STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) -- A large and expensive highway project will be discussed at a community meeting Thursday evening.
Department of Transportation officials, Stevens Point leaders, and the Southside Business Association plan to review and discuss the Business Highway 51 reconstruction project at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is at the Blue Top Family Restaurant on Church Street.
Business 51 is a combination of Division Street and Church Street in Stevens Point, and Post Road in Whiting and Plover. DOT guidelines require certain features in new construction such as bike lanes and pedestrian walkways. Several places along the route are not wide enough to accommodate everything without reducing the number of traffic lanes. This has led to neighborhood friction with the city and state as they try to find a design plan that works.
The DOT will present updates and answer questions during the meeting.
The meeting is not an official City of Stevens Point meeting. Several elected officials plan to be there, but no official city business will be performed.