A memo for a future traffic project could include changes from Calumet Avenue to the Washington Street area.
The Manitowoc Common Council recommended a proposal at their Monday meeting to reduce the street from four lanes to two lanes starting at Washington and 26th Street and going until 16th Street.
Community Development Director Adam Tegan says it would also include “Trying to improve public safety, vision triangles, that type of thing by not placing parking on that section.”
There would also be a bike lane added to the street as well.
Businesses who have parking on Washington Street were asked in the memo if they would want the parking spaces to be kept, and most said they would.
Tegan says again, it’s only a recommendation.
“One of the thought processes was most of the businesses along that corridor are located near or at an intersection and there are the side roads that do allow for on-street parking,” he stated. “And over time what we have seen is more and more business adding more off-street parking areas as well.”
This comes as part of the reconstruction of the Highway 42 area from I-43 to 8th Street in downtown Manitowoc which isn’t expected to start until 2029.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will have final approval over the reconstruction design.
