WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Marathon County is moving forward with plans to relocate the Wausau Highway Department facility to land in Kronenwetter along Interstate 39.
Administrator Lance Leonhard says while it’s a much-needed move for an aging facility, the County Board hasn’t rushed the decision, putting away $30 million over the last few years to get things started thanks to state and federal grants for road projects. Leaders have set money aside for those projects, then spent the outside funds as they come in. “That’s allowed us to set aside some of those general tax dollars. We apply for the grant, find out later we get it, and we already had the funds set aside. [That’s allowed us] to build up a bit of a reserve knowing that the highway shop was coming.”
Leonhard says $30 million represents a big down payment for the project, but won’t cover the entire cost. Early estimates show the project could cost close to $50 million, and an exact number won’t be known until the bids come back later this fall.
No matter what that funding gap is, he thinks the county can make it up without significant bonding. By shifting debt from recent projects at the North Central Health Care campus onto the general debt levy, then using revenue generated from NCHC to help “mitigate our need to go borrow again. “That helps avoid issuance and interest costs. We’ve already [paid] the issuance or interest costs on that debt from 2019-’21, so it’s a really great opportunity.
“This doesn’t mean we won’t have to borrow. But, our hope is we won’t have to borrow for the highway project. We will just have to do short-term issuance for some capital projects,” added Leonhard.
Vacating the current facility at the corner of West Street and S 17th Avenue will free up a prime spot for redevelopment, which could also help the cause. “That’s a primary commercial corridor. A lot of traffic goes through that area. So how can we redevelop it, and take the funds from any redevelopment and put it towards that project? Again, we have a number of options.”
Last week, the County Board approved putting the project out for bids. Those are due back later this fall. Leaders in Kronenwetter have already rezoned the property and are now finalizing site plans and conditional use permits. Leonhard says if all goes as planned, construction on the site could begin next spring with a grand opening in 2028.
Other topics Leonhard discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- New highway shop update
9:00- UWSP Campus redevelopment
14:20- Open data portal
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