Release date: April 5, 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: 26th 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 26th and 27th 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, and the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph when lanes are closed.
- Northbound traffic is tentatively scheduled to be switched to the southbound lanes on Thursday, April 11, with one lane of traffic flowing in each direction.
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Bayfield County
Highway: WIS 13
Location: Thompson Creek to 2nd 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 1st Avenue West.
- Cross traffic currently is being maintained at 4th Avenue West, 8th Avenue West, 10th Avenue West and 11th 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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Chippewa County Highway: US 53
Location: 40th Avenue in Lake Hallie to County B in the town of Tilden
Schedule: April 1 to late June 2026
Cost: $36.6 million
Description: Replacing the pavement on north- and southbound US 53, the ramps at the Business 29/County X, County S and County B interchanges and the crossroads between ramp terminals along County S and County B; completing polymer overlays on the four bridges over the Chippewa River and Business 29/County X; replacing guardrail and right-of-way fence; maintaining culverts through cleaning and making end repairs and replacing one cross culvert; repairing erosion on the east side of a box culvert that carries Tilden Creek south of County B; and installing a high-friction surface treatment on the pavement near the Business 29/County X interchange on US 53 to reduce run-off-the-road and out-of-control crashes, plantings for snow fence to minimize snow drifting at four locations, new pavement markings and shoulder rumble strips.
Traffic impacts: Inside lane closures on north- and southbound US 53 are expected until mid-May starting at the County Q overpass and continuing to County N.
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Dunn County
Highway: County B
Location: Between US 12/WIS 29 and the eastbound I-94 on- and off-ramps
Schedule: April 1 to November
Cost: $6.98 million
Description: Replacing 1.16 mile of the existing concrete pavement with new concrete pavement; replacing curb and gutter, storm sewer and electrical; and making intersection and traffic signal improvements.
Traffic impacts: Single-lane closures on County B in the work zone are expected from April 8 to May 31.
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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 off westbound I-94 to the SWEF is closed. Other impacts include:
- US 12/WIS 29 west of the I-94 interchange:
- Single-lane closures controlled by flagging operations are expected to start Monday, April 8.
- Single-lane closures controlled by temporary signals are expected to start in mid- to late 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 is closed to through traffic, with motorists asked to use South Hastings Way.
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Highway: I-94
Location: Eastbound I-94 at west end of Lowes Creek Bridge
Schedule: April 1 to late May
Cost: $555,995
Description: Replacing the concrete approach slab on the west end of the bridge, replacing guardrail at the bridge connection, paving the shoulder with asphalt and placing new pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on eastbound I-94 and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph during nonpeak travel times.
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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 and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph during nonpeak travel times.
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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 – between US 63 South and 760th Street, 1040th Street and 570th Avenue and 1200th Street and County QQ.
- Local routes are available to motorists, but 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, and the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph when lanes are closed.
- The week of April 8:
- Construction on the WIS 70 bridge over US 53 begins. Traffic initially will be controlled by flaggers. It is expected to be switched midweek to the north side of the bridge, with bidirectional traffic running in each direction. There will be an 11-foot lane width restriction.
- Northbound US 53 traffic is expected to be switched Thursday, April 11 to the southbound lanes of US 53, where traffic will run bidirectional until mid-July.