Quick fix gives new life to rough road! Muskego Ave. part of high-impact paving project



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It's a high-impact paving project designed to provide repairs to city streets with a minimal negative impact on those who use those streets. Milwaukee's Muskego Avenue is one of several city streets that's gotten a quick makeover.

"The street was kinda bad, from Forest Home Avenue down to -- I think this is Becher here," Miguel Herrera said.

Herrera says the stretch of South Muskego Avenue was such a rough ride, customers who could've been coming to his Arandas Auto Body Shop were avoiding the roadway.

"You see less traffic on it," Herrera said.

On Tuesday, September 16th, crews were working to smooth out the surface of Muskego Avenue.

"In one day, we will totally transform and rehabilitate this street," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Mayor Barrett says Muskego Avenue is part of a program that has been so successful since it started in 2013, he's committing $2 million to it in his 2015 proposed budget.

"We went through a very rough winter, and we know that there are a lot of potholes. We're still filling potholes that occurred last year. By doing this, what we're doing is taking a whole stretch and addressing all those problems at once," Mayor Barrett said.

Department of Public Works Commissioner Ghassan Korban says the road repair involves taking up two inches of asphalt and replacing it with two new surface inches.

"That's why this is so cost-effective, because we can do a lot more miles for the dollars that we have available to do the work," Korban said.

Meanwhile, Herrera says he appreciates the effort's efficiency, adding that he anticipates a lot more business as a result.

"I think, once they're done with the street, we're gonna have a lot more traffic, a lot better roads, and -- no, it's great. I wish they could do that a little more in the city. There's a lot of roads that need work," Herrera said.

Crews plan to start work on another project on Wednesday on 2nd Street. Three more short stretches are scheduled to be completed during the next week-and-a-half.