Waukesha County Exhibits Moorland Road Project To Public

NEW BERLIN, WI — Waukesha County showcased graphics and maps Wednesday of its future project to repave one of New Berlin's main roads.

The county plans to repave 1.4 miles of County O (Moorland Road) from West Beloit Road and West National Avenue.

The stretch of road passes through the city's center and through two neighborhoods - Village Park and Regal Manors. Residents there will have to take a detour to get to the Interstate 43 entrance.

The concrete pavement on South Moorland Road is distressed and needs to be replaced, project manager Ed Hinrichs said. He added the county plans to repave the entire road in 2023.

The county will also add 2 feet of space to each side of the median to accommodate bicycles, Hinrichs said.

The county plans to temporarily purchase space from some properties in order to place signs during construction, Hinrichs said. The space will be needed for signs, and the land would revert back to the previous owner after the project is finished, he said.

State and federal aid will fund the project, Hinrichs said. The state pays 80 percent, and the county pays 20 percent, up to a limit for repavement.

If the county goes beyond the limit agreed upon with the state, it may have to pay for the road in full.

The City of New Berlin proposed to add lights on the median, city engineer Tamara Simonson said. The city would pay for the lights, Hinrichs said.

After making acquisitions in the fall, the county will hold another public involvement meeting in the winter of 2023. Construction will start in the spring of 2023 and is expected to end in the fall of 2023, according to a county flyer.

The county worked on the intersection of Moorland Road and Beloit Avenue in 2020, adding new pavement, turn lanes and signals, according to the county.

The county originally planned to add sidewalks to the side of the road but rescinded the proposal when members of the public pushed back in the fall of 2020 at the first public meeting.