Location
The study area runs from County AA/Golf Road in the Eau Claire County city of Eau Claire to the Chippewa County village of Lake Hallie. The nine-mile corridor carries 37,000 to 51,000 vehicles per day.
Overview
The US 53 corridor in Eau Claire County and Chippewa County has safety and operational needs due to traffic volumes. Safety concerns have increased along with traffic volumes.
- The four-lane US 53 freeway – from County AA/Golf Road to County OO – fully opened to traffic in 2006. Since then, large developments have sprung up at highway interchanges. The largest growth currently is at the River Prairie Drive and WIS 312 interchanges, and there is planned growth at Melby Street.
- Traffic volumes, which exceed 50,000 vehicles per day on portions of the corridor, far outpace the highway’s estimated design volumes that were about 30,000 vehicles per day on the nine-mile US 53 corridor. The freeway also carries more traffic than the adjacent four-lane I-94, which carries about 30,000 vehicles per day. Traffic volume growth on US 53 between new development areas increased 20% - 25% in last eight years.
- Safety needs exist throughout the corridor: Portions of the corridor have a total crash rate about 1-3x the statewide average and fatal and injury crashes are about 1-7x the statewide average; closely-spaced interchanges present merging/diverging challenges and crashes, especially between US 12 and River Prairie Drive; and median cable barrier installed in 2025 near WIS 312 does not address merge/diverge crashes.
This study will explore potential lane configuration modifications and/or interchange reconfiguration to address needs.
Status
The Transportation Project's Commission (TPC) voted unanimously Dec. 10, 2025, to advance the US 53 corridor for an environmental study.
Created in 1983, the 15‐member TPC reviews Major Highway Program candidates - projects anticipated to cost $30 million or more - recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). In the fall of odd numbered years, the TPC looks at projects recommended by WisDOT to advance to the environmental study stage. In the fall of even‐numbered years, the TPC reviews WisDOT enumeration recommendations and can recommend projects that have successfully completed the environmental study phase for enumeration.
Currently, only the US 53 corridor study has been approved. WisDOT hasn't recommended any projects for the corridor.
Schedule
WisDOT’s Northwest Region is developing the scope of work for the study, and a consultant is expected to be hired by fall 2026 to complete the study.
Contacts
Mae Sommerfeld
WisDOT Northwest Region Urban and Regional Planner
(920) 492-5705
mae.sommerfeld@dot.wi.gov
Marc Bowker
WisDOT Northwest Region Planning Engineer
(715) 635-4975
marc.bowker@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, Eau Claire Office
718 W. Clairemont Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 836-2891, (800) 991-5285
WI Telecommunications Relay System (TTY): 711
nwr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov