Southeast Region weekly construction update

July 30, 2010

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is providing a weekly update on road construction in Southeast Wisconsin, which includes the counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.

Construction-related traffic impact exists in the locations listed below. Closures listed are subject to change and are weather-dependent.

Kenosha County

WIS 50
Location: County P intersection, town of Wheatland, Kenosha County
Schedule: August 9 to December 17, 2010
Length of project: 0.0 miles
Cost: $710,000
Type of work: Reconstruct of a rural high speed four-lane signalized intersection, with added turn lanes, new signals and lighting.

WIS 50
Location: 376th Avenue to 256th Avenue
Schedule: July 14 to October 11, 2010
Length of project: 7.24 miles
Cost: $4 million
Type of work: Pavement replacement, signing, pavement marking, bridge deck overlays, and guard rail improvements. 
Traffic impacts: Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction throughout the work zone. Access to all commercial and private properties will be maintained at all times.

Milwaukee County

  Up-to-date lane and ramp closures on the Milwaukee-area freeway system

WIS 24 (Forest Home Avenue)
Location: US 45 to 45th Street
Schedule: 2009 carryover to August 1, 2010
Length of project: 5.288 miles
Cost: $11 million
Type of work: Concrete sidewalk, landscaping, and other finishing (punch list) items were not completed last year. Painting of the three bridges over I-894 is also a part of this project.
Traffic impacts: There are nightly closures on I-894 for bridge painting. There is a short one-lane inside closure on westbound WIS 24 on bridge over I-894. There will be intermittent flagging operations throughout the remainder of the project.

WIS 38 (Howell Avenue)
Location: Intersections at Puetz Road, Drexel Avenue, Rawson Avenue and College Avenue
Schedule: June 28 to November 23, 2010
Length of project: 0.659 miles
Cost: $2.6 million
Type of work: Reconfigure and expand left turn lanes for reducing collisions at WIS 38 intersections with Puetz Road, Drexel Avenue, Rawson Avenue and College Avenue. Eight median openings also will be closed. Project improvements at these four intersections include:

• Extend and add left turn lanes.
• Expand right turn areas.
• Pedestrian crossings
• Reconstruct College Avenue east of WIS 38.
• Modify existing storm sewer system.
• Replace existing traffic signals with temporary and new permanent signals.
• New signing/striping

Traffic impacts: No detours are involved with this project. Construction work will take place under traffic, with lane restrictions.

WIS 18 (East State Street)
Location: North Edison Street to North Prospect Avenue
Schedule: May 10 to August 4, 2010
Length of project: 0.711 miles
Cost: $1 million
Type of work: Resurfacing, with pavement marking, replacement of concrete curb and gutter and sidewalk, base patching and driveway approaches.
Traffic impacts: Two-way traffic will be maintained during construction.

I-43 Bridges
Location: Green Tree Road, Good Hope Road and Brown Deer Road, over I-43
Schedule: February 15 to end of December 2010
Length of project: 1.5 miles
Cost: $12.5 million
Type of work: The Good Hope and Brown Deer bridges will be completely replaced. Their vertical clearance over I-43 will be increased. About 1,500 feet of both Good Hope Road and Brown Deer Road will also be reconstructed, due to the raising of the structures. The Green Tree Road bridge will receive an epoxy overlay. Along I-43, existing median beam guard will be replaced with concrete barrier wall. New lighting will be installed at the Good Hope Road and Brown Deer Road interchanges.
Traffic impacts: Both the Good Hope and Brown Deer bridges are now in the second stage of construction. At least one lane of traffic in each direction will be available on both Good Hope Road and Brown Deer Road over I-43. At the Good Hope Road interchange, traffic is now on the newly constructed southern bridge. Also, the southbound I-43 off-ramp and the on-ramp to northbound I-43 are currently closed. These ramps are scheduled to reopen the week of August 2, depending upon weather. Until the ramps reopen, motorists are advised to follow the posted detour route utilizing Brown Deer Road and Port Washington Road. The temporary traffic signals are still in place at this interchange to help the flow of traffic. At the Brown Deer Road interchange, traffic is now on the newly constructed northern bridge. All on-ramp and off-ramp movements are available via the ramps on the northern half of the interchange, utilizing the temporary traffic signals that are in place. Green Tree Road at I-43 will be closed from July 19 through August 1, 2010, while the bridge over I-43 is overlaid. Traffic will be detoured via North River Road, Good Hope Road and Port Washington Road. Single-lane closures will occasionally take place on I-43 during off-peak hours (9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.). On August 3, 4, 5 and 6, I-43 northbound and southbound will be closed at night between Silver Spring Drive and Brown Deer Road due to girder placement at the Brown Deer Road bridge and work on the Green Tree Road bridge from I-43. Motorists are advised to follow the posted detour route utilizing Brown Deer Road, Port Washington Road, and Silver Spring Drive. The closures on August 3, 4 and 5 will take place from 10 p.m. the day of to 5 a.m. the following morning. During these periods northbound and southbound I-43 on-ramps within the closure, including the on-ramp to southbound I-43 from County Line Road, will be closed at 8 p.m. until the freeway reopens at 5 a.m. The closure on August 6 will take place from 11 p.m. the day of to 7 a.m. the following morning. During this period northbound and southbound I-43 on-ramps within the closure, including the on-ramp to southbound I-43 from County Line Road, will be closed at 10 p.m. until the freeway reopens at 7 a.m. Full freeway closures are subject to change due to weather. Mitigation contracts are in place with the Milwaukee County Sheriff, the Milwaukee County Department of Public Works, the Bayside Police Department, the Fox Point Police Department and the State Patrol, to help minimize traffic impacts.

WIS 100 (Brown Deer Road)
Location: 124th Street to 91st Street 
Schedule: Mid-June to November 1, 2010
Length of project: 1.9 miles
Cost: $4 million
Type of work: The existing concrete pavement will be repaired with base patching and crack repair. The existing concrete surface will be milled and overlayed with asphalt pavement. Traffic signals at 107th Street and 91st Street will be reconstructed. Concrete sidewalk will be constructed from 107th Street to 91st Street on both the north and south side of Brown Deer Road.  
Traffic impacts: WIS 100 will remain open during construction. Traffic will be reduced from three lanes to two lanes in each direction during the entire project. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction during off-peak times (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
 
WIS 190 (Capitol Drive)
Location: Estabrook Parkway to Lake Drive
Schedule: April 26 to November 30, 2010
Length of project: 1.212 miles
Cost: $11.5 million
Type of work: Reconstruct WIS 190 with modified turn lanes, access restrictions, new streetscape (decorative brick sidewalks, planting areas, etc.), bicycle lanes, and pedestrian accommodations (decorative brick crosswalks, ramps, benches, pedestrian count heads at signals, etc.). 
Traffic impacts: WIS 190 will remain open to traffic during its five major construction stages.

• May to June, Stage One - completed
• July to August, Stage Two, seven weeks
  • Reduce WIS 190 to one eastbound lane along its newly constructed south side from Oakland Avenue to Lake Drive (WIS 32) for north side construction. The north and south side sidewalks remain open for pedestrians. Westbound WIS 190 traffic detour continues via Lake Drive to Edgewood Drive to Oakland Avenue. Westbound bus route 62 detour continues via Shorewood Boulevard.
  • Oakland Avenue, Maryland Avenue and Downer Avenue cross-streets remain open for two-way traffic. Other local cross-street connections along the north side of WIS 190, between Oakland Avenue and Lake Drive, are closed for intermittent reconstruction periods while adjacent cross-street connections remain open.
  • UWM-traffic detour from I-43 continues via Locust Avenue.
  • Oak Leaf Trail bicyclists and pedestrians detour continues via a temporary path and Wilson Drive during bridge reconstruction.
• May, Stage Three - completed
• June to September, Stage Four - sixteen weeks
  • Between Estabrook Parkway and Oakland Avenue, provide one lane in each direction with intersection left turn lanes along the north side of WIS 190 while its south side is reconstructed
  • Left turns to and from Bartlett Avenue are prohibited during the rest of construction.
  • Wilson Drive and Morris Boulevard cross-streets remain open for two-way traffic, bicycles and pedestrians.
  • Crosswalks at Newhall Street and Bartlett Avenue remain open.
  • Curbside parking west of Oakland Avenue is prohibited.
  • UWM-traffic detour from I-43 continues via Locust Avenue.

For more information, see www.capitoldrive.info.
 
I-43 Northbound exit ramp
Location: Port Washington Road
Schedule: May 25 to September 2, 2010
Length of project: 0.317 miles
Cost: $713,000
Type of work: Realign 1,200 feet of Port Washington Road and the I-43 exit ramp terminus to intersect at a perpendicular angle for improving motorist and bicyclist sight distances and signalize the reconfigured intersection, providing five foot wide bikeways along Port Washington Road.
Traffic impacts: Port Washington Road will remain open to two-way traffic through project area. Two-way traffic will be directed onto one side of Port Washington Road while the other side is reconstructed.

• July to August  - Two-way traffic is realigned to the new realigned east side of Port Washington Road while its west side is reconstructed.  Northbound I-43 exit ramp remains closed for not more than 31 calendar days, from July 12. Trail blazing signs direct northbound I-43 motorists to alternative exits at Brown Deer Road and at Mequon Road.

Ozaukee County

WIS 57 (Cedarburg  Road)
Location:  North Cedarburg Road to city of Mequon
Schedule: July 26 to September 3, 2010
Length of project: 0.050 miles
Cost: $350,000.00
Type of work: Removal of existing metal pipe arch culverts, construct concrete box culvert structure, grading, HMA pavement, riprap and erosion control measures.
Traffic impacts: WIS 57 will be closed to traffic at the Trinity Creek crossing for the duration of the project. A detour route will be posted and will utilize WIS 100, WIS 181 and WIS 167. Traffic traveling north on WIS 57 will be detoured west on WIS 100 (Brown Deer Road) to WIS 181, north on WIS 181 to WIS 167, east to WIS 57, with the pattern reversed for southbound traffic.

WIS 167 (Mequon Road)
Location: WCL railroad crossing, 1,000 feet west of Cedarburg Road
Schedule: July 6 to August 30, 2010
Length of project: 0.13 miles
Cost: $325,000.00
Type of work: Resurfacing, base patching, curb and gutter and concrete sidewalk. Also, replacing the railroad crossing.
Traffic impacts: The roadway work will be constructed in stages. WIS 167 will be closed to through traffic between North Industrial Drive and North Cedarburg Road during railroad crossing work (tentatively set for July 12 to July 16). For east bound traffic, the detour will be south on WIS 181, east on WIS 100 and north on WIS 57, with the pattern reversed for the west bound detour. WIS 167 will be opened for two-way traffic during construction at all other times

County W (Port Washington Road, City of Mequon)
Location: Mequon Road (WIS 167) to Glen Oaks Lane
Schedule: April 26 to November 15, 2010
Length of project: 1.12 miles
Cost: $6,050,500
Type of work: Reconstruct Port Washington Road including grading, storm sewer, curb and gutter, asphalt paving, traffic signals, signing and marking.
Traffic impacts: County W, from Mequon Road through Glen Oaks Lane, will be open to through traffic but restricted to one 11 foot lane in each direction (northbound and southbound). Traffic is currently utilizing newly constructed northbound lanes as the existing lanes are removed and the new southbound lanes will be constructed. Access to all businesses will be provided throughout the project, though left turns across oncoming traffic may be problematic at times when traffic volumes are high. The project remains on schedule for November 15, 2010 completion.

Racine County

WIS 20
Location: Intersection of US 45 / S. Colony Avenue
Schedule: Mid-June to August 27, 2010
Length of project: .313 miles
Cost: $1.6 million
Type of work: This intersection will be reconstructed as a roundabout.
Traffic impacts: The intersection is closed with a posted detour. Westbound traffic on WIS 20 will be detoured along I-94/US 41 northbound, and exit at WIS 11, traveling westbound on WIS 11 to WIS 75. Traffic will then head north on WIS 75 until reconnecting with WIS 20. The reverse pattern will be in place for eastbound traffic. US 45 will utilize the same posted detour. Southbound traffic on North Colony Avenue will be routed onto Two Mile Road and then onto southbound County U, to connect to WIS 20 eastbound and the posted detour for WIS 20 westbound traffic.    

WIS 38
Location: County K to Oakwood
Schedule: Late April to Oct. 29, 2010
Length of project: Eight miles
Cost: $6.3 million
Type of work: WIS 38 will be mostly a mill and resurface project with improvements to intersections at Hoods Creek Road, Brook Road. Four Mile Road, Five Mile Road, West River Road, Nicholson Road, County H, 6 ½ Mile Road, Forest Hill Road, 7 ½ Mile Road, Caddy Lane, Elm Road and Howell Service Drive. Two bridges at Husher Creek and tributary to Husher Creek will be reconstructed with new box culverts. Signals will be added at County G. Finally, storm sewer pipes and culvert pipes will be added as necessary.
Traffic impacts: WIS 38 through traffic will be closed during the construction period. The detour route will utilize north WIS 31 to WIS 32 to west on WIS 100. Work on the two box culverts at Husher Creek and tributary to Husher Creek will be staggered to keep one open at all times. Work on the box culvert east of County H will begin May 24. The roadway will be closed to all traffic at this location. Access to homes and businesses will be provided using the nearest side road.

WIS 38 (State Street, City of Racine)
Location: N. Memorial to LaSalle
Schedule: June 28 to November 2010
Length of project: 0.4 miles
Cost: $2.7 million
Type of work: Rehabilitate State Street including replacing concrete pavement, streetscaping, signing and marking.
Traffic impacts: Only one direction of State Street will be open to one lane of traffic for each stage of construction. The closed direction of State Street will be detoured on N. Memorial Drive and Douglas Avenue.

WIS 83 (Pine Street, City of Burlington)
Location: North of Dunford Drive to Robert Street
Schedule: June 21 to September 2010
Length of project: 0.5 miles
Cost: $300,000
Type of work: Base patch and overlay existing pavement.
Traffic impacts: Pine Street will be open to traffic through staged construction for the majority of the project. There will be a detour while the railroad crossing work is being completed. This will last approximately seven days. The detour will be in place as a truck route for the duration of the project.  The detour will use the Burlington bypass to WIS 142.  

Burlington bypass – west half
Location: County DD to WIS 83
Schedule: March 15 to November 15, 2010
Length of project: 5.2 miles
Cost: $8,250,000
Type of work: Construct a bypass around the south side of Burlington. The project includes grading the connection of the bypass to WIS 11/County DD on the west side of Burlington and paving the entire west half of the bypass from WIS 83 (Pine Street) to WIS 11/County DD. The project includes marsh excavation, grading, storm sewer, paving, signing and marking.
Traffic impacts: WIS 11 will be closed to through traffic during construction. WIS 11 traffic will be detoured on WIS 120 and WIS 36. County DD will also be closed and no detour will be posted.

WIS 32 (Sheridan Road, Village of Mount Pleasant)
Location: Larsen Street to 21st Street
Schedule: April 28 to November 2010
Length of project: 0.7 miles
Cost: $2,800,000
Type of work: Reconstruct Sheridan Road, including grading, storm sewer, curb and gutter, asphalt paving, traffic signals, signing and marking.
Traffic impacts: WIS 11, from S. Memorial Drive to WIS 32, will be closed and a detour posted on S. Memorial to De Koven Avenue (north) and Chicory Road (south). WIS 32 will be closed from 25th Street to 21st Street and a detour posted on S. Memorial to DeKoven Avenue (north) and Chicory Road (south). Left turns will not be allowed at the WIS 32 and WIS 11 intersection until the new traffic signals are operational in November.

WIS 36 (Milwaukee Avenue, city of Burlington)
Location: Teut Road to WIS 20 and reconstruct County W intersection
Schedule: June to November 2010
Length of project: 3.9 miles
Cost: $3,500,000
Type of work: Reconstruct County W intersection to improve safety. Mill and resurface WIS 36 including new signing and marking. Safety enhancements scheduled at intersections of Buckley, County J, County D, and WIS 20.
Traffic impacts: WIS 36 will be open to traffic through staged construction. County W will be closed during the intersection reconstruction with a posted detour on the Burlington bypass (WIS 83) connecting to County W on County A and County D. Left turns on WIS 36 at County J will be restricted during construction.

Walworth County

WIS 20
Location: I-43 to Miller Road
Schedule: Mid-June to October 15, 2010
Length of project: 4.25 miles
Cost: $2.4 million
Type of work: The length of the project will mill two inches of asphalt and place two inches of asphalt. There will also be new signs, pavement markings, and guardrail end treatments. The bridge over Honey Creek will be removed and replaced. The roadway will be reconstructed 500 feet east and west of the bridge to match the new elevation of the bridge.
Traffic impacts: The roadway will be closed with a posted detour. Westbound traffic on WIS 20 will be detoured along WIS 83, northbound to I-43. Traffic should head south on I-43, until reconnecting with WIS 20. The reverse pattern will be in place for eastbound traffic.

WIS 59
Location: West Walworth County line to city of Whitewater
Schedule: Start July 26 to early September
Length of project: Two miles
Cost: $805,326.04
Type of work: The project will remove and replace two inches of asphaltic pavement. Also included are base patching, culvert replacement, excavation, signing and pavement marking.
Traffic impacts: WIS 59 will be closed to through traffic from the west Walworth County line to Hwy 89.  Detour route is WIS 26 (north) to County N (east) to US 12 (east) to return to WIS 59; reverse for westbound WIS 59 traffic.

Washington County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Waukesha County

WIS 83
Location: Glacier Pass to Golf Road
Schedule: July 12 to late September 2010
Length of project: 2.7 miles
Cost: Approximately $2.9 million
Type of work: WIS 83 will consist of a mill and overlay project, including turn lane widening at several intersection. The signals will all be replaced at Hillside, Heritage, I-94 on- and off-ramps, and Golf Road. The Lake Country Trail crossing will be moved to WIS 83 and Golf Road intersection. Milling and paving will occur from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

WIS 67 (Oconomowoc bypass to Neosho Road)
Location: Oconomowoc bypass to north county line
Schedule: July 6 to December 3, 2010
Length of project: Three miles
Cost: $2,500,000
Type of work: Mill and resurfacing WIS 67, from the Oconomowoc bypass to the north county line (Dodge County line), replace and widen the bridge over the Ashippun River, and also included is grading, base aggregate, culvert pipes, permanent signing, pavement marking, beam guard and erosion control items.
Traffic impacts: WIS 67 will be detoured (because of the bridge deck removal and replacement), with cars using County K, then County P, and then County O, and trucks using County K, WIS 83 and then County O. Trucks over 12 feet tall can’t fit under the railroad overpass on County P. They will have a separate detour. Access to all properties will be provided throughout the project, minus the use of the bridge over the Ashippun River. The bridge deck that is being replaced and widened is approximately 200 feet south of the intersection of WIS 67 and County CW.

WIS 83
Location: Rochester Street, between the Mukwonago River Bridge and Lincoln Avenue, Mukwonago
Schedule: July 26 to August 13, 2010
Length of project: 1.1 miles
Cost: $600,000
Type of work: The work consists of a two inch mill and overlay, base patching, excavating base aggregate, resurfacing, traffic control, and pavement marking.
Traffic impacts: WIS 83 will operate with a left lane closure for two miles north and south of County ES, with traffic being shifted to the right turn lane. The road will remain open to two-way traffic at all times.

I-43 (Rock Freeway)
Location: I-43 and WIS 164 interchange (village of Big Bend)
Schedule: Late March to mid-October 2010
Length of project: 0.55 miles
Cost: $4.86 million
Type of work: The northbound and southbound bridge structures on I-43 over WIS 164 will be reconstructed (demolished, lengthened, and widened). I-43 will be rehabilitated within the interchange. 
Traffic impacts: Both lanes on I-43 will remain open during the morning and afternoon rush hour times. One lane will be closed in each direction at all other times. WIS 164 is reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction. All ramps at WIS 164 are open to traffic.

W. Wisconsin Avenue (old WIS 16)
Location: Oconomowoc bypass to S. Concord Road
Schedule: April 26 to end of November 2010
Length of project: 2.7 miles
Cost: $7.5 million
Type of work: Wisconsin Avenue will be resurfaced from the Oconomowoc bypass in Jefferson County east to the Jefferson / Waukesha County line. It will be completely reconstructed as a new concrete roadway from the county line to S. Concord Road. In this reconstruct section, the existing rural roadway from the county line to Industrial Drive will be rebuilt as an urban section, with storm sewer and curb and gutter. Continuing to the east, from Industrial Drive to S. Concord Road, as that section of roadway is reconstructed, the existing storm sewer will be replaced and new lighting will be installed. Also, the bridge over the Oconomowoc River will be replaced. Sidewalk will be extended from the bridge west to Lakeview Lane. Various sections of sidewalk will also be replaced from the bridge east to S. Concord Road. In addition, a retention pond will be constructed at the southwest quadrant of the Marks Road intersection for storm water management and water quality purposes. 
Traffic impacts: Wisconsin Avenue will be closed to through traffic for the duration of the project. A detour has been set up utilizing the Oconomowoc Bypass and N. Lake Road. In addition, a local detour route is signed to aid local motorists. The bridge over the Oconomowoc River will be out completely beginning May 17, 2010. It will be reopening in September.

• Buckle up for safety.
• Know where construction zones are located and allow extra time to get through them.
• Avoid the peak travel hours.
• Watch for special messages on electronic message boards as you approach major construction zones.
• Slow down, get into the correct lane early, and merge cautiously.
• Stay alert for surprise slow-downs.
• Take a scenic alternate route.

Motorists should slow down, use caution and stay alert when driving through construction zones. To avoid delays, consider taking an alternative route and avoid peak travel periods. Before leaving home, check the following sources for information about work zones and detours:

• For interstate/freeway lane and ramp closures, travel times and camera images in southeast Wisconsin, visit www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/milwaukee/index.htm.
• For statewide recorded road construction information 24 hours a day on incident reports, lane closures, work zones, winter road conditions and roadside services, call 5-1-1 or visit the 511 website.  
• For information on the I-94 North-South project in Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee counties, visit the project web site.
• For a free copy of "Travel Easy," showing the state's largest construction projects, call (800) 242-2514 or e-mail a request to opa.exec@dot.wi.gov. 

For more information, contact: 
Dennis Shook, WisDOT Southeast Region Communications Manager
(414) 750-2395, Dennis.Shook@dot.wi.gov