US Highway 2 in the City of Ashland serves as the City's main commercial thoroughfare and gateway for visitors to Lake Superior's scenic Chequamegon Bay.

As the roadway's pavement approached the end of its useful service life, the City, along with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), began planning for what would be a major reconstruction of the 20-block-long section located within City limits. The project would also require replacing the 100-year-old underground utility infrastructure, including sanitary sewer, water mains, and stormwater mains and outfalls.

SEH worked with the City to complete the roadway design for US Highway 2, as well as to perform the design and inspection of the sanitary sewer and watermain system. Project challenges were many: heavy traffic volumes, poor soil conditions, unknown underground conditions, proximity to Lake Superior, multiple agency involvement, project funding, and more. SEH worked successfully with all involved parties, including businesses and the public, to complete the project on time and on budget.

Installation of a new bio-retention cell means that stormwater is now discharged to the Bay without harmful sediments. New utility infrastructure replaces old service lines laced with lead. Innovative in-pavement lighting and warning systems at crosswalks along the roadway ensure the safety of schoolchildren and other pedestrians. And by dramatically improving the aesthetics of the corridor through the use of historical lighting, decorative railings, distinctive retaining walls, and even burial of overhead utilities, the City of Ashland can now proudly point to US Highway 2 as being the beautiful "front door" to its community.