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Record of Proceedings

Fitchburg 2026 Street Resurfacing Public Information Meeting – April 23, 2026

Common Council & City Boards — Thursday, April 23, 2026
BodyFitchburg, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & City Boards
DateThursday, April 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 23:42

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Get connected, Fitchburg.

0:01

We're launching Fitchburg Connect, the city's new monthly e-newsletter that keeps you informed about all the events, services, and updates that matter to you.

0:09

Get it in your inbox once a month.

0:10

Our first edition is live now.

0:12

Sign up today to get Fitchburg Connect.

Unassigned speaker

0:29

Hi,

Speaker 1

0:30

I'm Jeremy Crosby.

0:31

And I'm Nick Bouchet.

0:32

We're your host for the program that's all about your city, Talking Fitchburg.

Speaker 2

0:36

Every weekday, we pull together the news, events, and information you need to stay on top of what's happening in the city of Fitchburg.

Speaker 1

0:42

Find Talking Fitzburg on Cable TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and our live stream on the web.

0:48

Plus, you can find all our headlines and stories on Facebook, YouTube, and our video on demand service.

Speaker 2

0:53

This is your city.

0:54

Keep up with Talking Fitchburg and the issues affecting you and your neighbors.

Speaker 3

1:10

Alright, I think we're good to

Unassigned speaker

1:11

go.

Speaker 3

1:12

Good evening, everyone.

1:14

Thanks for coming to the street resurfacing public information meeting.

1:17

Thanks for taking time out of your busy days to be

Unassigned speaker

1:19

here.

Speaker 3

1:20

This is for the 2026 project.

Unassigned speaker

1:23

So

Speaker 3

1:23

first we'll start with some introductions.

1:25

My name is Zach Laundry.

1:26

I'm the project engineer for this project.

Unassigned speaker

1:28

I'm

Speaker 3

1:29

enjoying by my coworker.

Speaker 4

1:30

I'm Ross Kaler.

1:32

I'm the transportation engineer, and I uh help out on this project at various times.

Unassigned speaker

1:39

I'm

Speaker 5

1:39

Tim Volker.

1:40

I'm the director of public works, city engineer.

Unassigned speaker

1:43

I'm

Speaker 6

1:44

Dave Harps, District 1 Alder and member on the Board of Public Works.

Unassigned speaker

1:47

Bill

Speaker 7

1:48

Jetzer, District 2 Alder member of uh the Board of Public Works.

Unassigned speaker

1:52

Thank

Speaker 3

1:53

you all those for being here tonight to help us

Unassigned speaker

1:55

out.

Unassigned speaker

1:55

Um

Speaker 3

1:56

brief overview of what we're going to talk about tonight.

1:58

Uh first and foremost, I'm going to talk about what is resurfacing, um, how we select our roads and kind of what the road conditions are.

2:05

Then we're going to talk about the construction process and dive into the 2026 project.

2:10

We've got some coordination with other projects that I'll mention, and then we'll open up the floor to questions.

2:15

So if you have any questions, um, you can either ask them at the end, and Ross will hand you a microphone, or you can fill out that sheet at the front of the room and I will answer via phone or email.

2:25

So, what is resurfacing?

2:27

Um, resurfacing is I would consider it a medium um

Unassigned speaker

2:31

a

Speaker 3

2:31

medium impact construction process.

2:33

So, what we do is we're we remove the full depth of the asphalt.

2:36

That's typically four to six inches.

2:38

Um we drive a big truck over it and we replace the soft sections of the gravel underneath.

2:43

Um, we remove and replace all the damaged curb and gutter.

Unassigned speaker

2:46

And

Speaker 3

2:47

then we come back, we repave the asphalt in typically two layers.

2:51

Um total this process is about two to six weeks, and really we don't do any geometric changes with this project, so that means we're not adding any sidewalk, we're not changing any of the the way that the streets are laid out.

3:03

We're basically just taking away the old pavement and putting in some new pavement.

3:07

Occasionally, uh, we'll remove like splitter islands or raise uh like traffic splitter islands, but um that won't come into effect on any of the residential streets in this project.

Unassigned speaker

3:19

So,

Speaker 3

3:19

road selection criteria.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Works█████████████████████████████████████████████78%
Public Engagement█████████████22%
Summary of Proceedings

Fitchburg 2026 Street Resurfacing Public Information Meeting – April 23, 2026

The City of Fitchburg held a public information meeting on April 23, 2026, to present the 2026 street resurfacing project. City staff including Project Engineer Zach Laundry, Transportation Engineer Ross Kaler, Public Works Director Tim Volker, and Alders Dave Harps (District 1) and Bill Jetzer (District 2) provided an overview of the resurfacing process, road selection criteria, and details of the upcoming project. Approximately 2.5 miles of road and 0.4 miles of multi-use path will be resurfaced, along with a basketball court at Clayton Park. The contractor is Payne and Dolan, with work expected to begin in late May and be completed by October 2026, subject to coordination with water main projects.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • A resident at 5670 Barber Drive reported that their neighbor at 5666 Barber Drive did not receive the postcard notification for this meeting. The city acknowledged the issue and will ensure future notifications via door hangers.
  • A resident on Barber Drive questioned the timeline and lead time for water main work, especially regarding water shutoffs. Staff indicated that at least 48 hours’ notice is given and that a separate utility public information meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 6:30 PM.
  • A resident described a discrepancy between the city’s water main map and the actual location of their water shutoff valve (misidentified as a gas shutoff). They requested that the map be corrected to avoid unnecessary driveway replacement. Staff promised to follow up with Chelsea Wilson the next day and noted that field adjustments are common.
  • A resident at the corner of Tower Hill and Barber Drive asked about a concrete gutter crossing the intersection and whether it would be covered. Staff explained that the concrete gutter is needed for stormwater flow and will be replaced as part of the project.
  • The same resident reported an uncovered pothole about 6 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep near that intersection, previously marked with a cone that was moved. Staff said they were already aware and would check on it the next day; they also reminded residents to report hazards via phone or the city’s online concern form.
  • Another resident noted significant ice buildup on Barber Drive during winter and asked if the resurfacing would improve drainage. Staff confirmed that new gutters and grading would help channel water more effectively.

Discussion Items

  • Resurfacing Process: Staff explained that resurfacing involves removing 4–6 inches of asphalt, replacing damaged gravel base, repairing curb and gutter, and repaving in two layers. The process takes 2–6 weeks per street. No geometric changes (e.g., new sidewalks) are included.
  • Road Selection Criteria: Roads are selected based on PACER ratings (1–10 scale; 3–4 is ideal for resurfacing), location, traffic volume, and coordination with other utility projects. The city drives all 150 miles of roadway every two years to assess conditions.
  • 2026 Project Details: The project covers the Hillside Heights neighborhood (all streets), a path in Chicory Meadows Park, a stretch along Fish Hatchery Road, Clayton Park basketball court, and ends at Petersburg Circle and Spect Drive. Coordination with water main projects is planned on Crescent Road, Sentinel Pass, Aztec Trail, Lyman Lane, Floran Drive, Tower Hill Drive, and Barber Drive (west of Richardson). Barber Drive west of Richardson and Eugene Court are not receiving water main work.
  • Construction Timeline & Notification: Work will occur 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday (rarely Saturdays, usually until 5 PM). Utility work is contracted to be complete by September, asphalt by October. Residents will receive door hanger notifications at least 48 hours before work on their street. Updates will also be posted on the city website (fitchburgwi.gov) and via text alerts through a Notify Me site.

Key Outcomes

  • City staff will follow up with resident about corrected water main map and coordinate with Chelsea Wilson (water utilities contact).
  • Staff will inspect the reported pothole near Tower Hill and Barber Drive and ensure it is safely marked or repaired.
  • The city will improve notification consistency for future meetings (door hangers will be used as primary method).
  • A separate public information meeting for the water main projects is scheduled for May 14, 2026, at 6:30 PM (details in mailed letters).

Meeting Transcript

Get connected, Fitchburg. We're launching Fitchburg Connect, the city's new monthly e-newsletter that keeps you informed about all the events, services, and updates that matter to you. Get it in your inbox once a month. Our first edition is live now. Sign up today to get Fitchburg Connect. Hi, I'm Jeremy Crosby. And I'm Nick Bouchet. We're your host for the program that's all about your city, Talking Fitchburg. Every weekday, we pull together the news, events, and information you need to stay on top of what's happening in the city of Fitchburg. Find Talking Fitzburg on Cable TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and our live stream on the web. Plus, you can find all our headlines and stories on Facebook, YouTube, and our video on demand service. This is your city. Keep up with Talking Fitchburg and the issues affecting you and your neighbors. Alright, I think we're good to go. Good evening, everyone. Thanks for coming to the street resurfacing public information meeting. Thanks for taking time out of your busy days to be here. This is for the 2026 project. So first we'll start with some introductions. My name is Zach Laundry. I'm the project engineer for this project. I'm enjoying by my coworker. I'm Ross Kaler. I'm the transportation engineer, and I uh help out on this project at various times. I'm Tim Volker. I'm the director of public works, city engineer. I'm Dave Harps, District 1 Alder and member on the Board of Public Works. Bill Jetzer, District 2 Alder member of uh the Board of Public Works. Thank you all those for being here tonight to help us out. Um brief overview of what we're going to talk about tonight. Uh first and foremost, I'm going to talk about what is resurfacing, um, how we select our roads and kind of what the road conditions are. Then we're going to talk about the construction process and dive into the 2026 project. We've got some coordination with other projects that I'll mention, and then we'll open up the floor to questions. So if you have any questions, um, you can either ask them at the end, and Ross will hand you a microphone, or you can fill out that sheet at the front of the room and I will answer via phone or email. So, what is resurfacing? Um, resurfacing is I would consider it a medium um a medium impact construction process. So, what we do is we're we remove the full depth of the asphalt.

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