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Construction pops up on State Street this spring

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Also by Courtney Johnson:

Construction pops up on State Street this spring (November 6, 2007)
Woods ahead in fundraising race (March 28, 2007)
E-mail sparks privacy concern (October 9, 2007)
Big Ten Network reaches deal with UW housing (August 31, 2007)
City agency to run Halloween entertainment (May 10, 2007)

by Courtney Johnson

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Students walking down State Street will see a familiar sight come March 31: construction workers and torn-up city streets.

Members of the State Street Design Project Oversight Committee approved plans Monday night for new construction on the 500 and 600 blocks of State Street, awarding the contract to local company Speedway Sand and Gravel .

“It’s an important project, and I’m happy that we are continuing down the street,” said City Council President Mike Verveer, District 4.

He added he is excited for the project to start after last year’s cancellation, when complaints from shop owners that construction would begin too late in the year resulted in the project being put off.

Speedway beat out Joe Daniels Construction by about $200,000, agreeing to do the construction for $5,00,080 — almost $2 million less than the city’s original budget for the project.

Although Joe Daniels Construction has done the remodeling projects on every other block of State Street so far, state law requires the contract to go to the company with the lowest bid, according to Verveer.

Workers will be rebuilding the intersection of West Gilman Street, as well as redoing North Frances Street. Concrete Park, the area between the Towers and Statesider residence halls, will also be remodeled into a green space with a fountain.

Other street renovations include new street lights, bike racks, benches and signage, as well as added trees.

Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, who also sits on the committee, said the renovations will turn the area into something the city can be proud of and students can enjoy.

“I’m really happy to see that we are finally going through the steps and finishing what is probably going to be a headache, with regard to traffic and construction,” Judge said.

Of the funds allotted for the State Street redesign project, about $1 million is coming from federal funds, while another $1 million is coming from assessments paid by property owners with real estate abutting State Street.

“The rest is tax incremental finance, which is property taxes that we’ve made from the properties in the area — so the taxpayers as a whole are not taxed for the project,” Verveer said.

Speedway Sand and Gravel is required to finish construction by Sept. 12.

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