits in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

There is a lot more discussion to come, but I for one believe that in order for Brackett Avenue to be done right and truly serve the community and the neighborhood, the city must take the requests of the neighbors, bicyclists and pedestrians very seriously. Whatever we build will be with us for 40 years. Let’s build it right for the future.