South Side Chavez Drive To Remain Open For 2 Way Traffic Flow During Construction

Chavez Drive traffic flow continues while construction moves forward to upgrade streetscape

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 12, 2010

Milwaukee - On Monday, the Cesar Chavez BID decided not block or convert S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive into a one way. Engineers from Community Engineering & Building Services, LLC had wanted to restrict traffic flow in the conjested business corridor during the remaining construction. Members of the Chavez BID want to continue the traffic flow to let distributors and area business customers to be aware that businesses located in the construction zone will remain open for business.
The West side of the Chavez Drive was converted into a two way traffic flow and dividers were installed on Monday. Construction will focus on the East side of Chavez Drive, according to engineers supervising the streetscape remodeling project.
This week, "the next step will involve the rehabilitation of the Northbound lanes of Cesar Chavez Drive as well as the adjacent sidewalks and driveways. An estimated 20,000 vehicles come through Chavez Drive a day and we don't expect any delays completing the project. In a few days, crews will begin removing and replacing the sidewalks," said Bret M. Swenson, Construction Project Field Leader.
Last week Tuesday for the first time in decades, major construction work broke ground along S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive and traffic flow from South to North bound and vice versa was allowed between W. Greenfield Ave. to W. National Ave. Engineers supervising the Chavez construction were trying to device a plan to restrict some of the traffic flow. Traffic conjestion was slowing down the sewer line and water main repair in the middle of the street, but was completed over the weekend.
Construction engineers had an impromptu meeting with the Chavez Drive Business BID members to possibly convert traffic flow into a one way. The traffic flow plan was scrapped and the street remains open, according to the engineers.
The South side project is part of the $1.968 million dollar improvement plan for the Cesar E. Chavez Business Improvement District (BID) #38 Streetscape Project. This is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Project.