Toepfer, Holly, Euclid, and St. Clair Resurfacing w/ Utilities

Project Update

9/30/2021 Update:

This project is complete.

Project Overview

This project will include replacement of curb and gutter, driveway aprons, asphalt pavement and underground utility replacements on portions of four streets: Holly Avenue, Euclid Avenue, Toepfer Avenue, and St Clair Street.  Underground utility replacement will include the sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and the water main.  The sanitary sewer work will also include replacement of the laterals from the sewer main up to the property line, which is approximately 1 ft. behind the sidewalk. 

During construction, the impacted streets will be closed to through traffic, but local access to properties will be available for the majority of the project.  However, driveways may be closed for up to 20 days to allow for installation of the new infrastructure.  Metro buses will be detoured off of Toepfer, and will use Glenway during the reconstruction project.

Project Limits

Holly Avenue – Birch Avenue to Mineral Point Road

Euclid Avenue – Holly Avenue to Toepfer Avenue

Toepfer Avenue – Tokay Boulevard to Mineral Point Road

St Clair Street – Toepfer Avenue to Glen Drive

Project Schedule

Expected completion is Nov. 14, 2020.

Green Infrastructure

The City of Madison and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are completing a study to evaluate the impact of Green Infrastructure (GI) in the area surrounding this street reconstruction project.  GI is infrastructure that collects stormwater and helps it to soak into the ground instead of flowing into a storm pipe. The study will evaluate the change in the amount of stormwater that enters our pipes over time as a significant amount of GI is installed.

On this street reconstruction project, the following GI additions will be included:

• Pervious Pavement on the south side of Euclid Ave and St Clair St (this will allow stormwater to soak into the ground instead of flowing directly into a storm sewer).
• Stormwater Terraces: selected based on which terraces (grass area between the sidewalk and the road) had at least a 15’ wide section of the terrace that would be at least 15’ away from a tree that is not planned to be removed.  There are different options for stormwater terraces, and the treatments are rated as a bronze, silver or gold treatment, depending on the anticipated impact of the treatment.   All Stormwater Terraces will help improve water quality in the lakes, as well as reduce flooding.
  • Terraces that meet the space requirements will default to being a Rain Basin-Bronze, which does not entail extra maintenance on the part of home owner. You may upgrade to a Rain Garden option, which is deeper and has special soil added to the terrace to improve infiltration. You have the option to upgrade to another tier of Stormwater Terrace, including silver or gold options for either a Rain Garden or Rain Basin. The options increase in tier based on their vegetation and therefore infiltration impact:
    • Bronze: Composed of turf grass—basin holds water to allow for infiltration rather than directing terrace/sidewalk runoff or snowmelt into storm sewer. Can be maintained with a standard lawn mower.
    • Silver: Composed of low mow turf grass, low mow turf grass with wildflowers for pollinators, or native sedges. Deeper rooted than turf grass to help encourage faster infiltration and provide some pollinator habitat. Can be mowed with standard mower on high setting, yet only requires mowing once per year in the fall.
    • Gold: Composed of deep‐rooted native grasses and wildflowers to encourage infiltration and provide pollinator habitat. Weeding, as desired, will be the typical maintenance. Plant selections are available on City Engineering’s Rain Garden website.
  • Any upgrades need to be selected before construction begins, and some options will cost the homeowner $100 (see flier). Home owners will also need to maintain the rain garden plantings once installed.  Once construction begins, it will not be possible to upgrade from a Rain Basin to a Rain Garden. Homeowners who will have a Stormwater Terrace on their terrace received notification on 3/16/2020.
  • Learn more with the Stormwater Terrace info sheet .
• Rock Cribs: sited in suitable terraces to infiltrate driveway and sidewalk stormwater runoff. These include pervious pavement and a buried section of rocks with grass over the top.
  • The sidewalk panels between your driveway and the street will be replaced with pervious sidewalk panels. Additionally, a portion of your terrace will have a 5 foot wide by 3 foot deep rock crib installed. A foot of topsoil will be placed on top of the rock crib and it will be restored to turf grass. From a visual and maintenance perspective, the terrace will look nearly the same and a home owner can choose to either plant flowers, as long as they conform to terrace planting guidance, or maintain it as turf grass. The pervious panels will function better if annual vacuuming maintenance is done, however this is not a requirement. The terraces will help improve water quality in the lakes as well as reduce flooding. There is no cost to the homeowner for the installation of this device.
  • Learn more with the Rock Crib info sheet.

Locations of GI within street reconstruction project

To learn more, visit the Green Infrastructure Study project website.

Public Involvement

There are a number of points of contact during this project where the public is encouraged to give feedback as part of public information meetings and public hearings. Dates and times are indicated below:

Public Information Meetings

The Green Infrastructure Study public information meeting was held June 10, 2020. 
June 10, 2020 Public Information Meeting Recording
June 10, 2020 Information Meeting PowerPoint Presentation PDF 

Feb. 25, 2019 Public Information Meeting PowerPoint Presentation
Project Fact Sheet

City Meetings, Process

Board of Public Works: April 3, 2019
Common Council: March 31, 2020