(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — A sanitary sewer project that prompted the closure of the intersection of 75th Street and 96th Avenue has been delayed, with city officials now saying the work will continue beyond its originally announced completion date.
On May 5, the City of Kenosha announced that the intersection of 75th Street and 96th Avenue would close beginning May 18 as part of sanitary sewer lining work taking place along 75th Street between 99th Avenue and 94th Avenue. At the time, city officials said the closure was expected to last approximately three weeks.
However, residents of the Whitecaps neighborhood have recently expressed frustration over what they describe as lengthy traffic restrictions despite little visible construction activity.
In emails to city officials, residents questioned why portions of the roadway remained closed when no active work appeared to be occurring. They noted that the project was affecting access in the area and complained that traffic lanes remained restricted even though construction crews were not visibly working at the site.
In response, Kenosha Water Utility Director Mike Iwagley acknowledged that the original completion date had been June 5 but said the project encountered complications.
According to Iwagley, the work requires connecting to an active sanitary sewer force main and temporarily bypassing sewer flows while portions of the system are lined. He described the process as highly involved and said those complications delayed the start of construction activities.
“The contractor will be on site next week working in the intersection and the new completion date is June 20th, if not sooner,” Iwagley wrote in an email response.
The project is taking place in the same Highway 50 corridor that drew scrutiny in August 2024 after a sewer blockage caused raw sewage to back up into dozens of homes in the Whitecaps and Peterson’s Golden Meadows neighborhoods. Residents reported extensive damage to finished basements, furniture, appliances, family heirlooms, and other valuables after sewage flooded their homes.
Many of those homeowners later filed claims seeking compensation from the City of Kenosha, but the claims were denied. City officials maintained that the damage was not the result of negligence by the city and disputed responsibility for the losses.
The current sewer-lining project has left some residents perplexed. Several Whitecaps homeowners have questioned why the city is now undertaking significant sewer work in the same corridor where the backup occurred after previously denying responsibility for the incident and the resulting damage claims.
The project has also fueled speculation among some residents because David Bogdala resides in the Whitecaps neighborhood. Some residents have suggested the work is receiving heightened attention because it affects the mayor’s own neighborhood. City officials have not publicly indicated that the mayor’s residence played any role in the timing of the project.
For now, the Kenosha Water Utility says the delay is the result of technical challenges associated with connecting to and bypassing an active sanitary sewer force main, and officials expect work at the intersection to resume next week.
The project remains focused on sanitary sewer lining work along 75th Street between 99th Avenue and 94th Avenue. While the intersection of 75th Street and 96th Avenue remains closed, access via 94th Avenue continues to be available as an alternate route.
The Kenosha Water Utility has not announced any additional changes to the revised June 20 completion date.
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