2026 Oakland Avenue Reconstruction Project
The Shorewood BID has partnered with Village of Shorewood Department of Public Works to provide updates on the 2026 Oakland Avenue Reconstruction Project. It’s been said that it takes a lot of work and patience to build roads. Many months of work have already gone into the planning of the 2026 Oakland Avenue reconstruction project. First envisioned for construction in 2022, the project was deferred following the Covid pandemic and then bumped to 2026 when the Wisconsin Department of Transportation scheduled the Lake Drive SHT 32 project for completion in 2025.
The construction will address more than just the poor existing pavement conditions. The watermain and lead service lines will be replaced. The Village Board has approved pedestrian and traffic safety enhancements including additional bumpouts at intersections, rapid flashing beacons at key intersections and the addition of Audible Pedestrian Signals at signalized intersections to assist those with visual impairments. Green infrastructure features will include stormwater tree pits in select tree replacement areas.
A contract is expected to be awarded in late 2025. An exact schedule can’t be determined until that point, but given the amount of work involved, it is anticipated that construction will begin early in 2026 and conclude in early December of that year. The project will be built in stages with varying traffic patterns, including one-way traffic with detours at times. For a bit of background on construction sequencing, check out this short video explanation below.
You might have heard that road construction is a lot like the weather – it’s always changing but you’ll never quite know what it will be like until it gets there. While there may be some truth to that statement, the next year and a half offers a great opportunity to proactively plan for the Oakland project.
Click HERE to see the April 18th Q&A Presentation from Leeann Butschlick, Director of Department of Public Works.