The Rawson Avenue Reconstruction: A Masterpiece of Coordination and Self-Performance
As the construction season progresses in Wisconsin, A.W. Oakes & Son has officially completed the final, critical stretch of the Rawson Avenue reconstruction project. After a productive 2025 construction season where the corridor remained safely open to the public through strategic temporary staging, our team has finished transitioning the roadway into its permanent, high-performance state.
The Final Push: From Staging to Service
Throughout the spring, the focus shifted from managing traffic flow to celebrating the completed structural integrity and aesthetics of the corridor. The temporary pavements that were essential for maintaining safety during the late fall and winter months were successfully removed.
In their place, we executed several key "finish line" tasks:
- Permanent Pavement Installation: Replacing temporary surfaces with high-durability, long-term concrete.
- Hard Surface Completion: Finalizing the remaining curb, gutter, and sidewalk sections to ensure proper drainage and pedestrian access.
- Infrastructure & Aesthetics: With the hard surfaces set, the project successfully wrapped up its final touches—installing permanent street lighting, completing landscape restoration, and applying final pavement markings. These steps were vital for "dressing up" the project and returning the corridor to full, unrestricted service.
A Showcase of Internal Synergy
Reflecting on the success of the Rawson Avenue project, the defining factor has been the synergy of our internal teams. At A.W. Oakes & Son, our strength lies in our ability to "self-perform" nearly every critical operation on a job site. This project served as a massive, coordinated effort involving our crushing, sewer, and concrete divisions.
The project was not without its logistical challenges. The second phase of the Rawson Avenue reconstruction overlapped with several other large-scale Oakes projects already in progress. However, this overlap became a catalyst for growth within our ranks.
“I am most proud of how our road grading, crushing, sewer, and concrete crews performed on this project,” says Connor McMahon, P.E., Project Manager at A.W. Oakes & Son. “The overlapping schedules gave many of our guys the ability to step up, take on more responsibilities, and expand their roles here at Oakes. This project stands as a great example of the teamwork and coordination across the multiple critical operations Oakes self-performs on these types of roadway reconstruction projects.”
Now that the final barrels have been removed, Rawson Avenue stands as a completed testament to the technical precision and collaborative spirit that the Oakes team brings to every project partnership.
