OUR PLACE
The 2027-28 Wisconsin DOT Highway 50 improvement project has Lake Geneva business owners and residents concerned.
Highway 50 is also called Main Street, running through Lake Geneva to the west and east in the heart of the city. Residents struggle to maneuver around and through all the traffic during the tourist season and most are dreading the coming of this project. Businesses in the Lake Geneva downtown district pay high rents and have high overheads, making every sale necessary for the operation’s survival. The summer season is what keeps these businesses going during the slower months, but with the construction coming, which will be done right through the city’s most profitable times, the same businesses want to know what this project is going to be like and what the effects are going to for the patrons.
The project includes improvements along approximately 2.5 miles of Highway 50, extending from Grand Geneva’s entrance on the east end and through the city center to Forest Street on the west end of the city. The project will include the replacement of existing pavement, the replacement of traffic signal equipment at six intersections, the reconstruction of ADA curb ramps, drainage improvements, and the construction of a path between Curtis Street and Edwards Boulevard.
The Wisconsin DOT has scheduled a public involvement meeting on March 21, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Lake Geneva City Hall. This very important event will be an open forum meeting allowing the public to stop in and hear about the plans and also offer opinions about them. Information and updates on the project will be shared. Attendance and input are encouraged, as none of these plans are yet ‘steeped in stone.’
The Business Improvement District (BID) has chosen artwork for the murals coming to downtown Lake Geneva.
The final site plan and artwork have been handed over to the city for final approval before anything can officially be announced. There will be five murals throughout the downtown area, with two being painted directly onto the walls of buildings and the other three painted on panels that can be switched out over time. This is an opportunity for four local artists to show off their talent along with one artist coming in from South Carolina. Attendees will be able to watch the murals being painted throughout the weekend.
The panels will be spread across downtown at different businesses so spectators can watch the art in motion, while it is being done. In conjunction with the murals, local artists will be painting and selling their works, local stores will have sidewalk sales, and there will be live art and music to enjoy. During the welcome dinner on Tuesday evening for the current artists the artists will be unveiled for next year’s presentations. There was a hint mentioned that one of next year’s artists would be a very famous local person.
