'An exciting day!:' New underpass will allow bikers, pedestrians to safely cross popular Oconomowoc highway

 

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Around 24,000 cars pass through the Highway 67 and Oconomowoc Parkway intersection on a daily basis -- but as of Dec. 4, cyclists and pedestrians now have their own lanes to safely cross one of the city's busiest areas. 

Officials and residents joined together Monday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the brand-new underpass that connects the 15-mile Lake County Recreation Trail.

“With the growing neighborhood, the YMCA nearby, schools, lots of families use this trail on a daily basis," said Dale Shaver, the director of parks and land use for Waukesha County. “So, whether you’re an avid cyclist or you’re a dog walker or you’re just a family living in a nearby community and you want to bring the stroller out, these multifaceted trails are really something for everybody.”

The project has been nearly a decade in the making and is also a part of Wisconsin's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and stewardship grant programs.

It's also a much-welcomed relief for trail frequenters like Lynne Wright, who has supported the creation of an underpass for years.

“I almost got hit once. I have a friend who was here, her son accidentally almost hit somebody," said Wright, who loves to bike along the trail.  "[This] was needed for safety issues."

Wright told CBS 58 she attended meetings for years, speaking out for safety rights.

"We didn't give up," Wright said proudly, while strapping her bike helmet on. "It's a really exciting day."

The project is a result of a collaborative partnership between the City of Oconomowoc, Waukesha County, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.