Northwest Region Construction Update - March 29

Release date: March 29, 2024

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) provides weekly updates on road construction projects in the following counties in northwest Wisconsin: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Taylor, Trempealeau and Washburn counties.

Barron and Washburn counties
Highway: US 53
Location: 26^th Avenue north of Rice Lake to Pine Grove Road south of Sarona
Schedule: Sept. 5, 2023, to November 2024
Cost: $21.89 million
Description: Removing the existing and base course, placing a new base aggregate layer for drainage, replacing the pavement, rebuilding intersection approaches and installing cable barrier in the median between 26^th and 27^th avenues and a high-friction surface treatment on the pavement in the same area to reduce crossover and run-off-the-road crashes.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures in both directions the coming week, and the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph when lanes are closed.

• Northbound traffic is expected to be switched to the southbound lanes the week of April 8, with one lane in each direction.

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Bayfield County
Highway: WIS 13
Location: Thompson Creek to 2^nd Avenue West, city of Washburn
Schedule: March 11 to November
Cost: $8.32 million
Description: Replacing the pavement on WIS 13 and storm sewer, curb, gutter and sidewalk; replacing or upgrading all intersection curb ramps to meet Americans With Disabilities Act standards; and replacing streetlights. In addition, the city has a concurrent project replacing aging sewer and water utilities.
Traffic impacts: WIS 13 is closed to traffic from Thompson Road to 1^st Avenue West.

• Cross traffic is being maintained at 4^th Avenue West, 8^th Avenue West and 11^th Avenue West.
• Traffic for vehicles 20,000 pounds or less is being detoured via West Bigelow Street, West Holman Lakeview Drive, Omaha Street East and 1st Avenue West.
• Traffic for vehicles weighing more than 20,000 pounds is being detoured via US 2, County A and WIS 13.

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Dunn County
Highway: I-94
Location: Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility (SWEF) on westbound I-94 east of Menomonie
Schedule: March 19 to November
Cost: $10.95 million
Description: Renovating and expanding the existing SWEF building; replacing the pavement in the parking lots and on the ramp/loop roadways; constructing an approximate 200-foot communications tower near the renovated SWEF building; reconfiguring the exit off I-94; constructing a new virtual weigh station along westbound US 12/WIS 29 west of the I-94 interchange; and constructing a remote truck pull-off site along County B south of I-94 between Walton Avenue and 3M Drive in Dunn County. (The pull-off site will be constructed concurrently with a reconstruction project scheduled to start April 1 on County B from US 12/WIS 29 to the eastbound I-94 entrance and exit ramps at the I-94/County B interchange.)
Traffic impacts: The ramp to the SWEF is closed. Other impacts include:

• US 12/WIS 29 west of the I-94 interchange: Shoulder closures are expected to start on Wednesday, April 3, and single-lane closures are anticipated to begin in mid-April.

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Eau Claire County
Highway: Fairfax Street
Location: South Hastings Way in Eau Claire to Spooner Avenue in Altoona
Schedule: March 27 to August
Cost: $3.18 million
Description: Replacing the pavement, curb, gutter, sidewalk, sewer and water utilities; and driveway approaches to the road.
Traffic impacts: Fairfax Street will be closed to through traffic the morning of Monday, April 1, but access will be maintained to businesses and residences. In addition, plans include maintaining a temporary pedestrian crossing to be used at various times every business day.

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Highway: I-94
Location: US 53 interchange to Mallard Road southwest of Eau Claire
Schedule: March 4, 2024, to November 2026
Cost: $69.9 million
Description: Removing and replacing the pavement on I-94 from Otter Creek to Mallard Road; resurfacing the shoulders and completing concrete pavement repair on I-94 and collector roads from the western project limits to Otter Creek; resurfacing the I-94/US 53 interchange, the approaching pavement on US 53 and the interchange ramps; widening the eastbound I-94 bridge over Otter Creek; removing and replacing the east- and westbound bridges over County D and County J with structures that meet vertical clearance requirements and are wide enough to handle future four-lane temporary traffic; removing and replacing a box culvert near County D; repairing storm sewer; and placing new pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures in both directions during nonpeak travel times.

• The speed limit in the work zone will be decreased to 55 mph when lane closures are in place.

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Jackson County
Highway: I-94
Location: Bridges over the Black River in the city of Black River Falls and the Union Pacific railroad tracks in the town of Brockway
Schedule: Sept. 5, 2023, to October 2025
Cost: $5.2 million
Description: Overlaying the bridge deck with concrete, repairing abutment back walls and replacing the bridge joints and concrete approach slabs on the westbound bridge over the Black River. Replacing the deck, pier caps and concrete approach slabs and repainting girders on the westbound bridge over the railroad tracks.
Traffic impacts: I-94 has been reduced to a single lane through the construction zone in each direction. In addition:

• Westbound traffic is being switched between west- and eastbound lanes using median crossovers.
• The off-ramp from westbound I-94 to US 12/WIS 27 and the on-ramp from WIS 54 to westbound I-94 are closed.
• The speed limit in the work zone has been reduced to 55 mph.
• Motorists should be aware traffic backups are likely during peak travel hours.

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Pierce County
Highway: WIS 35
Location: Between Chestnut and Green streets in Maiden Rock
Schedule: April 22 to November - Updated
Cost: $846,790
Description: Replacing retaining walls at W3338 WIS 35 and W3487 WIS 35, removing a portion of the existing roadway pavement and overlay it with asphalt; replacing curb and gutter; installing a railing at W3338 WIS 35; and placing new pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures once work begins.

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Highway: US 10
Location: WIS 29/35 in Prescott to the south junction of US 63 west of Ellsworth
Schedule: March 11 to October
Cost: $14.35 million
Description: Removing a portion of the existing pavement on the approximate 14-mile stretch of US 10 and placing new asphalt pavement; widening paved shoulders from 3 feet to 5 feet; replacing culverts at Spring Creek on US 10 just west of the 760th Street and 730th Street intersections west of Ellsworth; replacing existing box culverts on US 10 with bridges just east of 1040th Street and west of Cross Town Road; and replacing guardrail and pavement markings along the entire length of the project.
Traffic impacts: US 10 is closed at culvert replacement locations, and through traffic is being detoured via WIS 29/35 and WIS 65. Access is being maintained to homes and businesses in the work zone.

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Washburn County
Highway: US 53
Location: Wildcat Road southeast of Spooner to County A
Schedule: July 31, 2023, to November 2024
Cost: $22.74 million
Description: Removing the existing pavement and a portion of the existing base course; placing a new base aggregate layer for drainage and new concrete pavement; replacing pavement on the interchange ramps at US 63 and WIS 70; replacing the pavement on WIS 70 between the ramp terminals; rebuilding existing intersection approaches; and rehabilitating the bridges on US 53 over the Yellow River and US 63 and WIS 70 bridge over US 53.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures in both directions the coming week, and the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph when lanes are closed.

• Northbound traffic is expected to be switched to the southbound lanes the week of April 8, with one lane in each direction.