Village of North Hudson ranks first in state program with $1 million for roads

By Joe Winter

With a recent grant application, North Hudson has found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - $1,015,600 in highway funds.

That's the 80 percent share to be paid by the state government for five projects. The money comes through a program that administers what is received from gas taxes. The 20 percent village share is $253,900. The total cost of the projects, which will include stop lights at Sixth and Monroe streets, is $1,269,500.

"Basically, North Hudson won the lottery this year," Len Meissen, village president, told trustees at last Tuesday's Village Board meeting. In Wisconsin, only Tomah comes close to North Hudson in what it could reel in concerning this year's application, he said. North Hudson has applied for this funding, termed the Surface Transportation Program, every year since Meissen has been village president, but this time the payoff is especially big.

The projects break down this way: Reconstruct Monroe Street from Sixth to Ninth, $134,000; stoplights at Sixth and Monroe, $12,000; reconstruct Helen Street from Riverside Drive to Michaelson Street, $769,000; reconstruct St. Croix Street from Seventh to Lemon, $294,000; and rework Krattley Lane from Sixth to Summit Lane, $60,000.

Krattley would likely be done first, in 2000, Meissen said. The Monroe Street projects are recommended for 2001, and the Helen Street and St. Croix Street projects, one each in 2002 and 2003.

The state Transportation Department approves of placing stoplights at Monroe and Sixth, and representatives will attend a meeting in North Hudson this fall to talk about it, Meissen said.

One project, additional construction on Krattley Lane from Sixth Street to Summit Lane, was turned down. Its total cost would have been $368,000.

A telephone conversation between Meissen and Mark Ploederer, systems planning supervisor at the DOT's Eau Claire office, confirmed North Hudson's award. "I wondered when you would call," Ploederer said. "Merry Christmas."

The village was the only municipality in Western Wisconsin to meet all necessary program criteria. The last funding awarded to North Hudson through the program was $16,000 for Sommers Street, between Fourth Street and Galahad Road, in 1995.

One reason North Hudson has fared so well is that applicants must possess and retain a "positive balance" in program funds, which come from the state gas tax. That is why Meissen and the DOT advocate doing all the projects between years 2000 and 2003, rather than putting off some of them.

Some other cities and villages that could have benefited greatly under the program didn't even apply, Meissen said. Trustee George Boldizsar commended Meissen and Russ Kiviniemi, village engineer, for their foresight and willingness to do the application's legwork. The projects had been on the village's five-year improvement list.

The village has to inform the DOT, in writing, how it plans to use the money, which must be for "above ground" projects such as collector or arterial roads, Meissen said. Trustee Mike Ricci speculated that the money could be used to reduce the assessments owed by people living along Riverside Drive.

Meissen responded that program rules require "financial obligations" of the village to be met first. Only then could relief from assessments be considered. Water main and sanitary sewer work could get accomplished as part of the STP program projects, Meissen said.