Roundabout proposal would demolish 3 businesses

[Latina]

Mayor, merchants oppose roundabout at State and Union.

A roundabout proposed for the intersection of State and Union streets in downtown Mauston that would displace three businesses is a bad idea, the city's mayor said Tuesday.

"I don't think that one's going to happen," Mayor Brian McGuire said. "That one I don't think is a good alternative."

The state Department of Transportation is considering two roundabouts in Mauston. One would replace traffic lights at the intersection of Union and State streets. The second would replace stop signs at the intersection of Grayside Avenue and Division Street. In a roundabout, traffic streams nonstop in a circle about a central island.

The possible Mauston roundabouts are part of a $2 million state project to reroute state highway traffic through the city in 2012.

McGuire said he's not opposed to roundabouts in general.

"I'm in favor of them where they fit," he said.

But the property impacts and related loss of business if a roundabout is built at State and Union are too great, McGuire said.

There are no businesses at the intersection of Grayside Avenue and Division Street.

"We should be able to build a roundabout there without buying anybody's home," said engineer Reiny Yahnke, the La Crosse-based manager overseeing the project for the state.

The intersection of State and Union is home to a Kwik Trip convenience store and gas station, a dental clinic and a tavern. All three businesses would be demolished to build a roundabout there.


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[Latina]

"Mauston needs more than one dentist," said Dr. Michael "Mick" McCormick, whose dental clinic at 510 E. State St. would be in the way of a roundabout.

McCormick, who's one of just two dentists in Mauston, said costs make it impractical for him to relocate his practice from the building where it's been since 1975. He said a colleague in a nearby community recently retrofitted a building to house a dental practice at a cost of over $1 million. Another who built from scratch spent over $1.5 million.

At age 60, that kind of outlay doesn't make sense for him, McCormick said, leaving him with little choice but to retire a few years earlier than he'd planned.

McCormick employs six — two dental assistants, two hygienists and two front desk employees. "They definitely weren't planning on retiring. They're all younger than I am," McCormick said.

While tough to quantify, McCormick thinks the loss of his practice could have a ripple effect on other city businesses.

I feel for this business owner

To build a roundabout, putting people out of business & causing job losses, in this already awful economy... how sad!