The Department of Public Works consists of five divisions:

• Engineering, Phone 261-6740
• Street Construction & Maintenance, Phone 261-6960
• Planning, Phone 261-6760
• GIS, Phone 261-6757
• Parking, Phone 261-6765

ENGINEERING DIVISION

The Engineering Division plans, designs and administers the construction of streets, sanitary sewers, water mains, storm sewers, and sidewalks throughout the City. The Department also assists the public with inquiries regarding street grades, utilities locations, right-of-way locations, alley and street vacations, street projects, WisDOT projects, new subdivisions, parking and traffic control, drainage problems, and many other issues.

STREET CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

This is the division many people refer to as “Public Works”. The Construction and Maintenance Division maintains the city streets for the safety of all citizens and visitors of Wausau. This involves snow plowing, snow removal and ice control on over 234 centerline miles of streets and several miles of sidewalks. The Division also provides a Spring Large Item Clean-Up and Fall Leaf Pick-Up service to residents, and operates the City's Yard Waste Disposal Site. Street maintenance crews patch, seal coat, crack seal and sweep city streets. The storm sewer crew constructs and maintains the storm sewer system. The sign division maintains and installs all traffic information signs and pavement/traffic lines throughout the city. The Division also assists with emergencies such as storms, fires, traffic accidents and removal of debris from the roadway whenever the need arises.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

The GIS Division is responsible for the development and implementation of a modern system to maintain and display digital information on the city’s infrastructure. New mapping and database technology allows for the computerization of existing maps and database information so that accurate maps and data analysis can be made. Most requests for City maps are handled by the GIS Division.

PLANNING DIVISION

The Planning Division is responsible for updating elements of the City’s Master Plan, conducting research on a variety of topics related to the physical development of the City, and working with developers in the community. These planning activities are undertaken for projects involving the location and reconstruction of streets, expansion of the City’s Industrial Park, long-range transportation system planning, location, and expansion of city parks, tax incremental financing, sewer service extensions, land use and others. The Planning Division works closely with other city departments, commissions, committees and boards to help develop the programs, policies and ordinances needed to implement the plans. Grant writing is also an important function.

The Planning Division also coordinates a variety of planning activities with other communities in the Wausau Urban Area and with Marathon County and agencies of the State and Federal Government such as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

PARKING

The Parking Division operates the City’s surface parking lots, four parking ramps, and on-street parking meters. Over 3300 public parking spaces are provided in downtown Wausau. Parking is free in the four parking ramps on weekends and holidays. Parking is also free in parking lots and at street meters on Sundays and holidays.