Posted: Jan. 26, 2010

Glendale — The city and Milwaukee County plan to reconstruct North Milwaukee River Parkway from West Silver Spring Drive to West Bender Road later this year.

The plan includes sidewalk on the east side of the street from North Sunny Point Road to Bender, an addition that spans the Parkway School property and has been sought and supported by the Glendale-River Hills School District and the Parkway PTA. A new pedestrian crosswalk would be installed between the school and the City Hall parking lot. Parents use the city lot in the morning and afternoon when they drop off their children. The lot is directly across the street from the school but there is currently no crosswalk.

The estimated cost of the project is $1.2 million, with the city funding $650,000. The county will fund the remainder.

City Administrator Richard Maslowski said the city and county will also apply for federal stimulus money for the project. If it is received, the cost for both county and city would be reduced by 80 percent. County Supervisor Theo Lipscomb was instrumental in securing County Board approval for the project, Maslowski said. Lipscomb represents part of Glendale on the board.

The reconstruction is one of a number of capital projects included in the 2010 capital plan adopted by the Common Council on Monday.

City Administrator Richard Maslowski went over the entire $2.89 million plan with the council. The largest expense, $1.3 million will be for repairs to the city's Public Works building. The 22-year-old building, built over a landfill, has structural problems. The floor in the offices and part of the Public Works floor is sagging. The city in 1995-1996 tried to correct the problem by mud jacking the floor, but that solution proved to be only temporary.

In order to fix the floor, interior walls and plumbing, heating and electrical systems will be removed. During the construction, the Inspection and Planning departments and the Public Works director will be relocated to temporary office space in City Hall.

The city also plans to reconstruct West Marne Avenue from North Port Washington Road east to North Lydell Avenue. The project will include new pavement, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalk on the south side of the street, new water main, storm sewer and sanitary sewer rehabilitation for an estimated cost of $736,000.

The plan also call for resurfacing several streets as well as the intersection of West Green Tree Road at North Milwaukee River Parkway which will be repaired and resurfaced, together with the road east to the Milwaukee River bridge. Green Tree Road will also get sidewalk on the north side from Green Bay Avenue east to the Milwaukee River bridge. The resurfacing will cost $290,000 and the sidewalk plan along with curb and gutter on Green Tree Road to the parkway is estimated at $212,000.

Alderman Brian Rice asked how the Milwaukee River Parkway project would impact Glendale Days and Music in The Glen. Music in the Glen, held at Parkway School, will have fewer problems than the Fourth of July parade, Maslowski said. The parade, which traditionally has gone north on the parkway into Kletzsch Park, will likely have to be re-routed this year.

Music in the Glen may have to use its alternate site at the Bavarian Inn on occasion as well, he said.