OUR PLACE
State Project HWY 50 project has the downtown businesses stressed to say the least.
The idea of the street that runs through the heart of the city and that provides easiest access to the shops’ front doors faces the looming threat of real lost revenue. The project originally was planned for as soon as 2024 but now is expected to start in 2025 or 2026. With the dread of the upcoming major project, planning needs to be done purposefully and needs to start now, so this extensive job benefits Lake Geneva into the future.
Bill Henry, Vice President of Kehoe-Henry Architects and Associates of Elkhorn, spoke at the recent Lake Geneva Public Works Department. Henry has been working with the public works department for several months regarding the State HWY 50 project. Bill Henry also represents Lake Geneva Lanes and has spoken with other property owners just west of the property owned by Neil Gill. Gill is the owner of the property that was before the city in the past requesting the approval for a gas station and Dunkin Donuts. That request did not get approved, but Gill did get the ball rolling and traffic studies started.
Kehoe-Hill has suggested to the city, and the DOT, that a third lane is explored on the east end of HWY 50 and are pleased that the idea is in the current progress report of the project. Kehoe-Hill Vice President Henry has encouraged the city to go even further with the improvements by adding possible additional turn lanes and a traffic signal between Geneva Lanes and the property just west of it. That could potentially add access into Hillmoor as well. A signalized intersection could be critical there and with the traffic already heavy on this stretch of HWY 50 a much-needed safety feature and a smoother flow of traffic.
With the future plans for Hillmoor being discussed, and the expected increased traffic it will create, now is the time to get the roadway ready. All the information and plans are based on a preliminary traffic study. Mr. Kustkey, owner of Geneva Lanes, has been funding the traffic study up to this point and is now asking the city help with the funding. The traffic study needs to be completed. Phase one cost was just over $2,000. The city is being asked to help with a portion of no more than 25% of the remanding cost of the study both phases 2 and 3 would cost between $5500 and $6500 each. Residents mostly agree that this stretch of roadway is a nightmare to travel during busy times. During the summer season and even any time there is an event in town the traffic can be backed up from the intersection of HWY 50 and Edwards Boulevard. The traffic moves at a snail’s pace and getting anywhere can be extremely difficult. The need for improvements is obvious.
Download the PDF Report on the Proposed Project
