Posted: June 30, 2009 |(0) Comments

After months of being ripped up, the newly beautified Silver Spring Drive will have a grand re-opening celebration at 1 p.m. Friday at Silver Spring and Berkeley Boulevard.

Flowers are now blooming in broad new flowerbeds and from decorative pots along the thoroughfare through Whitefish Bay's main business district. New ornamental and shade trees also line the street. Other beautification elements include colored accent paving, enhanced lighting and new benches.

Pedestrians also will have an easier time crossing the street. Sidewalk bump outs narrow Silver Spring at selected intersections so pedestrians do not have as far to walk to cross the street. An island with trees and grasses offers a protected place to stand for traffic to clear midway at Berkeley.

"It's turning out even more beautiful than expected," said Tom Stuhlmacher, chairman of the Business Improvement District, which helped with the $2.8 million cost. Other funding came from the tax-incremental financing district that the village established in 2004. No property tax money was used.

Also part of the project was an upgrade to sewer and water utilities and resurfacing the street.

"It's such an ecstatic feeling after years of planning and months of construction," Stuhlmacher said. He also paid tribute to village officials and merchants for working so well together.

The project started in October 2008 and was suspended for the holidays, resuming in January.

The re-opening will involve Village President Kathleen Pritchard cutting a ribbon that will be stretched across the street. Traffic will be briefly rerouted for the ribbon cutting and then the street re-opened as the ceremony continues on the sidewalk with remarks by officials.

Live blues music will be performed by the band Made in China.

Free root beer floats courtesy of Sprecher Brewing Co. will be served.

The event is being sponsored by GRAEF and Chrispell-Snyder, consulting engineers on the project.

 

- Jane Ford-Stewart