WisDOT Northwest Region Construction Update - December 11

Release date: December 11, 2025

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 County

US 53 South

• Location: Bridges over US 8, 20th Street, Knapp Street, County I, Chetek River, County A, County AA and Carlson School Road between Cameron and New Auburn
• Schedule: May 5 to mid-December, 2025 construction; March 1 to late September, total project completion.
• Cost: $10.91 million
• Description of 2025 work: Replacing the decks on the bridges over County AA and County A; overlaying the decks with concrete on structures over Carlson School Road, Knapp Street and US 8; making miscellaneous repairs to bridges; completing prep work for 2026 construction on the bridges over the Chetek River, County I and 20th Street; and replacing guardrail at the structures.
• Traffic impacts: Because of the weather, prep work planned for this month for 2026 construction has been pushed to February. Work in 2025 is complete. Construction will resume in 2026.

Chippewa and Eau Claire counties

US 53

• Location: Golf Road in Eau Claire to 40th Avenue in Lake Hallie
• Schedule for 2025: June 2 to early December. Bridge approach work at Otter Creek near US 12 (Clairemont Avenue) has been pushed to spring 2026.
• Cost: $10 million
• Description: Making repairs to or removing and replacing segments of concrete pavement; overlaying southbound US 53 with asphalt from WIS 312 (North Crossing) in Eau Claire to County OO in Lake Hallie; completing work at various structures; replacing guardrail; and placing new pavement markings.
• Traffic impacts: None; work in 2025 is complete. Construction will resume in spring 2026.

Clark County

WIS 29

• Location: Koser Avenue west of Thorp to County D in Owen
• Schedule: May 1 to early December
• Cost: $23.74 million
• Description: Making repairs to the concrete pavement; placing 3.75 inches of new asphalt pavement over WIS 29; removing 1.25 inches of the existing pavement on the ramps at the WIS 29 interchanges at WIS 73 North/County M and WIS 73 South/County T and placing 2.25 inches of new asphalt; replacing the expansion joints on the east- and westbound WIS 29 bridges over the Black River west of Withee; replacing all wing walls on a culvert carrying the Popple River under WIS 29 west of County D in Owen; replacing the northwest wing wall on a culvert between Thorp and Withee; cleaning culverts and ditches; and replacing guardrail and pavement markings.
• Traffic impacts: Motorists are expected to encounter lane closures to facilitate remaining work.

Douglas County

US 2

• Location: Bong Bridge connecting Superior and Duluth, MN
• Schedule: August 6 to early December
• Cost: $6.38 million
• Description: Painting spot locations of the existing steel arch structure of the center span; making concrete surface repairs at spot locations of the two piers that support the center steel arch structure; removing and replacing three rubber strip seals of the center tied arch; replacing street lighting on the Minnesota half of the structure, including on the Minnesota ramps; replacing street lighting on the Wisconsin approach; applying a concrete sealer to the entire deck, including the Minnesota ramps; and placing new pavement markings on the entire bridge, Minnesota ramps and Wisconsin approach.
• Traffic impacts: Installation of streetlights on the Wisconsin side of the bridge started Wednesday, December 10, resulting in lane closures on the bridge through Friday, December 12.
• Installation of streetlights on the Minnesota side of the bridge is expected to be completed between Monday, December 15 and Monday, December 22, with work resulting in lane closures on the bridge.
• The following ramp closures also are planned in Duluth:
• 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, December 22: Ramps from westbound US 2 to northbound I-35 and northbound I-35 to eastbound US 2
• 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, December 29. Ramp from southbound I-35 to eastbound US 2
• In the event of inclement weather, this work could be pushed to Tuesday, December 30.

Taylor County

Grahl Drive

• Location: East branch of Little Black River Bridge northeast of Medford
• Schedule: September 22 to early November
• Cost: $430,239
• Description: Replacing the bridge and reconstructing 228.5 feet of approach pavement.
• Traffic Impacts: The road is closed at the bridge.

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