BOSCOBEL - The Boscobel Common Council met Monday and approved moving forward with a million-dollar Boat Landing Improvement Plan they hope to pay for with grant monies. If those aren’t funds aren’t available the plan will be scaled back.

The city has been working on the project with the Madison-based engineering firm Strand Associates, which was out at the boat landing last week doing survey work.

“We looked at three different proposals and this is the one we thought we could pursue,” said Ald. Steve Fritz, who chairs the Boat Landing Committee, which looked at the plans last week. “It should make it a lot less congested out there.”

People familiar with the landing would hardly recognize the new design, which is illustrated below. It calls for one-way traffic in a counter-clockwise motion through the landing, which would feature two concrete launch ramps situated on either side of a floating ramp to better access boats. A canoe drop-off area would be located south of where the current landing is and two fishing piers would be installed on the west side of the lagoon, which would feature an aeration unit on the south end.

Parking would be located in the center of the landing and on the lawn on the east end. Paved parking spaces could accommodate 15 vehicles with trailers and 34 vehicles without trailers. There would also be four handicap parking spaces.

Car or SUV parking on the grass at the east end of the landing would also continue, but with the use of grass pavers. Grass block pavers, also known as turf block pavers or grow-through pavers, are an alternative to asphalt, concrete and traditional pavers. They’re made of concrete or recycled plastic with open cells that allow grass to grow through them. This makes parking easier in muddy conditions and spares the grass from being torn up. Plans currently call for putting in 27 of these, but the final number would depend on whether the city can obtain an easement from the Department of Transportation.

Plans call for pulverizing the existing asphalt base and laying new blacktop. New lighting would also be installed near the bathrooms and the landing area.

The plan also calls for cutting back the western entrance to the landing and making it deeper.

“We’re looking at 15 feet deep there, which would let the fish in and make it easier for boats to get in and out,” said Mayor Steve Wetter. “We’re at the point where we have to make a decision and get the grant process in motion.”

The city is applying for four separate grants and obtaining those is the key to making this project a reality. They include:

• Sport Fish Restoration Grant (U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service). Deadline is Feb. 1.

• Knowles Nelson Stewardship Grant (Wisconsin DNR). Application deadline is May 1.

• Recreational Boating Facilities Grant (Wisconsin DNR). Application deadline is June 1.

There is also a separate Sport Fish Restoration Grant for fishing piers, which the city will apply for. Deadline is Oct. 1.

Wetter said his talks with the DNR have been positive with regard to obtaining the grants since the Boscobel landing has a 20-mile service area, meaning the nearest public boat landing is 10 miles in either direction.

“If we’re super lucky and can get them all, we can begin construction in 2022 or a little earlier,” said City Administrator Misty Molzof.

The Council voted unanimously to move forward with the plan.