Driving News, Crime & Press Releases

July 18, 2008
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is providing a weekly update on construction projects 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 impacts are subject to change and are dependent on favorable weather conditions.

Ashland County
WIS 77
Location: County M to WIS 13
Description: Maintenance seal coat, asphalt repair, crack sealing, rut fill and new pavement markings
Traffic impact: Highway will be open to two-way, controlled traffic. Flaggers and pilot vehicles will be used to control traffic through the work zones during the daytime lane closures.

Barron County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Bayfield County
WIS 13
Location: Thompson Creek and Onion River Bridges
Schedule: Start date June 12, 2008
Cost: $382,000
Description: Overlay bridge decks with concrete
Traffic Impact: Traffic will be one lane at each bridge controlled by signals. One lane operation began Monday, June 16. The bridges are several miles apart. Each project is approximately 0.1 miles long.

Buffalo County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Burnett County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Chippewa County
US 53
Location: Chippewa River to railroad bridge
Schedule: April 21 - October 3, 2008
Cost: $2,924,606
Description: Bridge rehabilitation work
Traffic impact: Counter directional traffic on southbound lane trough work zone with 14 foot lane width restrictions. Overlay on WIS 29 eastbound structure over US 53 complete and open to all traffic with no restrictions.

US 53
Location: County S and Duncan Creek
Schedule: April 2 - August 29, 2008
Cost: $2,043,764
Description: Bridge rehabilitation work
Traffic impact: Single lane closures on north and southbound US 53 with width restrictions of 13 feet. Traffic switched to passing lane on northbound US 53 bridge over County S.

Clark County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Clark and Jackson Counties
US 12
Location: US 10 to I-94
Schedule:
Description: Maintenance seal coat, asphalt repair, crack sealing, rut fill and new pavement markings
Traffic impact: Highway will be open to two-way traffic, controlled traffic. Flaggers and pilot vehicles will be used to control traffic through the work zones during the daytime lane closures.

Douglas County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Dunn County
I-94
Location: WIS 128, Wilson Creek (Near Knapp Hill)
Schedule: June 9 - August 21, 2008
Description: Resurfacing that stretch of interstate with new asphalt. Other items include shoulder work, rumble strips, pavement markings and incidental items.
Traffic Impact: For the first five weeks, both east and westbound lanes will have a lane closure at the same time.

I-94
Location: West of the Dunn County line to County Q
Schedule: Start date May 13, 2008
Cost: $4 million
Description: Repave a portion of I-94 near Knapp Hill
Traffic Impact: Traffic will be restricted to one lane in the area of the construction.

US 29
Location: WIS 128 to Red Cedar River in Menomonie
Schedule:
Cost: $3.6 million
Description: Pavement project
Traffic Impact: Flagging crews will direct traffic.

Eau Claire County
Hastings Way
Location: WIS 312 – Melby Road
Schedule: April 21, 2008  - November 1, 2008 for Section 2
Cost: $4,162,894
Description: This project consists of excavation common, removing pavement, base aggregate, concrete pavement, concrete sidewalk, HMA pavement, curb and gutter, storm sewer, pedestrian underpass, lighting, signals, pavement markings, and incidentals.
Traffic impact: Traffic is now traveling in the driving lane in each direction to allow for crossover removals, curb and gutter replacement, and restoration work. All lanes of Hastings Way are scheduled to be open Tuesday, July 22.

US 12 (Clairemont Avenue)
Location: Craig Road – US 53
Schedule: April 21 – November 7, 2008
Cost: $12,386,130
Description: US 12 reconstruction
Traffic impact: Clairemont Avenue traffic will be switched onto westbound US 12 from Craig Road to Patton Street on Sunday night, July 27. The remaining portion of traffic from Patton Street will be switched at the end of the project on July 29.

WIS 27
Location: North of Augusta
Schedule:
Cost:  $3,788,188.10
Description: Bridge replacement over Eau Claire River
Traffic impact: Contractor has completed the installation of the deck reinforcing and will begin to pour the new deck the week of May 12.

Hastings Way
Location: Eau Claire River Bridge
Schedule: Completion date July 25, 2008
Cost: $827,430
Description: Bridge repainting
Traffic impact: Inside lane of northbound will be closed for the duration of the project. NB Lane closure began April 28, 2008 and will continue through the duration of the project. Project completion date is July 25, 2008.

I-94
Location: Hudson-Menomonie Road
Schedule:
Cost: $3,464,000
Description: Bridge structure overlays
Traffic impact: The right lane will be closed in both east and westbound directions. There is a lane width restriction of 13 feet, from WIS 25 to County Q. It is anticipated to have all decks poured and approach slabs completed by May 9. Asphalt shoulder paving will follow.

I-94
Location: Menomonie-Eau Claire Road
Schedule:
Cost: $2,600,000
Description: Replacing Lowes Creek Bridge over I-94, eastbound lanes.
Traffic impact: All lanes will be open by Friday, May 23. The next stage, which is replacing the westbound bridge and lanes, will begin after Labor Day weekend.

US 53
Location: Eau Claire – Osseo Road
Schedule: Projected end date July 2008
Cost: $5,400,000
Description: Old Town Hall Road intersection
Traffic impact: From Golf Road to the State Patrol, traffic is down to one lane northbound and one lane southbound. For the week of July 21, the median lanes of northbound and southbound US 53 will close to repave the highway. The median lanes should reopen on July 23.

Jackson County
I-94, US 121
Location: Hixton, Northfield
Schedule:
Cost: $1,679,000
Description: Re-decking bridges over I-94 in Northfield and Hixton
Traffic impact: Traffic on eastbound I-94 over WIS 95 in Hixton will be open to two 11-foot lanes with merging ramp traffic. WIS 121 traffic over I-94 in Northfield will remain restricted to one lane in each direction with the use of temporary traffic signals. There may be various lane closures on I-94 eastbound and westbound.

Eastbound I-94
Location: Black River Falls – Tomah
Schedule: July – September 2008
Description: Dowel bar retrofit and concrete repair
Traffic Impact: Intermittent weekday single lane closures between 6  to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.

I-94
Location: Osseo to Black River Falls in Jackson County
Schedule: April – August 2008
Description: Bridge maintenance on four bridges over I-94 and one bridge on I-94.
Traffic Impact: Intermittent single lane closures during overhead bridge work.
Pepin County
WIS 85
Location: Bear Creek in Pepin County
Schedule: July 14 - October 10, 2008
Description: Bridge replacement project over Bear Creek
Traffic Impact: Traffic will be routed around the work zone on a temporary bypass and structure. Work will begin on the bypass construction on Monday, July 14. Once that is complete (about a week and a half), traffic will be switched and the bridge removal and subsequent construction of the new bridge will begin.

Pierce County
US 63
Location: Red Wing – Ellsworth 
Schedule:
Cost: $3.7 million
Description: Roadway resurfacing
Traffic Impact: Single lane closures will occur during the project.

Polk County
WIS 46
Location: City of Amery, Keller Avenue, Griffen Street Intersection
Schedule: Start date July 21, 2008
Description: Intersection improvement
Traffic Impact: WIS 46 and Griffen Street will be kept open to traffic at all times. Flagging single-lane traffic during the daytime will only occur during certain construction activities. As necessary, a limited use of drums and barricades will be used for stage construction.

WIS 46
Location: US 8 – Balsam Lake
Schedule: July 14 – mid-August, 2008
Description: Resurfacing
Traffic Impact: The highway and all side roads will be open during the construction, but motorists may encounter single lane closures and delays throughout the duration of the project. Motorists are advised to use caution in the area.

Rusk County
WIS 73
Location: South county line to US 8
Schedule:
Description: Maintenance seal coat, asphalt repair, crack sealing, rut fill and new pavement markings
Traffic impact: Highway will be open to two-way traffic, controlled traffic. Flaggers and pilot vehicles will be used to control traffic through the work zones during the daytime lane closures.

Sawyer County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

St. Croix County
No state construction projects currently in progress.

Taylor County
WIS 73
Location: Branch Hay Creek Bridge-WIS 64 east junction
Schedule:
Cost: $3,505,696
Description: New box culvert installed, removing railroad overhead and building an at-grade crossing
Traffic impact: Single lane closures with flagging operations through the middle of May. Crews will continue with intersection work at WIS 64 and County F in preparation for the detour. On May 13, WIS 73 will be closed from County S to WIS 64 and detoured via County F and WIS 64 through Lublin.

WIS 64
Location: Gilman – Medford Road
Schedule: June 23 – July 29, 2008
Cost: $1 million
Description: Mill and overlay pavement, signing and beam guard replacement
Traffic Impact: Single lane closures during daytime hours. WIS 64 from four miles east of Gilman to 10 miles west of Medford will be open to two lanes of traffic. Traffic will encounter uneven pavement on this 8.5-mile section of WIS 64.

Tempealeau County
US 53
Location: Whitehall – Osseo
Schedule: July 21 – November 2008
Description: Resurfacing 10.8 mile stretch of highway
Traffic Impact: Open to traffic with flagging operation.

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:

Call 1-800-ROAD-WIS (762-3947) for statewide road construction information.
Visit the WisDOT Web site for statewide driving conditions and other travel-related information (www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/index.htm). Updates on the Marquette Interchange Project in Milwaukee are available at www.mchange.org.
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.state.wi.us.
For more information, contact:
Chris Ouellette, Regional Communications Manager 
(715) 833-9814, chris.ouellette@dot.state.wi.us
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