Yes, Mount Pleasant, You Can Have Sidewalks Along Highway 31

MOUNT PLEASANT, WI — Driving down Highway 31 between Regency Mall and Highway 20, you've seen them before: people, walking along the side of the busy 35-mile-per-hour divided highway.

In summer, pedestrians, including parents with small children, wear a dirt path in the grass as cars rush by. They'll trudge through snow in winter, and stand in carved-out areas waiting for the bus at stops on the side of the highway marked only by a pole with a small sign.

This week, we asked Patch readers in Mount Pleasant a simple question: if there was one thing you could fix in the Village, what would it be?

The topic that kept coming up: Why couldn't have sidewalks along Highway 31? What would it take to get them installed?

So Mount Pleasant Patch looked into the matter. We learned that the State of Wisconsin's Department of Transportation is right now working on a major redesign of the Highway 31 corridor, and is taking suggestions, such as sidewalks. The process of designing, planning and re-building Highway 31 will take years, but there's only so much time designers will be taking public input.

We talked with Vida Shaffer, Project Manager with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation about what it would take to get sidewalks along Highway 31. This is what we learned:

Patch: Is it feasible to have sidewalks along Highway 31?

Shaffer: YES-Definitely feasible. There are currently several transit lines that operate along STH 31 and you can see beaten walking paths in certain areas. Additional right of way acquisition of approximately 5-15 ft. is anticipated from adjacent property owners to fit the sidewalks in, but no relocations or major utility conflicts are anticipated.

Patch: Are sidewalks being considered as part of your design?

Shaffer: YES – sidewalks are being considered and considered beneficial for this type of corridor with a mix of commercial/retail establishments on the south end and residential through the center and north end.

Patch: From a citizen perspective, what does it take to get officials to consider sidewalks along Highway 31?

Shaffer: Reach out and tell us how you feel about sidewalks. WisDOT is in the early stages of design and will consider all ideas that are brought forward, even those opposed to the roadway project or elements of it.

Patch: How should people tell you they want sidewalks on Highway 31?

Shaffer: WisDOT plans to have 3 Public Informational Meetings for this project. The first one is scheduled on Feb. 11 from 5-7 p.m. at the Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church on 1700 S. Green Bay Rd., whereby you can discuss issues with engineers and leave or mail written comments. Comments are always welcome by emailing me, the project manager, at vida.shaffer@dot.wi.gov.