WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The City of Wisconsin Rapids completed a 2,000-foot extension of industrial rail line that ties the Matalco plant to Canadian National railroad’s main-line track, as well as creating further rail access opportunities east of Matalco to spur future development. The $793,000 project was supported by a $400,000 grant from the Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) program.
“The rail extension project has created opportunities to reassess the rail usage and needs of other businesses in the Rapids East Commerce Center. The existing rail usage within the business park has been strong and is further increased by this extension. Overall, the increased demand to use rail has validated the prior investments the City and State have made in providing this service and will increase car delivery opportunities to the Rapids East Commerce Center, thereby helping Matalco and other industries to grow,” said Joe Eichsteadt, City Engineer. In a press release, Governor Tony Evers commented, “This project is a great example of how local communities and businesses can work with the state of Wisconsin to connect the dots to drive economic progress, strengthen our supply chain, and create more good jobs. I look forward to continuing to partner together to ensure Matalco and the entire Wisconsin Rapids community’s success for years to come.” “This project sets up the Rapids East Commerce Center for future growth and gives us another tool when attracting new development," said Mayor Shane Blaser. "I want to thank our City staff and TEA program staff for making this project a reality.” Matalco, located in the Rapids East Commerce Center, is an aluminum processing plant. Matalco began operations in Wisconsin Rapids in November 2020 and created 80 new manufacturing jobs in the city. The TEA Program provides financial assistance to communities to support transportation infrastructure improvements that will help attract new employers or encourage existing employers to expand. A municipal or county unit of government must sponsor a TEA application, the project must have the local government's endorsement, and it must benefit the public. If you have questions about the project, please reach out to City Engineer, Joe Eichsteadt, at 715-421-8251 or [email protected]. WISCONSIN RAPIDS -- Mayor Shane Blaser has issued a proclamation recognizing Eagle Scout Wyatt Erdmann.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank achievable in the Scouts PSA Program within the Boy Scouts of America. The proclamation is attached below. WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The City of Wisconsin Rapids is offering opportunities for the public to weigh in on the proposed transportation utility, which would replace special assessments. Property owners can provide feedback and ask questions about the transportation utility using any of the below methods.
The transportation utility is a mechanism to raise revenue, similar to other utilities, and is based on a customer’s relative use of the road system (or the property’s “trip generation”). Trip generation for each property within the City is determined using the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Trip Generation Manual. The trip generation manual is derived from hundreds or thousands of studies across the nation for many different land uses. The data is analyzed and characterized in a way that can be compared across similar land uses with similar characteristics. At Tuesday’s meeting, City Council approved a $500,000 target revenue for the transportation utility, which would replace revenues from special assessments at $350,000 and increase road surfacing efforts at $150,000. The target utility revenue of $500,000 is divided by the annual trips generated within the city to determine a cost per trip. The cost per trip is applied to the trips generated at each property within the city.
Learn more about the transportation utility and other special assessment alternatives that were explored here: www.wirapids.org/transportation-utility Mayor Shane Blaser signed a proclamation declaring Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 as United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties 2-1-1 Day in Wisconsin Rapids.
This is in recognition of the human service information and referral services offered in 13 counties through United Way's 2-1-1, supported by the United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties. WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The City of Wisconsin Rapids unveils the name for their newest park: Witter Park. The park is located at 681 Chestnut St. and includes the Aquatics Center, skate park, playground equipment, splash pad, outdoor shelter, tennis court and pickleball courts.
The public suggested 81 names for the park, and staff narrowed the list down to five choices. These choices were selected for their relevance to the community and marketability of the name. The Parks and Recreation Commission further narrowed the list down to three choices, which the public voted on. Wisconsin Recreation Complex and Witter Park tied with 91 votes each, with Witter Community Park receiving 61 votes. On January 10, the Parks and Recreation Commission broke the tie and selected Witter Park. “I want to thank the public for their participation in our effort to name our new park. The suggestions were incredibly thoughtful and often rooted in our city’s history. I also want to recognize Rita Schiller for her winning suggestion – Witter Park,” said Mayor Shane Blaser. The park’s name will be used on marketing materials, logoed products for the park and Aquatics Center, website, and maps. Currently, there are no plans to replace any signage at the park. To learn more about Witter Park or make a donation, visit wirapids.org/witter-park. |
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