Northwest Region weekly construction update

July 3, 2009

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is providing a weekly update on road construction in the Northwest Region, which includes the counties of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau and Washburn counties.

Construction-related traffic impact is subject to change and dependent on favorable weather patterns.

Ashland County

US 2
Location: Ashland, Lake Shore Drive, Beaser Avenue
Schedule: April - June 2009
Cost: $12 million
Description: Contractors are putting the final touches on the urban reconstruction project that took place in 2008, including completing work on the parapet and railing on the large retaining wall on the north side of the road overlooking the hot pond.
Traffic impact: Intermittent lane closures

WIS 13
Location: Deer Creek
Schedule: June 22 - mid-September 2009
Cost: $1.25 million
Description: Backslope grading
Traffic impact: Occasional single lane restriction with flaggers during daytime hours only. Due to the work on WIS 13 at Deer Creek, avoid using the pull off on WIS 13 just south of the White River.

US 2
Location: Nine miles of US 2 between Odanah and Saxon.
Schedule: July 6 – mid-August 2009
Cost: $3.1 million (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding)
Description: Resurfacing project
Traffic impact: Single lane restriction with flaggers during daytime hours only.

Barron County

US 53
Location: Southbound bridge over County SS
Schedule: June 3 - August 10, 2009
Description: Resurface bridge deck
Traffic impact: Left lane closed for southbound US 53 travelers. Open lane has a 14 foot lane width restriction.

Bayfield County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Buffalo County

WIS 35
Location: Between Alma and WIS 37
Schedule: May 13 - July 31, 2009
Cost: $291,000
Description: Bridge reconstruction project
Traffic impact: One lane road with temporary signals

Burnett County

WIS 70
Location: St. Croix River to Siren
Schedule: June 29 - August 4, 2009
Cost: $1.8 million
Description: Resurfacing project
Traffic impact: Single lane closures with flagging crews

Chippewa County

WIS 27
Location: Lake Holcombe
Schedule: March 27 - October 16, 2009
Cost: $3.7 million
Description: Bridge replacement project over the Holcombe Flowage
Traffic impact: Single lane closures with the use of flagging crews

WIS 124
Location: Chippewa Falls, Bridge Street (Business 29 over WIS 124) and Eau Claire-Chippewa Falls Road (US 53 to Business 29)
Schedule: April 13 - October 16, 2009
Cost: $6.9 million
Description: Removing interchange and replacing it with a roundabout at the same location.
Traffic impact: WIS 124 northbound traffic will be switched to run through the roundabout on Monday, July 6. WIS 124 southbound traffic will remain in its current operating position until approximately July 13. BUS 29 east and westbound traffic will be operating on the existing westbound lanes of BUS 29. This will be in effect until approximately July 24, 2009.

US 53
Location: Chippewa River Bridges near Business 29 exit
Schedule: April 20 - August 28, 2009
Cost: $687,737
Description: Bridge painting
Traffic impact: Left lane closed in both the north and south bound lanes of US 53. Contractor will be working on removing containment and possibly removing traffic control by the end of next week. Project in northbound lanes is complete. Southbound bridge will be painted beginning July 6.

WIS 178
Location: WIS 178/Seymour Cray Boulevard from County I to County S
Schedule: July 6 – October 30, 2009
Description: Roundabout construction at the intersection of Seymour Cray Boulevard and County S and relocation of WIS 178 to intersect with County S at Seymour Cray Boulevard. WIS 178 will begin its realignment approximately 3,000 feet north of the existing WIS 178/County S intersection. 
Traffic impact: Traffic will be detoured from WIS 178 to County I to Commerce Parkway to WIS 178. County S traffic will not be able to turn onto WIS 178 South. They will have to go to the Commerce Parkway and County S intersection and take the detour route.

Clark County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Douglas County

WIS 35
Location: Bridge on WIS 35 between Dairyland and Superior Road, 0.5 miles south of the village of Superior.
Schedule: June 18 - mid-August 2009
Description: Resurfacing bridge deck
Traffic impact: Crews will be working one lane at a time, keeping one lane open to traffic. Temporary signals will be used to guide motorists through the work zone.

Dunn County

WIS 25
Location: County D to WIS 170
Schedule: June 29 - August 31, 2009
Cost: $2.1 million (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project [ARRA])
Description: Resurface project
Traffic impact: WIS 25 will remain open to traffic with single lane closures.

Eau Claire County

US Business 53
Location: Hastings Way/Birch Street in the city of Eau Claire
Schedule: March 24 - November 6, 2009
Cost: $8.7 million
Description: Removing the Birch Street bridge and constructing an at-grade intersection with stop lights.
Traffic impact: Beginning July 6, Birch Street will be closed from Hastings Way to Wagner Street. Traffic will no longer be able to go west on Birch Street from Hastings Way. They will be detoured using Seymour Road to Starr Avenue.

US 12
Location: County M - US 10 (Augusta - Fairchild Road)
Schedule: June 11 - July 31, 2009
Cost: $951,000 (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project [ARRA])
Description: Resurface project
Traffic impact: Road will remain open, utilizing flagging operations around construction.

Jackson County

I-94
Location: Black River Falls to Tomah Road (County O to County EW)
Schedule: April 9 - September 16, 2009
Cost: $9.7 million
Description: Concrete pavement repair, new guardrails, and widening and redecking four bridges.
Traffic impact: County O, Aspen Avenue and County EW under I-94 have intermittent flagging operations. Westbound I-94 has two 11 foot lanes around each of the four structures on the project. This will be a continuous lane restriction from approximately one and a half miles east of County EW to approximately one-half mile west of County O. Traffic will be shifted to the new County O deck the week of June 29 (the same width restrictions and lane closures will apply). Traffic over the County EW structure is scheduled to be shifted on Thursday, July 9 (the same width restrictions and lane closures will apply). County EW under I-94 is scheduled to be closed on Thursday, July 9 at 9 p.m. to Friday, July 10 at 6 a.m. for removal of the second half of the structure.

Also see Jackson and Trempealeau counties below.

Jackson and Trempealeau counties

I-94
Location: Osseo - Black River Falls Road (west county line - WIS 95)
Schedule: April 15 - July 31, 2009
Cost: $7.1 million
Description: Pavement resurface project
Traffic impact: Single lane closures on westbound I-94 from Hixton to Northfield. Single lane closures on eastbound I-94 from one mile west of Northfield to Hixton. Speed is reduced to 55 mph.

Pepin County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Pierce County

WIS 65
Location: Ellsworth - River Falls Road
Schedule: May 12 - July 31, 2009
Cost: $4.2 million
Description: Resurface project
Traffic impact: Multiple single lane closures will be present throughout the 10 mile project area. Flagging personnel will be directing traffic through lane closures, primarily 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Also see Pierce and St. Croix counties below.

Pierce and St. Croix counties

US 63
Location: WIS 29 to I-94 (Ellsworth - Baldwin)
Schedule: March 20 - August 4, 2009
Cost: $3.3 million
Description: Bridge replacement and paving with miscellaneous construction.
Traffic impact: Traffic is reduced to one lane and controlled with traffic signals at the location of the bridge replacement. Single lane closures may occur throughout the project with flagging operations.

Polk County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Rusk County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

St. Croix County

WIS 64
Location: New Richmond-Connorsville Road/WIS 65-US 63
Schedule: May 28 - October, 9 2009
Cost: $4.1 million (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project [ARRA])
Description: Resurface roadway and make safety improvements to the WIS 64/County T intersection.
Traffic impact: Periodic lane closures with flaggers directing traffic. Northbound leg of the County T/WIS 64 intersection will be closed for two weeks for reconstruction beginning week of June 15. Temporary barriers will be placed at the Willow River Bridge to reduce traffic to a single lane controlled by temporary signals. County T south intersection is closed.

Also see Pierce and St. Croix counties above.

Sawyer County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Taylor County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

Trempealeau County

See Jackson and Trempealeau counties above.

Washburn County

No state construction projects currently in progress.

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:

• Dial 511 or visit the 511 Web page for incident reports, lane closures, work zones, winter road conditions and roadside services.
• 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:
Chris Ouellette, WisDOT Northwest Regional Communications Manager
(715) 833-9814, chris.ouellette@dot.wi.gov