Hastings Way

History
The name “Hastings Way” first appears in 1916 on the plat of Somona Park Place for the section of road that is now the frontage road between Mountain View Place and Seymour Road. Lots in the plat were priced from $75 to $345 and could be bought for “$1.00 down then $1.00 per week, no interest or taxes for 2 years, no payments when sick or out of work – Liberty bonds taken” according to a marketing advertisement by Hastings Realty Company in 1918. When the state highway system was defined by state law in 1911, the main north/south highway on the east side of Eau Claire was identified as WIS 11/12. WIS 11 ran from the “Crossroads” by Smith Funeral Home and Litchfield Auto north to Brackett Avenue. There was no highway or road north of Brackett Avenue in 1911. WIS 11 then followed Brackett Avenue down the “Plank Street Hill” to Barstow Street, then north on Barstow Street to Madison Street, then up the Madison Street hill to Birch Street, then north on Starr Avenue. A bridge was built over the railroad tracks on Birch Street in 1918 and the state highway was moved from Starr Avenue to the newly platted section of Hastings Way and Western Avenue. The highway was changed from WIS 11 to US 53 in 1926 as one of the “original” US highways. The birth of a major state highway from Fairfax Street to Birch Street occurred in 1940 when the “Drummond High Bridge” was constructed along with the new road, with plat maps referring to this section of new road as “Osseo Road” and “Birney Street.” The current 6-lane configuration of Hastings Way from the “Crossroads’ to the Eau Claire River was constructed in 1971, along with a new northbound bridge at the Eau Claire River. Various turn lane additions, median closings, signal installations and resurfacing projects have occurred since 1971. The 1940 Drummond High Bridge, across the Eau Claire River, was replaced with a new southbound bridge in 2002.

Objectives, Goals and Mission
Design and reconstruct a major thoroughfare that is multi-modal in nature, integrates with and serves the functions of the adjacent land uses and fits its applicable setting while maintaining safety and mobility. Design objectives include safety, efficiency, capacity and maintenance, while integrating walkable and sustainable neighborhood concepts related to the community values for aesthetics, compatibility, livability, a sense of place, urban design, cost and environmental impacts.

Public Project Documents: