Road closure to affect downtown commute

Lainer Road will be closed from Cain St. to the railroad tracks for utility work for a solid month. (RECORD PHOTO/ALDO AMATO)

By Aldo Amato

Staff Reporter

MADISON — A shortcut to get to downtown Madison from Hughes Road and Celtic Road will be closed for a month.

According to a brief press release, Madison Utilities closed down Lanier Road and Cain St. on April 16 to for “utility work through May 20.” Commuters wanting to get to and from the downtown area of Madison will have to either use Sullivan St. or use Mill Creek Road to divert onto Church St. until the work is complete.

Madison Utilities were not immediately available for contact but Mike Gentle with Madison Public Works figures the work should not be too long.

“I believe they are installing water lines,” he said. “That work is normal and generally does not take that long to complete.”

Gentle said the roadways will not be affected once the work is complete.

“They are putting new water lines along the sides of the street,” he said. “So there should not be any tore up roads or anything of that nature once the work is complete.”

The replacement of water lines is a normal occurrence and usually takes up to 30 days to complete the job. As of April 17, cars were seen cutting through  front yards of residential areas in an effort to get around the construction site. Workers and Madison Police urge residents not to cut through any private property and if the roads are closed, to please turn around an use an alternate route.