Editor's note: Due to rainy weather, the ribbon cutting for East Milwaukee Street's reopening was canceled Friday afternoon, but the road was still scheduled to reopen.Â
JANESVILLE — East Milwaukee Street, closed for reconstruction for the past six months, is set to reopen at 3 p.m. Friday, the city of Janesville says.
At a cost of $3.5 million, the work has left a stretch of East Milwaukee Street from Atwood Avenue downhill to the riverfront closed to traffic since April. This is the second major tear-up of part of Milwaukee Street since 2021.
The years-long rebuild started with the Milwaukee Street bridge replacement in 2019 and was followed by the full reconstruction of a half-mile-long stretch of West Milwaukee Street on the west side of the Rock River in 2021, extending to Five Points at downtown’s far west edge.
The work this year along East Milwaukee Street has included widening terraces and sidewalks, new lights and traffic signals and the rebuilding of a water main and storm sewers.
This year’s worked has included converting the intersection of North Parker Drive and East Milwaukee Street to an all-way stop.
Other additions that were made after the terraces and planter walls were installed are streetscaping elements such as bicycle racks, benches, trash cans, planters, as well as the decorative tree grates that will be poured into the gold terraces.
Ribbon cutting
The city of Janesville is hosting a reopening ribbon-cutting event at 3 p.m. Friday at the intersection of East Milwaukee Street and Main Street.
A release from the city said the event will dedicate the new road and express appreciation to the downtown business community and their patrons for their cooperation throughout construction. Following a short ceremony and ribbon-cutting, attendees will be encouraged to visit businesses in downtown Janesville.