By Thomas J. McKillen
Managing Editor

The Germantown Village Board approved a motion July 19 to apply for the federal Surface Transport Program (STP)  to pay for the improvements to Donges Bay Road from Division Road to Hwy. 145 at two lanes.
The motion followed objections raised by 22 residents to a request to apply for a possible two lane road with a  center turn lane.  The objections from the residents and discussion by the board lasted an hour and 45 minutes.
Residents objected to the loss of land and the additional traffic that would be created with an expanded road.
"The road is natural. We like it that way, keep it that way," resident Robert Campbell told the board. “That road is a great road, it needs to be fixed, widening it does not solve any issues that are there because there are simply no issues.”
Larry Prodehl, who has been a resident of the village for 38 years, said he prefers keeping “the rural road atmosphere on Donges Bay Road.”
Prodehl said the road surface should be improved, since the current pavement was installed in 1988. He said the village should improve the road at its current width and use resources for improving other roads in the community.
Sandy LaPorte told the board that "the character of the neighborhood would change greatly if it was widened to three lanes."
Another resident said “Donges Bay is a disaster.”
“Something needs to be done, but we sure don’t need three lanes,” the resident said.
Village Engineer Brionne Bischke explained that the application was a "placeholder" and not a firm commitment of what the project would become.
"This is not a final plan," he said, later adding that the project could be downsized. Bischke said the village is planning to apply for a study and engineering design which would analyze existing traffic counts. The counts would determine what type of road width recommended for Donges Bay Road.
“That analysis has yet to take place. In order for that to take place, we need to apply for a design engineer, consultants. We need to hire a consultant to do the analysis,” Bischke said.
That consultant will then develop recommendations which are presented at a public information meeting.
If the village application for STP funds is approved, a design engineer would be hired and a traffic analysis would occur to determine the actual traffic on the road. Bischke said a conservative approach was taken, looking a “worst case scenario” for design. He explained that it is easier to downsize a project than the other way around.
Also, federal funding would pay for 80 percent of the total cost of the project.
The suggestion of a center turn lane was made in response to concerns raised by a few residents in the area, Bischke said. That was later confirmed by Trustee Terri Kaminski, who said she received emails from residents concerned about being rear-ended while trying to turn into their residences.
The motion to keep the request at the current two lanes was made by Trustee Art Zabel.