Chippewa Falls (profile as of mid 2002)  

Chippewa County

Population: 12,925

Highway 29 expansion completed: 2001

Bypass completed: 2005 (anticipated)

Community Perception of the Highway Improvement

The newly constructed East Bridge crosses the Chippewa River. (2002)

The community strongly supported a bypass and new highway alignment in Chippewa Falls because it would reduce truck traffic in the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods and provide better access to the industrial park for trucks. According to the county economic director, the 4-lane highway was considered a prestige factor for the community. However, the community did express concerns about the types of development that might occur along Seymour Cray Sr. Blvd. and the new Highway 29 interchange. It is desired by the community that WisDOT assume jurisdiction of Seymour Cray Sr. Blvd. and convert it to a state highway (STH 178) facility.

Current Development

Major developments in the Lake Wissota Business Park include: St. Joseph's Hospital (built before the construction of the interchange), Marshfield Clinic, and Technical College (built after the interchange).

Proposed Development

The City of Chippewa Falls has been very proactive in planning for future development near the Highway 29 corridor. Due to the proximity of the Seymour Cray Sr./Highway 29 interchange, the community worked very hard to get additional funding for the East Bridge and the road connection to the interchange. The East Bridge and highway segments between County Highways I and J were financed by 75% state High Cost Bridge funds, and the City of Chippewa Falls and Chippewa County split the remaining 25%.

A Cenex service station will open a new truck stop near County Highway T at some point following the completion of the Highway 29 bypass. The existing Cenex service station on River Street will remain open to local customers.

All of the planned economic growth will be served by the new highway bypass and interchange. On the new bypass route, just south of Chippewa Falls, the Town of Hallie has designated commercial and retail development around the County Road OO interchange.

Lake Wissota Business Park is located just off Seymour Cray Sr. Blvd. (2002)

The adopted land use plan for the City of Chippewa Falls shows a concentration of commercial/office development at the Highway 29/Seymour Cray Sr. Blvd. interchange (there is no current development at this time). Major plans along this boulevard include additional industrial development in the Riverside Industrial Park. The Lake Wissota Business Park is planned for industrial, commercial, and residential development. The first phase of the park is 150 acres. The road, sewer, and water are already in place. The second phase will add another 220 acres to the park.

Business inquiries are directed to the local and county economic development staff. The city and county economic development officials serve as the first contact for all business inquiries. The goal of the City is to build upon the existing business clusters in the area. In future development, emphasis will be placed on recruiting high technology, computer, medical services, and research industries. There have also been some inquiries about motels and fast food restaurants.

Most of the business prospects are from Minnesota, and consider highway access and travel time important. Business prospects are likely to be major corporations from other regions looking to establish satellite operations in Chippewa Falls.

The following map illustrates planned land use in Chippewa Falls.

Figure 7 City of Chippewa Falls Planned Land Use

Economic Impact of the Highway Improvement

Although the Chippewa Falls Highway 29 bypass will not be completed until 2005, the anticipated bypass is currently being used as a marketing tool to attract business prospects. When meeting with interested businesses, the significance of the four-lane highway and its proximity to the interstate system are well understood by both the recruiters and potential businesses.

Although the new transportation route has greatly improved traffic flow for existing businesses in the industrial park, no businesses were identified as having located in the community solely due to the transportation improvements. Both the planner and economic development director nevertheless speculated that the transportation improvements would serve as a major catalyst in the future, attracting industry to the area.

Until the bypass is completed, the role that the highway improvements played in getting businesses to locate in this area is difficult to determine.

Retail activity in downtown Chippewa Falls is very strong. The City participates in the Wisconsin's Main Street Program and has received several awards for its business promotion efforts. The Program provides communities with technical support and training for revitalization of downtown business districts to promote historic and economic redevelopment. Downtown merchants view positively the reduction of trucks on the Main Street. The new boulevard and interchange have already taken some of the truck traffic from the downtown area.

One major issue is signage, a need for signs directing visitors from the highway to the city's downtown shopping district.

Both commuters and businesses involving transport eagerly anticipate the Chippewa Falls bypass. (2002)

The following map illustrates the variety of businesses in the City of Chippewa Falls.

Figure 8 City of Chippewa Falls Businesses

Property Values

In two recent property transactions, the City purchased land from the state for $2,000 and $4,000. The assessed value of these properties is unknown. However, the City planner and economic development director anticipate the land's value to be much higher than the purchase price.

The listed price for industrial acreage is $15,000 per acre, low in relationship to the appraised value. Property zoned for office use is offered at market value, selling for up to $2.75 per square foot.