US 53 (26th Avenue to County A), Rice Lake to Spooner - Barron and Washburn counties

​Location

Between 26th Avenue in Rice Lake (Barron County) and County A in Spooner (Washburn County), there are three projects planned on US 53:

  • 26th Avenue to Pine Grove Road.
  • Pine Grove Road to Wildcat Road.
  • Wildcat Road to County A.

Overview

US 53, between 26th Avenue and County A, was built in the mid-1980s with concrete pavement. However, the pavement has reached the end of its service life. 

The bridges within the segment from Wildcat Road to County A also are showing signs of deterioration and require rehabilitation.

To address the deterioration, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is planning three projects:

  • 26th Avenue to Pine Grove Road
    • Remove the existing pavement and a portion of the existing base course on north- and southbound US 53.
    • Place a new base aggregate layer for drainage.
    • Replace the pavement on US 53.
    • Rebuild existing intersection approaches.
    • Install cable guard in the median between 26th and 27th avenues and a friction surface on the pavement in the same area to reduce crossover crashes.
    • No construction will occur at the recently reconstructed County V interchange at Haugen.
  • Pine Grove Road to Wildcat Road
    • Remove the existing pavement and a portion of the existing base course on north- and southbound US 53.
    • Place a new base aggregate layer for drainage.
    • Replace the pavement on US 53.
    • Rebuild existing intersection approaches.
    • No construction will occur at the recently reconstructed County B intersection.
  • Wildcat Road to County A
    • Remove the existing pavement and a portion of the existing base course on north-and southbound US 53 and the US 63 and WIS 70 interchanges.
    • Place a new base aggregate layer for drainage.
    • Replace the pavement on US 53.
    • Replace the pavement on the US 63 and WIS 70 interchange ramps.
    • Replace the pavement on WIS 70 between the ramp terminals.
    • Rebuild existing intersection approaches.
    • Rehabilitate the bridges on US 53 over the Yellow River, US 53 over US 63 and WIS 70 over US 53 with concrete deck overlays and other repairs. 

Schedule

  • 26th Avenue to Pine Grove Road.
    • Construction currently scheduled for: 2024
    • Construction could occur as early as: 2023
  • Pine Grove Road to Wildcat Road.
    • Construction currently scheduled for: 2023
    • Construction could occur as early as: 2022
  • Wildcat Road to County A.
    • Construction currently scheduled for: 2024
    • Construction could occur as early as: 2023

Traffic Impacts

For all three projects:

  • US 53 will be staged to carry bi-directional traffic on one side of the four-lane highway during construction. 

    • Some intersections will be temporarily widened with turn lanes to effectively manage traffic during construction.
  • Zimmerman Road will be closed during construction.
  • Access will be maintained to adjacent properties.

For the segment from Wildcat Road to County A:

  • In order to replace the pavement on the interchange ramps on both the US 53/63 and the US 53/WIS 70 interchanges, the interchange ramps will be closed at times.

Project Documents

Public involvement meetings have been held on the projects from 26th Avenue to Pine Grove Road and Pine Grove Road to Wildcat Road. To slow the spread of COVID-19, the public involvement process for the segment of Wildcat Road to County A was moved online. Information for that project can be found below:

Contacts

Phil Keppers
WisDOT Northwest Region Project Manager
(715) 395-3027
philip.keppers@dot.wi.gov

Jeff Olson
WisDOT Northwest Region Project Supervisor
(715) 395-3032
jeffrey.olson@dot.wi.gov 

Christena T. O'Brien
WisDOT Northwest Region Communications Manager
(715) 833-9814, (715) 828-9471
christena.obrien@dot.wi.gov

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)
Northwest Region, Superior Office
1701 N. 4th St.
Superior, WI 54880-1068
(715) 392-7925, (800) 590-1868 
nwr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov

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