Buckle Up, Phone Down For Memorial Day Weekend Travel

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) reminds Memorial Day weekend travelers to buckle up, put their phone down, plan their routes and drive carefully though work zones.

“Safety never takes a holiday and motorists should slow down and be patient as summer travel season gets underway," WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Two simple steps – buckle up and phone down – can help save lives and prevent crashes on Wisconsin roadways."

WisDOT offers these other safety reminders:

• Slow down. Posted speed limits apply to ideal travel conditions. Drivers are required to travel at a “reasonable and prudent” speed based on weather and traffic conditions.
• Eliminate distractions and focus on what’s ahead. Texting while driving is prohibited and very dangerous. It is also illegal in Wisconsin for drivers to use a handheld mobile device in work zones.
• Be prepared to move over or slow down when approaching emergency responders including police and fire vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks and highway maintenance vehicles that are stopped along a highway with their warning lights flashing. A new state law signed by Gov. Evers in December 2021 expands this ban to areas surrounding emergency response vehicles with flashing lights. If your vehicle breaks down, try to get safely off the highway, remain buckled up and wait for help to arrive.

All Wisconsin rest areas are open. These facilities offer restrooms and a break from travel.

To open as many lanes as possible, most road construction will pause during the weekend. Significant road construction projects that may impact Memorial Day weekend travel include:

• Barron County: Northbound US 53 is reduced to a single lane between County M and Carlson Road, just south of County A to Knapp Street and just south of 20th Street to US 8. Motorists will encounter a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in the work zones.
• Barron County: WIS 48 is reduced to one lane with temporary traffic signals at the Hay River Flowage in Cumberland.
• Chippewa and Clark counties: WIS 29 is reduced to a single lane between County J (Chippewa Falls) and WIS 27 (Cadott) in Chippewa County. The eastbound WIS 29 exit ramp is closed at Cardinal Avenue in Clark County.
• Clark County: WIS 73 is reduced to one lane with temporary traffic signals at the Giles Creek Bridge, north of Greenwood.
• Dane County: Motorists can expect traffic shifts on eastbound US 12/18 (Madison Beltline) at Todd Drive.
• Dunn County: US 12 is open using a one-lane, temporary bypass at the Wilson Creek Bridge, west of Knapp.
• Eau Claire County: WIS 312 is reduced to one lane in each direction in the Jeffers Road work zone in Eau Claire.
• Forest County: US 8 is reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic signals at the Wolf River (approximately six miles east of US 45 north).
• Forest County: US 8 is reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic signals at the Peshtigo River (just west of WIS 139 north).
• Juneau County: I-90/94 is open to two lanes in each direction on temporary roadway and bridge structures at the WIS 82 interchange in Mauston. WIS 82 is open to one lane in each direction near the interchange.
• Kenosha County: WIS 50, east of I-41/94 near Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie, remains under construction with traffic shifts. Multiple side streets do not have direct access.
• Lincoln County: US 51 is reduced to one lane in each direction from the Marathon County line to Lincoln County K. Northbound motorists can expect delays on Friday; southbound motorists should plan for delays on Monday.
• Manitowoc County: All ramps at the I-43/WIS 147/County Z interchange are closed for concrete patching. WIS 147/County Z detour from southbound I-43 uses the WIS 96 off-ramp to County KB, County R, and County T. WIS 147/County Z detour from northbound I-43 uses County K off-ramp to County R and County T. Access to I-43 from the interstate interchanges north or south of WIS 147.
• Marathon County: WIS 153 is closed between Rangeline Road and Water Street in Mosinee. Traffic is detoured via Rangeline Road and Main Street/County B.
• Milwaukee County: Motorists will encounter reduced lanes of traffic on I-41/US 45 (Zoo Interchange North Leg Project) between Watertown Plank Road and North Avenue. Northbound motorists should plan for major delays on Friday. Exit ramps at North Avenue and Mayfair Road remain closed.
• Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties: Work on I-43 between Capitol Drive and WIS 60 is ongoing. Motorists can expect lane closures and speed limit reductions. The ramps at Hampton Avenue remain closed.
• Oconto County: WIS 32 is closed for the bridge deck replacement north of Suring. Through traffic is directed to use County M, WIS 55 and WIS 64.
• Outagamie County: The County JJ and WIS 55 intersection in Kaukauna is closed for reconstruction. WIS 55 is detoured via I-41, County N and County UU.
• Portage County: US 10/WIS 66 is reduced to a single lane in each direction at the I-39 interchange in Stevens Point. The I-39 northbound exit ramp to US 10 east is closed and detoured via northbound I-39, WIS 66 (Stanley Street) and southbound I-39. The southbound I-39 ramp to westbound WIS 66 is closed and detoured via southbound I-39, County HH and northbound I-39.
• Price County: WIS 13 is reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic signals at the Elk River in Phillips.
• Price County: US 8 (near Prentice, approximately five miles east of County A) is reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic signals at the railroad overpass.
• Rock County: I-43 is reduced to one lane in each direction between WIS 140 north of Clinton and the east Rock County line.
• Trempealeau County: WIS 35/WIS 54 traffic over the east and west channels of the Trempealeau River is using temporary roadway and bridges during the bridge replacement. The work zone speed limit is reduced to 30 mph.
• Trempealeau County: The WIS 54 bridge over Beaver Creek is open to a single lane with temporary traffic signals.
• Vernon County: WIS 35 (Great River Road) is closed to through traffic between DeSoto and Genoa. Traffic is detoured via WIS 82, WIS 27 and WIS 56. WIS 35 is open to local destinations in the work zone.
• Vilas County: US 51 is reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic signals at Trout Creek (approximately two miles north of County N).
• Walworth County: Motorists can expect lane closures on WIS 50 between Grand Geneva Way and County O, near Lake Geneva.
• Washburn County: Southbound US 53 is reduced to one lane in each direction in the Trego area. Temporary traffic signals are in place at US 53/US 63/Liesch Road. The work zone speed limits are reduced to 55 mph on US 53 and 45 mph on US 63.
• Washburn County: US 63 is closed between WIS 70 and Poplar Street. Traffic is detoured via WIS 70 and US 53.
• Waukesha and Milwaukee counties: Work on I-43 between Moorland Avenue and the Hale Interchange is underway. The northbound off-ramp to Layton Avenue is closed to traffic.
• Winnebago County: The Racine Street Bridge in downtown Menasha is closed for replacement. Traffic is detoured via local roads.