OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — After more than a decade of preparation, the City of Oshkosh creates new design plan for the intersection of Oshkosh Avenue and Sawyer Street.
- The intersection is currently confusing and unsafe for drivers and pedestrians.
- The City hired an outside consultant to study the intersection and create a new design plan.
- The plan was approved by the transportation committee, but it must also be approved by Oshkosh City Council and Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details for web.)
One location of Eaton's Pizza lies just west of the intersection between Oshkosh Avenue and Sawyer Street.
The restaurant is owned by Sophie Hochstein's parents.
She says the area can cause traffic issues, especially when there is construction or a boat passes under the Oshkosh Avenue bridge.
"People just want to avoid this side of town, this intersection, this street, if they can, and I understand, but it does tend to hurt the business," Sophie says.
Sophie grew up in Oshkosh and says the toughest part of her Behind the Wheel classes was learning to navigate the Oshkosh/Sawyer intersection.
"I remember what confused me the most were the lights that were kind of everywhere" she says. "It's confusing to know where you stop exactly."
If you're on foot, it can be even worse.
"The intersection is a mess, it's hard for pedestrians to cross over, any which way you're going," Scott Ceman says.
Ceman lives a block away from the intersection and says he crosses it every week to get to church.
"There's a lot of accidents there," he says. "It's about time something was done."
Ceman came to the Oshkosh Transportation Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14 to hear the City's new design plan.
The City of Oshkosh hired Strand Associates, a consulting firm, to study the intersection and come up with a plan.
The firm found that there were 35 reported crashes at the intersection between 2019-2023.
They recommended a design plan to the committee, remodeling the light system to be more typical of a four-way intersection. It also included a long intersection in the middle of Oshkosh Avenue.
The committee voted unanimously to approve the plan.
For over 10 years, the City has been purchasing and razing properties in the area to prepare for the redesign, but they must acquire two more residential properties before construction can begin.
City engineer Justin Gierach says the City has eminent domain over these properties, so the residents are unable to refuse to give up their properties.
Gierach says the acquisition process can take two years.
The plan will be shown to city council on January 28, when they are expected to make a final vote.
Oshkosh Avenue turns into State Highway 21, so the project must also get approval from the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Gierach says it is very likely the plan will get approved. He says they hope to begin construction in 2028.
