UPDATE (June 25, 2023, 4:11 p.m.): Eastbound traffic on Washington Avenue (Highway 20) was restored Sunday, June 25 to one lane over the weekend after being closed on Wednesday due to a building façade failure. The area is between Hayes and Grove Avenues in the West Racine commercial district.
As a safety precaution, the city Department of Public Works (DPW) continued to close off parking and the sidewalk in front of three West Racine storefronts. Motorists are reminded to use caution in the area.
UPDATE (June 23, 2023): Workers removed a portion of the brick façade of an empty storefront at 3209 Washington Avenue on Thursday after some brickwork fell on the sidewalk the previous day. No one was injured, but the Racine Department of Public Works (DPW) closed the eastbound lanes of Washington Avenue (Highway 20) between Hayes Avenue and Grove Avenue and a portion of the sidewalk along the south side of Washington as a safety precaution.
The eastbound lanes will remain closed until further notice. Eastbound traffic is detoured around the site.
Dunk’s Public House, a bar and grill next door at 3207 Washington Ave., reopened Thursday afternoon. Customers were asked to use the back entrance.
John Dunk, the business’ operator, said a structural engineer was coming to evaluate the façade on the front of the building on Friday.
The façade issue also affected a storefront housing Midwest Embroidery & Graphics at 3211 Washington Ave. All other businesses along that portion of the West Racine roadway were not affected.
ORIGINAL STORY (June 22, 1:36 p.m.):
The eastbound lanes of Washington Avenue (Highway 20) were temporarily closed to traffic Wednesday afternoon between Hayes Avenue and Grove Avenue in Racine. The City of Racine reported on its Facebook page that the Department of Public Works (DPW) closed the one-block section of the street and a portion of the sidewalk “due to a structural issue with a building façade on the block.”
Washington Avenue
The traffic lights at Washington and Hayes are placed on four-way stop mode and eastbound traffic is routed around the site via Hayes Avenue. Eastbound truck traffic is detoured around the area via Lathrop Avenue south to 21st Street, east to Taylor Avenue and then north on Taylor to rejoin Washington Avenue.
The 1920s-vintage building on the south side of the street houses three storefronts – Dunk’s Public House, a bar and grill at 3207 Washington Ave.; Midwest Embroidery & Graphics at 3211 Washington Ave., and an empty storefront.
Dunk’s reported on its Facebook page Wednesday that it was closed “due to outstanding circumstances” but expects to reopen at 3 p.m. Thursday.
The DPW will provide an update for the reopening.
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