SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — For 20 years, Susie Holzschuh has called her Sheboygan home a peaceful place where she could hear coyotes and see deer roaming nearby.
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Now, she feels like a prisoner in her own home due to incessant construction from multiple city projects.
Construction trucks hauling dirt for a new subdivision and sports complex have been using residential streets near Moenning and Stahl roads, prompting outcry from residents.
The trucks are forced to use these residential routes due to a road dispute between the City of Sheboygan and the Town of Wilson.
"Makes it very unsafe for anyone to take a walk," one resident said about the ongoing construction impact.
Watch: Black air filters illustrate poor air quality from Sheboygan construction
"It causes traffic issues for people," another resident added.
"It sounds like you're living on a highway," a third resident noted.
The constant truck traffic has created significant problems for residents. Holzschuh said her house would continually shake from the heavy vehicles passing by.
But more than the noise and vibrations, Holzschuh says the dust has been unbearable, especially because she's missing a large piece of her lung.
"I'm a lung cancer patient, and it's difficult," Holzschuh said.
The air filters in her home demonstrate the severity of the dust problem. Holzschuh showed filters that had been in use for about a month and a half to two months — turned black.
"That's what we've been breathing," she scoffed.
Holzschuh said she's had to power wash her house multiple times due to dust accumulation.
"The work continues. How they're doing the work continues," Holzschuh said. "I'd like to breathe the same kind of air I did before they did this."
The mayor previously said the city is working with the DNR to find an alternate route for the construction trucks.
There may be a stopping point in November due to weather conditions, but the project will resume in the spring.
Holzschuh is hoping the city and contractors will adopt a plan to reduce the health and safety concerns affecting residents.
"Do what they can to help us maintain a lifestyle while they're creating new lifestyles across the street."
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