Rutledge Street Reconstruction

MG&E has completed the work for the gas main on the northwest side of Rutledge Street, and services are being transferred anticipating completion by the end of this week. Continuing the work with sidewalk replacement up to the middle of next week and then switching for the southeast side of Rutledge Street which Meade has 4-5 week to complete the work depending on the conditions. For questions regarding the work, please contact Holly Powell, hpowell@mge.com, 608-252-7214 or Pat Haines, phaines@mge.com, 608-252-5615. 

MG&E will begin their gas main and lateral upgrade along Rutledge Street. Work will begin the week of Oct. 14. The anticipated completion is the week of December 2.  During this period, street parking will be temporarily unavailable. MG&E crews will begin work on the south side of Rutledge Street, staging the drill at the intersection of Walton Place. The drilling process will proceed towards Riverside Drive and then turn to drill towards Lakeland Avenue. This sequence will be repeated on the north side of Rutledge Street. Once the gas main is installed, individual gas services will be drilled in starting from Riverside Drive and continue towards Lakeland Avenue. For questions regarding the work, please contact Holly Powell, hpowell@mge.com, 608-252-7214 or Pat Hines, phaines@mge.com, 608-252-5615.

Capitol Underground has been awarded the contract to reconstruct Rutledge Street in 2025. The project will begin in the spring of 2025, typically early-mid April.

Capitol Underground has been awarded the contract to reconstruct Rutledge Street in 2025. The project will begin in the spring of 2025, typically early-mid April.

The design team has approved MG&E's work plan. MG&E is working on acquiring a permit from the City to complete their work. The design team is waiting for MG&E's schedule for their work. Once the schedule is received, it will be shared on the project website.

The low bidder on the Rutledge Street reconstruction project was Capitol Underground, Inc. For the next steps the low bidder was approved at the July 24 Board of Public Works Meeting and is going to be approved at the August 6 Common Council Meeting. We continue to work with MG&E on getting final plans and anticipate their work will take place this Fall. 

City Engineering would like to inform that the street reconstruction has been moved from 2024 to 2025. As mentioned in the last update when putting together the final design, Rutledge St ended requiring a significant amount of new storm sewer to be installed to address drainage issues. This additional new storm sewer is directly in conflict with MG&E gas main and services, because both utilities are going to be at the same depth underground. MG&E is working on their final plans and needs to resolve these conflicts first so that the construction on Rutledge St can progress safely and efficiently. Given the number for the anticipated conflicts, we know it will take MG&E several weeks to complete the work, but specifics on their final plans are still not known. Another factor is the availability for construction crew on MG&E as currently they are working on other City projects that are already underway, along with private developments needing services, and works in other communities that they serve.

Compared to other projects where streets with multiple blocks to work, the City’s contractor and MG&E can sometimes coordinate the crew and be working at the same time. However Rutledge St has very limited space to work, few access points, and several driveways that need access for majority of the project. It would not be reasonable to fit all the materials (pipes, gravel, etc.), the equipment, trucking access, and the resident’s access through Rutledge St project area for both the City’s contractor and MG&E’s contractor to complete all the work at the same time.

We are anticipating the MG&E work will likely take place this fall and potentially early 2025. The City’s project is likely to start once weather conditions allows. With the uncertainty on finals plans and the crew availability in the immediate future, it won’t be possible to complete all the work on Rutledge St this year, and wanted to communicate that as soon as it became clear. 

The project is currently finishing the design phase, getting for bid in May or June 2024 and has been pushed to start construction until 2025. During the final street design, the team determined that a significant amount of proposed storm sewer and rain garden are going to conflict with the existing MG&E gas main and gas laterals. We are currently working with MG&E on the full scope of their work, and we anticipate MG&E to complete their work ahead of the City project in 2024. Due to the limits of the right-of-way and space on Rutledge St it is the City’s preference to not have MG&E’s contractor and street reconstruction contractor working in the same area. By moving the project to 2025 it will avoid delays related to MG&E’s work. 

The design team presented the project to the Board of Public Works on February 21, 2024. The Board approved the plans, specifications, and assessments. The Board also recommend option 1C as the option maintained the street at 28’ for flexibility in future transportation needs and provides traffic calming with street parking on both sides. 

The design team will attend and present the project design to the Board of Public Works meeting on February 21, 2024. After the feedback received from the second questionnaire with a total of 140 responses with 27 being from the project limits, option 1C is going to be rule out with 38 votes for support. The design team will be presenting option 1A which have a slight preference with 48 votes and preserves the flexibility for future transportation needs. Also, presenting option 2A with 45 votes and has a slight traffic calming benefits with reduction in impervious area. The design team will seek an option recommendation from the Board of Public Works.

A questionnaire has been created for this project for public input. 

Please take the questionnaire by 2 p.m., Feb. 14, 2024: 
Rutledge Street Reconstruction Questionnaire

The design team has come up with a new design option 1C to be presented to the Transportation Commission on January 17, 2024. Since the public meeting Metro has told Engineering and Traffic Engineering about possibly returning to Rutledge in the future. The design option proposes a 28’ street width from face of curb to face of curb, same as option 1A. Street parking on both sides as a traffic calming measure until Metro decides to return. Once Metro returns, the street would operate as it does now with parking on the south side.

The design team will attend and present the project design to the Transporation Commission on January 17, 2024, seeking an option recommendation.

Thank you to everyone who attended the December 18, 2023 Public Information Meeting.  The meeting recording and PowerPoint presentation are available. 

Dec. 18, 2023 Public Information Meeting Recording
Dec. 18, 2023 Public Information Meeting PowerPoint Presentation

A virtual public information meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., Dec. 18, 2023, via Zoom. Registration prior is required. 

Dec. 18, 2023 Public Information Meeting Registration

A questionnaire is also available. Please fill out the questionnaire by 5 p.m., Jan. 3, 2024.

Rutledge Street Questionnaire

This project page has been created. The project is currently in the design phase. A public information meeting will be held to inform nearby residents and property owners of the upcoming street construction. Once the meeting is scheduled, the information about the date will be posted on the website with some additional details.