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WI DOT Northwest Region Construction Update - 4/13
- klweber2771
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
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
Highway: 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: WIS 13 is open to most traffic; truck traffic is being detoured via WIS 112 and US 2. In addition:
North- and southbound traffic is operating on the southbound lanes lane between 16th and 12th streets.
The median is closed from 12th Street to 6th Street, with traffic running on the far outside of the north- and southbound lanes.
Sixth Street is closed in both directions.
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Barron and Washburn counties
Highway: US 53
Location: 26th Avenue north of Rice Lake to Pine Grove Road south of Sarona
Schedule: Sept. 5, 2023, to late May 2025
Cost: $21.89 million
Description of 2025 work: Tensioning cable barrier in the median between 26th and 27th avenues to reduce crossover crashes; placing a high-friction surface treatment on the pavement in the same area to reduce crossover and run-off-the-road crashes; removing and replacing a concrete joint, which will result in a several-day closure of a southbound US 53 lane; and placing final pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: US 53 is open to traffic, but motorists will encounter sporadic lane closures and a reduced speed limit in those areas as minor finishing work is completed.
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Buffalo County
Highway: County KK
Location: Lee Valley Creek Bridge in the town of Modena northwest of the city of Alma
Schedule: March 6 to late April
Cost: $385,991
Description: Removing and replacing the bridge and the approach pavement on both sides of the structure.
Traffic impacts: County KK is closed on both sides of the bridge.
Highway: South of WIS 35/54
Location: Town of Buffalo Park to just west of County P
Schedule: April 8 to early July
Cost: $1.09 million
Description: Building a trail connection on the south side of the highway
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter a shoulder closure on eastbound WIS 35/54.
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Chippewa County
Highway: WIS 29
Location: 50th Avenue interchange and the intersection of 50th Avenue and County J, all in the town of Lafayette east of Chippewa Falls
Schedule: March 11 to early September
Cost: $5.26 million
Description: For the WIS 29/50th Avenue interchange project: Removing and replacing the bridge, building retaining walls along east- and westbound WIS 29 at the abutments, replacing the roadway approach pavement and the pavement on the interchange ramps and replacing culverts, guardrail and pavement markings. This project will increase the vertical clearance of the bridge over the highway. For the 50th Avenue/County J intersection project: Constructing a single-lane roundabout, completing approach work on all legs leading into the roundabout, increasing the roadway profile an average of three feet to accommodate the profile rise of the new bridge and replacing storm sewer.
Traffic impacts: Motorists can expect the following impacts on:
WIS 29:
The 50th Avenue interchange is closed, and traffic is being detoured via County J and County X.
The inside shoulders on east- and westbound WIS 29 are closed at 50th Avenue.
Motorists will encounter single-lane closures between County X and County J.
The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph during working hours
County J:
The highway is open to traffic at 50th Avenue and will remain open throughout construction, using temporary roadway and flagging operations.
50th Avenue:
The road is closed between Stillson Elementary School and 171st streets to September, and traffic is being detoured using 160th Street, 40th Avenue, County J and County X.
Access to residences and businesses is being maintained throughout construction.
Highway: US 53
Location: 40th Avenue in Lake Hallie to County B in the town of Tilden
Schedule: March 10 to late October, 2025 construction; and April 1, 2024, to late June 2026, overall project
Cost: $36.6 million
Description of 2025 work: Replacing the pavement on northbound US 53 and constructing temporary emergency pullouts south of County N; making repairs and completing polymer overlays on the northbound US 53 bridges over the Chippewa River and Business 29/County X; replacing the pavement on the on- and off-ramps at the County B and Business 29/County X interchanges; replacing the pavement on southbound US 53 north of County N, including the north- and southbound passing lanes north of County B; milling and overlaying the shoulder between County B and County Q along the driving lane of southbound US 53; replacing guardrail; completing culvert work; and installing new pavement markings and shoulder rumble strips.
Traffic impacts: US 53 remains open to traffic, but:
North- and southbound US 53 traffic is operating on the southbound lanes between 40th Avenue and County N.
The off-ramp from northbound US 53 to Business 29/County X and the on-ramp to northbound US 53 from Business 29/County X are closed.
Motorists will encounter inside lane closures along north- and southbound US 53 between County N and County Q.
The speed limit is reduced through the work zone.
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Clark County
Highway: Kington Road
Location: Nelson Creek Bridge north of the city of Loyal
Schedule: Oct. 30, 2024, to mid-April 2025
Cost: $336,867
Description: Replacing the bridge, approach pavement and pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: Kington Road is closed at the bridge.
Highway: County M
Location: South Fork of the Eau Claire River Bridge in the town of Hendren south of Thorp
Schedule: Jan. 22 to Oct. 7, 2025
Cost: $2.81 million
Description: Removing and replacing the bridge, replacing the concrete approach slabs and guardrail and completing shoulder work.
Traffic impacts: County M is closed between Crystal Waters Court and Rock Creek Road.
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Eau Claire County
Highway: 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 projectCost: $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 remains open to traffic, but:
Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on I-94 in both directions during nonpeak travel times.
Traffic on westbound I-94 is operating on temporary lanes built in the median.
County J is closed at I-94 until July.
Traffic is being detoured via US 53, County D, County K and County JJ.
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Jackson County
Highway: I-94
Location: Bridges over the Black River in the city of Black River Falls and the Union Pacific railroad tracks in the town of Brockway
Schedule: Feb. 24 to late May, bridge construction, and Sept. 9 to mid-October, crossover removal, 2025 construction; and Sept. 5, 2023, to October 2025, overall project
Cost: $5.2 million
Description of 2025 work: Overlaying the eastbound bridge decks with concrete; repainting each structure’s girders; replacing their expansion joints, wing walls, approach pavement and guardrail; placing new pavement markings; and removing median crossovers.
Traffic impacts: I-94 has been reduced to a single lane through the construction zone in each direction. In addition:
Traffic is being switched between east- and westbound lanes using median crossovers.
The speed limit in the work zone has been reduced to 55 mph.
Motorists should be aware traffic backups are likely during peak travel hours.
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St. Croix County
Highway: I-94
Location: Bridges over Kinney Road and 100th Street between Roberts and Hudson
Schedule: March 17 to mid-October, 2025 construction; and Sept. 9, 2024, to mid-October 2026, overall project
Cost: $20.08 million
Description of 2025 work: Removing and replacing the westbound bridges and 1,000 to 1,200 feet of the I-94 pavement on both sides of structures in both directions; installing storm sewer; and replacing guardrail and pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: I-94 remains open to traffic, but:
Traffic on westbound I-94 is operating on temporary lanes built in the median near the 100th Street bridge.
Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on east- and westbound I-94 near Kinney Road.
The speed limit is reduced to 60 mph for traffic operating on the temporary westbound lanes and traffic in both directions during lane closures.
Night work in this area is expected to begin Monday and continue through the week.
For more information regarding traffic impacts, transportation news and improvement project updates in Wisconsin’s Northwest Region:
Follow us on Twitter: @WisDOTnorthwest
Visit the region’s 511 website: projects.511wi.gov/region/northwest/
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.
