Location
This project in Barron County includes the following structures on or over US 53:
- North- and southbound US 53 bridges over US 8 in the town of Stanley
- Augusta Street Bridge over US 53 in the city of Rice Lake
- Northbound US 53 bridge over County SS and the Wild Rivers State Trail in the town of Oak Grove
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Project location map
Overview
The bridges are experiencing deterioration of the paint on the steel girders and bearings, which can lead to rusting and early failure of the structural steel components. To address this, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is proposing the following:
- North- and southbound US 53 over US 8:
- Cleaning and painting bridge girders and bearings
- Replacing guardrail within the US 8 median
- Augusta Street over US 53:
- Cleaning and painting bridge girders and bearings
- Replacing guardrail within the US 53 median
- US 53 northbound over County SS and the Wild Rivers Trail
- Cleaning and painting bridge girders
- Replacing guardrail on the east side of County SS
In This Together
Knowing construction projects impact businesses, WisDOT created the In This Together program to help business owners navigate road construction.
Schedule
Construction currently is scheduled in 2028.
- Construction is anticipated to take approximately three months.
Traffic Impacts
The following traffic impacts are anticipated at the structures:
- North- and southbound US 53 over US 8:
- US 53 will remain open to traffic with periodic single-lane closures.
- US 8 will remain open to traffic with single-lane closures.
- Augusta Street over US 53
- US 53 will remain open to traffic with single-lane closures.
- Augusta Street will be closed to accommodate contractor access.
- During a portion of the work on this bridge, the WIS 48 southbound entrance ramp to US 53 will be closed. Traffic will be detoured along West 19th Street to County O.
- US 53 northbound over County SS and the Wild Rivers State Trail
- US 53 will remain open to traffic with periodic single-lane closures.
- During work over County SS, one lane of traffic on County SS controlled by temporary traffic signals will be maintained.
- During work over the Wild Rivers State Trail/Ice Age Trail, traffic on local roads from 25th Avenue to 19th Street to 26th Avenue will be detoured.
Public Involvement
WisDOT is seeking public input on the proposed project. Please review the following for more information:
Comments are being accepted through Aug. 29, 2025, by:
- Email:
apeterson@correinc.com
- Mail: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
W7102 Green Valley Road
Spooner, WI 54801
Attn.: Matt Van Natta
Contacts
Andrew Peterson
WisDOT Northwest Region Consultant Project Manager
(608) 792-6851
apeterson@correinc.com
Matt Van Natta
WisDOT Northwest Region Project Supervisor
(715) 392-7966
matthew.vannatta@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
(715) 392-7925, (800) 590-1868
nwr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov