Northwest WI Regional Weekly Construction Update - Oct. 21, 2022

This week’s updates from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) on road construction projects for Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.

Barron County

Highway: US 53 northbound

• Location: Chippewa County line to US 8 near Cameron
• Schedule: April 4 to November
• Cost: $11.55 million
• Description: Removing a portion of the existing asphalt overlay and placing new asphalt; completing spot repairs on structures at Carlson School Road, County AA, the Chetek River, County I, Knapp Street, 20th Street and US 8 and placing a concrete overlay on each of the structures; replacing the concrete deck on the structure at County A; cleaning culverts and ditches; replacing culvert apron end walls, guardrail, pavement markings and signage; and completing spot improvements at Rest Area 34 and overlaying all concrete parking areas with asphalt.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists can expect single-lane closures in work areas.
  • The speed limit within each work zone is 60 mph.
  • Flagging will be utilized as necessary on the roads underneath the bridge structures at County I and US 8.

Highway: WIS 48

• Location: WIS 25 to West Avenue in Rice Lake
• Schedule: July 25 to late September
• Cost: $2.31 million
• Description: Removing a portion of the existing pavement and placing new asphalt; replacing and maintaining culverts; and adding a right-turn lane for westbound traffic on WIS 48 turning onto northbound County V.
  • Traffic impacts: None; project complete.

Burnett County

Highway: WIS 77

• Location: St. Croix River Bridge west of Danbury
• Schedule: Sept. 6 to November
• Cost: $1.13 million
• Description: Making concrete surface repairs to the structure, overlaying the bridge deck with concrete, replacing wing walls, placing riprap around the piers and abutments and replacing pavement on either side of the bridge and guardrail.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists will encounter one lane of traffic with width restrictions controlled by temporary signals.

Highway: Yellow Lake Road

• Location: Yellow Lake Bridge northwest of Webster
• Schedule: Aug. 31 to November
• Cost: $708,342
• Description: Replacing the bridge.
• Traffic impacts:
  • The road is closed and has a signed detour.

Polk County

Highway: 270th Avenue

• Location: Clam River Bridge
• Schedule: Sept. 6 to late October
• Cost: $409,376
• Description: Replacing the bridge
• Traffic impacts:
  • The road is closed at the bridge.

Rusk County

Highway: WIS 27

• Location: Flambeau River Bridge in Ladysmith
• Schedule: Aug. 22 to late October
• Cost: $435,741
• Description: Making concrete surface repairs to the bridge and replacing the concrete approach slabs, removing the asphaltic roadway pavement on both sides of the structure and placing new asphalt pavement, replacing the bridge joints and cleaning and painting the bearings.
• Traffic impacts:
  • WIS 27 is open to two lanes of traffic with width restrictions.
  • Truck traffic is being detoured via US 8, WIS 73 and WIS 64.

Highway: County M

• Location: Skinner Creek Bridge north of Hawkins
• Schedule: Sept. 19 to November
• Cost: $480,031
• Description: Replacing the bridge.
• Traffic impacts:
  • The road is closed at the structure.

Sawyer County

Highway: WIS 27

• Location: WIS 77 West to Sawyer/Bayfield County line
• Schedule: Sept. 14 to late October
• Cost: $3.86 million
• Description: Removing a portion of the existing pavement and placing new asphalt, adding centerline rumble strips and repairing guardrail.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists might encounter single-lane closures controlled by flagging as finishing work is completed.

Washburn County

Highway: US 53

• Location: Between Mackey and Ross roads in the town of Trego
• Schedule: March 17, 2021, to November 2022
• Cost: $17.65 million
• Description: Reconstructing US 53 from Mackey Road to existing US 63, relocating US 63 to closely follow the existing Wild Rivers State Trail and constructing a new grade separated interchange connecting US
• 53 with realigned US 63, new west frontage road from Mackey Road to County E and turn lanes along US 53 at existing intersections, including Mackey, O’Brien and Ross roads.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Traffic on US 53 is reduced to one lane in each direction on the outside lanes.
  • Temporary signals are in operation at the US 53 intersection at US 63 and Liesch Road.
  • The speed limit on US 53 is reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph and on US 63 is reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph in the work zone.
    • The new interchange is expected to open to traffic Tuesday.
    • Once that happens, US 53 will remain in a single lane in each direction while the contractors remove the temporary crossovers in the medians, temporary traffic signals and intersection pavement at Liesch Road, and the speed limit will remain at 55 mph through the work zone.
    • New US 63 will operate with temporary traffic signals near the National Park Service Visitor Center for approximately four weeks while the US 63 connection area is reconstructed, and only a single lane of traffic will be allowed through the work zone. Motorists should expect delays.
    • The local roadways in Trego will remain open.
      • Existing US 63 will be reconfigured to a local road and milled and overlaid with new asphalt.
      • A portion of Liesch Road will be milled and overlaid once County E traffic is no longer using the detour route.
• The right shoulder is closed on northbound US 63 from the Wild Rivers State Trail to the Namekagon River Bridge.

Highway: US 53

• Location: Pine Grove Road southeast of Shell Lake to Wildcat Road southeast of Spooner
• Schedule: Aug. 15, 2022, to September 2023
• Cost: $16.8 million
• Description: Removing the existing pavement and a portion of the existing base course; placing a new base aggregate layer for drainage and new concrete pavement; replacing storm sewer, culverts, curb and gutter; reconstructing the approaches to US 53 from existing intersections; replacing shoulder rumble strips; and placing pavement markings.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists will encounter lane closures in both directions.

Highway: US 63

• Location: Greenwood Avenue to Poplar Street, Spooner
• Schedule: March 28 to November
• Cost: $8.2 million
• Description: Reconstructing US 63 from WIS 70 to Poplar Street with new pavement, sidewalk, curb and gutter; reconstructing the US 63/WIS 70 intersection; rehabilitating US 63 from Greenwood Avenue to WIS 70 by milling the existing asphalt and overlaying the road with new asphalt; converting US 63 from Greenwood Avenue to Poplar Street to a three-lane road, with one lane for traffic in each direction and a two-way left-turn lane in the center to improve safety and reduce overall corridor travel times; installing new sanitary and storm sewer and water main; improving pedestrian access to meet current Americans With Disabilities Act standards at intersections; and installing new street lighting, pavement marking and signing.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists might encounter lane closures when light poles are installed.

Regionwide Pavement Marking Project

• Highway: Various
• Location: Various
• Schedule: May 31 to October
• Cost: $1.13 million
• Description: Replacing paving marking.
• Traffic impacts:
  • Motorists can expect lane closures in work areas.

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