USH 8 Trail Feasibility Study

Parks, Trails & Recreation – Planning

With assistance from a WisDOT planning grant, KL Engineering worked with FCPC to develop a feasibility study to add bicycle and pedestrian facilities along USH 8. The 4.5 mile multi-modal route, called the Pathway to Wellness, would span from S. Prospect Avenue to Otter Creek Road. The planning project occurred from October 2019 to January 2020 and included data analysis, conceptual planning, public outreach, development of a preferred alternative, and detailed cost estimating. The impetus behind planning for a new bicycle / pedestrian facility was to provide a direct, accessible, and safe off-road transportation option for bicyclists and pedestrians along USH 8.

Three separate alignments were developed for review by staff, WisDOT, and the public. Outreach in the development of the alignments largely included FCPC, WisDOT, the public, adjacent local governments, and the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. With a detailed cost estimate, the next steps for the plan include grant requests, discussions with potential partners of the project, inclusion in long-range planning documents, and implementation in future budgets.