The second stage of the Business 51 reconstruction project in Stevens Point begins on Monday, Oct. 26, bringing a full road closure and new traffic changes along part of the corridor.
Stage two includes completing a single-lane roundabout and reconstructing Business 51 between Franklin Street and about 400 feet north of Fourth Avenue. The work is expected to be complete by mid-December, and the city said all businesses along the corridor will remain open and accessible.
Business 51 will be closed to through traffic in the work area, and east-west travel on Fourth Avenue across Business 51 will also be closed, with local access to businesses maintained from either side. Franklin Street will reopen between Prentice Street and Isadore Street, with two-way traffic maintained between Business 51 and Prentice Street until stage two is finished.
The stage also includes water utility work that may require intermittent water shut-offs for homes and businesses along the corridor. The city said the Public Utilities Department will give affected customers advance notice.
Stage two is part of a nine-stage project between Briggs Street and North Point Drive that will rebuild the road as two lanes with a center turn lane, upgrade sanitary sewer, water main and storm sewer utilities and street lighting, and improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. All nine stages are expected to be complete by the winter of 2027.
