Not too long ago, all along Grand Boulevard in Brookfield, pink stakes topped by long pink ribbons (with some blue and yellow thrown in for good measure) appeared at every corner. What the heck did this mean? More construction? Utility work?
Turns out the reason for the appearance of the 3-foot long stakes is a benign one. According to Dan Kaup, Brookfield’s public works superintendent, the stakes were placed on each corner to show snow plow drivers where the new “bump outs” are, just in case we get a major snow fall.
While most snow storms are no big deal, if we get one like the 20-inch snow we got on Feb. 1 and 2, 2011, the bump outs would be covered completely and invisible to the plow drivers.
Since the bump outs are new, especially north of Eight Corners, Kaup wants their locations marked so the new curbs don’t get mangled by snow plows and so the snow plow guards don’t get damaged when they unexpectedly run into a bump out.
“They were put up to delineate where the curb juts out into the street,” said Kaup.
The stakes will be up all winter and will come down in the spring, said Kaup.
