City Council Work Session: Capital Improvement Plan Quarterly Update - July 7, 2026

The Milwaukee City Council held a work session on July 7, 2026, to receive a quarterly update on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) from City Engineer Jennifer Garbly. The session covered progress and upcoming milestones for numerous transportation, sewer, water, and paving projects, along with discussions on funding, coordination, and community impact. No formal votes were taken; the session served as a briefing and discussion ahead of future council actions.

King Road Improvements

• Utility work (water, stormwater) is complete; side path paving is underway, with the first segment from Lenwood to about 52nd paved and the remainder to 243rd planned for July 9–10, 2026.
• Roadway paving (3-inch overlay) is scheduled for September–October 2026, likely requiring lane closures. The project is expected to finish by October 2026.
• A council member inquired about a potential bike box connection from the Linwood multi-use path to King Road, noting difficulty making left turns. The engineer agreed to ask Clackamas County if a bike box or mid-block crosswalk crossing could be added.

Harvey Street

• Sewer and stormwater work is complete; water work is ongoing (approximately $1.6 million for a major water line). The project is nearly done with water main installation.
• Sidewalk and roadway improvements have begun. The project is expected to be complete by September 2026.
• Council discussion focused on a future 16-inch water transmission main needed for PFAS treatment, likely in about five years. The current project is a grind-and-inlay rather than a full rebuild because the road will be disturbed again by the future water line and heavy equipment for the treatment plant. The city will communicate to neighbors that a grind-and-inlay will be applied at the end of the project.

Waverly South & 26th Avenue

• The project is nearly ready for bid but is held up by one missing easement on Lava Drive. The city discovered it does not own the roadway section past Waverly Court; it is privately owned by a nearby property owner.
• The engineer gave the property owner until end of September 2026 to provide the easement, or the city will abandon open-cut sewer replacement in that section and line it instead, allowing the project to proceed.
• A council member expressed frustration that messaging to neighbors about the delay had not been managed earlier; the city will now contact the property owner and develop a communication plan.

Street Greenway Central (Central Monroe/Washington Greenway)

• Design documents are being prepared for bid on July 16, 2026. The project is funded with $1.5 million from ODOT that must be under contract by September 2026. Award is expected at the August 18 council meeting.
• The project runs from 21st Avenue to Oak Street; the section across the railroad to the north is a separate project in early discussion with the railroad. The railroad crossing improvements may cost over $1 million.
• Council members raised safety concerns: the current treatments (medians, bump-outs, crosswalks, speed bumps, trees) may not be sufficient to make the street feel safe for all ages (8 to 80) to use as a greenway. The engineer argued the changes will significantly narrow the road and change driver behavior, and preferred to install the current plan first, then evaluate whether additional treatments (e.g., delineators) are needed. Parking will be maintained on one side.
• The connection to Clackamas County's shared-road section will be coordinated. Traffic counts on 224 have dropped since the diverter at Run Row was installed; the city will re-count to gauge impact.

Washington Monroe Street Greenway

• Design plans are in final review; will not go to bid until spring 2027. The central section (above) will likely be nearly complete before this project starts.

Waverly Sewer (Waverly-Lava area)

• Full bid documents are ready; one easement is needed. The city has given the landowner until end of September 2026. If not obtained, city will line the sewer section instead of open-cut replacement. West will pay 33% of construction. Project will go to bid this fall.
• After this project and the subsequent lining project, the city will conduct a monitoring program to evaluate inflow and infiltration (I&I) to prioritize future sewer work.

Sound Improvements (at the Sound Wall adjacent to I-205)

• Design is underway with geotechnical work; the project includes a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge. Design is contracted to OTAC. First open house anticipated in late fall 2026. The project is 12–18 months from bid.
• The bridge design includes a multi-use path on one side and an 8-foot sidewalk on the other; parking will likely be maintained on one side.
• Council noted that Safe Routes to School funding for some related elements has been canceled, but the city has funds to build Stanley section without it. Other Safe Routes elements (raised crosswalks at Llewellyn) are progressing through the SPOT program.

Sewer Lift Stations

• An on-call contract for condition assessment of five lift stations has been kickstarted. Brookside lift station (failing, can't get parts) will be the first to be upgraded; Island Station will follow (water intrusion in the well). Other three will be assessed afterwards.

Water Pipeline / PFAS Treatment

• The raw water pipeline route (from wells 7 and 4, up 37th and Monroe to 40th, then to treatment plant) is at 30% design. Due to rising PFAS levels at Stanley well (well #6) – from 1-2 PPT to 3.86 PPT near the 4 PPT limit – the city is adding a spur to bring Stanley well water to the treatment plant. (The federal requirement is to have treatment in place by April 10, 2029, with one year of operation before that date.)
• A PFAS study memo will be presented to council on August 18, 2026, outlining findings and next steps. The treatment plant is being sized for all city water rights (including wells 8 and 6). A site layout is expected in fall 2026.
• The city is seeking funding for PFAS treatment; rates set so far do not cover these costs, but the city plans to apply for state and federal grants.
• Council noted the need to coordinate paving of roads that will be disrupted by pipeline work. The city will use grind-and-inlay after pipeline installation. The lower treatment plant near the library will be demolished only after the upper plant is operational; that site may eventually be repurposed for a street connection or other use.
• Council requested that any cost adjustments to CIP projects due to the railroad crossing or sewer extensions be brought to council when cost estimates are available.

SPOT (Safety and Operations for Pedestrians and Traffic) Program

• The city has received positive feedback on the 29th Avenue delineators. SPOT-funded projects include all-way stops, a mid-block crosswalk at 37th and Minthorne, RRFBs at Ardenwald School and El Puente, and 10 speed radar signs.
• The SPOT program is undergoing process review: PSAC (Public Safety Advisory Committee) may change how proposals are accepted and reviewed (e.g., set periods for submissions). Staff will create a flyer about the program for community outreach (e.g., farmers market).
• Council emphasized that the review process should not overburden staff capacity.
• A decision on crosswalk flags at Harrison and Main was deferred pending language from PSAC.

Streetscape Enhancements / 40th Avenue

• The city will first tackle 40th Avenue from Olson to Railroad as part of the streetscape enhancement program, coordinating with the raw water pipeline project. This could go to bid concurrently or be done in-house. Other roads will be addressed after King Road and Harvey are complete.

Six-Year Paving Plan (2027-2032)

• The plan, prepared using StreetSaver data, prioritizes grind-and-inlay and slurry seal city-wide, alternating years (one year grind-and-inlay, next year slurry seal). The plan will be updated every two years.
• 2027 grind-and-inlay areas are shown in blue, 2029 in yellow, 2031 in red. Clustering is for efficiency and better pricing. Some road segments (e.g., Stanley) may be split due to CIP projects; the pipeline addition will adjust the plan.
• The plan is data-driven and incorporates public comments from a 2025 survey.
• Council noted that some streets (e.g., Island Station) received slurry seal instead of grind-and-inlay due to access needs; that is acceptable.

Upcoming Projects and Future Council Dates

• Sewer lining project will go to bid soon (33% funded by West).
• The