WisDOT Northwest Region Construction Update - November 20

Release date: November 20, 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.

Ashland County

WIS 13

• Location: Butterworth Road to US 2 in Ashland
• Schedule: March 31 to mid-November
• Cost: $9.87 million
• Description: From Butterworth Road to 16th Street: Removing 3¼ inches of existing pavement and overlaying the roadway with 3¼ inches of hot-mix asphalt; replacing deteriorated culverts; and repairing frost heaves. From 16th Street to 6th Street: Replacing the pavement structure with 9 inches of Portland cement concrete pavement, 6 inches of base aggregate, 12 inches of granular subbase and underdrain pipe; replacing storm sewer system, curb ramps, curb and gutter; replacing sidewalk at curb ramps and spot locations; adding a designated bike lane between the travel and parking lanes in each direction on Ellis Avenue; removing and hauling decorative lights to city yard for repainting and reinstalling in landscaped medians; and replacing portions of the city water main in a separate tied project. From 6th Street to US 2: Replacing Portland cement concrete and hot-mix asphalt pavement with 9 inches of Portland concrete cement pavement; extending medians and left-turn lanes, remove one through lane and add designated bike lanes in each direction; and upgrading curb ramps at city street and trail crossings.
• Traffic impacts: None; project complete.

Barron County

14 1/2 Avenue

• Location: Barker Creek Bridge northwest of Cameron
• Schedule: September 29 to late November
• Cost: $482,782
• Description: Replacing the bridge, approach pavement and signs.
• Traffic impacts: None; project complete.

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: US 53 South remains open to traffic, but:
• Motorists will encounter lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in work zones.
• US 53 South reopens to two lanes of traffic, with a 70-mph speed limit between closures.
• There is a maximum width of 15 feet 3 inches on the open lane on most bridges.
• Southbound US 53 is anticipated to be fully open to traffic for the weekend, but motorists might encounter a lane closure early next week as work on US 53 is completed.
• Motorists are expected to encounter intermittent single-lane closures on County A and County AA and continuous single-lane closures on County I from December 1-12.

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: Motorists will encounter ramp, lane and shoulder closures as finishing work for 2025 is completed.

Clark County

WIS 29

• Location: Koser Avenue west of Thorp to County D in Owen
• Schedule: May 1 to mid-November
• 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: WIS 29 remains open to traffic, but:
• Motorists will encounter single-lane closures in both directions where work is occurring and a speed reduction to 55 mph during work hours in active work areas.
• All work is scheduled to be complete by noon Wednesday, Nov. 26.

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: US 2 remains open to traffic, but:
• On eastbound US 2: The inside lane and shoulder are closed from the north- and southbound I-35 ramps to the roundabout on the Wisconsin side of the bridge.
• On westbound US 2: Temporary barrier wall is in place from the tied arch section to the turn lane entrance ramp to southbound I-35, and the inside lane and shoulder are closed from the roundabout through the end of the barrier wall.
• Sidewalk from Susquehanna Avenue in Superior across the bridge to West Michigan Street in Duluth will be closed starting Monday, November 17.
• Closures are contractor and weather dependent.

Eau Claire County

I-94

• Location: US 53 interchange to Mallard Road southwest of Eau Claire
• Schedule: March 17 and mid-November, 2025 construction; and March 4, 2024 to November 2026, overall project
• Cost: $69.9 million
• Description of 2025 work: Replacing the pavement of westbound I-94 from Otter Creek to Mallard Road, the westbound bridges over County J and County D and the box culvert carrying Kluckman Valley Creek under westbound I-94 near County D.
• Traffic impacts: I-94 is open to traffic, but:
• Motorists will encounter single-lane closures during nonpeak travel hours and a 60-mph speed limit in both directions.
• The speed limit in both directions is 60 mph.
• The speed limit is expected to return to 70 mph in the work zone Friday afternoon.

Jackson County

WIS 54

• Location: Wilson and Mill Creek bridges west of Melrose
• Schedule: June 23 to late November
• Cost: $2.79 million
• Description: Removing and replacing both bridges and replacing the pavement on both sides of each structure, guardrail and pavement markings.
• Traffic impacts: WIS 54 is:
• Closed at Wilson Creek; traffic is being detoured via US 53/WIS 93, I-90, WIS 16, WIS 108 and WIS 71.
• The new bridge is expected to open to traffic Friday afternoon.
• Open at Mill Creek.

Polk County

3rd Avenue

• Location: Ash Street to Oak Street in Frederic
• Schedule: September 23 to mid-November
• Cost: $584,100
• Description: Reconstructing the road, making storm sewer upgrades, completing curb, gutter and sidewalk work and replacing pavement markings and signage.
• Traffic Impacts: None; project complete.

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.

County A

• Location: Pine Creek Bridge southwest of Medford
• Schedule: September 18 to late November
• Cost: $658,724
• Description: Replacing the bridge and approaching pavement.
• Traffic Impacts: None; project complete.

Trempealeau County

US 10

• Location: Nelson Road to I-94 westbound ramps in Osseo
• Schedule: April 14 to late November
• Cost: $5.78 million
• Description: Removing the pavement from east of the Buffalo River State Park Trail to just west of Rose Lane and placing 8.5 inches of concrete pavement along with six inches of underlying base aggregate; repairing or replacing existing concrete pavement near I-94 at spot locations; making repairs to the US bridge over I-94; making concrete surface repairs on the bridge over the north fork of the Buffalo River and overlaying the deck with concrete; replacing storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water main; and replacing sidewalk, curb ramps, curb and gutter and pavement markings.
• Traffic impacts: US 10 is open to traffic, but motorists will encounter lane closures on the US 10 bridge. US 10 is expected to be fully open by noon Friday.
• Motorists will encounter a shoulder close on westbound I-94.

Motorists are reminded that using handheld cell phones in Wisconsin work zones is illegal. Alerts and updates provided via these sites are not intended for use while driving. When driving, your focus should always be on driving.