'Acres of Pavement' Prompt Need to Control Flooding Along Janesville Road

If you're brave or bored enough to read through the 325-page report from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the breadth of the Janesville Road project might wow you a little.

Realizing that construction on the unfinished section, which will start in June, will eventually lay another three acres of asphalt onto Muskego's surface. So, what happens to the rain when it falls?

Crews will tackle that question as construction moves forward, and in two areas, replacement drain pipes will keep the water moving. Drains leading to Pilak Creek, which runs under Janesville Road and along the western side of Pioneer Drive, and storm drains that feed into the wetlands area near Culver's (also called Devil's Teapot) will be installed. 

Department of Public Works Director Dave Simpson told the Public Works Committee that the state has signed off on the plan, with assurances that flooding will not be an issue after the roadway is completed. Additional drainage was likely to have a "zero effect" on the impact to the creek and wetlands, he said.

In addition, a retention pond at the corner of Janesville Road and Lake Drive will help divert run off, easing water toward the lake during rain events. Simpson said that Waukesha County has been working closely with residents of Bay Breeze Condominums to access the land needed to construct the pond, and that decorative fencing will be installed once its complete.