Northwest Region Construction Update - April 14

​Release date: April 14, 2023

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: Jefferson Avenue in Mellen to Golf Course Road in the town of Morse.
Schedule: April 10 to November
Cost: $8.67 million
Description: Reconstructing WIS 13 from Jefferson Avenue to the north city limits; replacing the Bad River Bridge; grading to improve slopes and drainage; replacing storm and sanitary sewer, water main, sidewalk curb ramps, curb and gutter; and paving parking lanes, all in Mellen. Resurfacing WIS 13 from the north city limits to Golf Course Road in the town.
Traffic impacts: Because of flooding, WIS 13 is reduced to a single lane from Jefferson Avenue to WIS 77, with north- and southbound traffic controlled by temporary signals. Once water levels recede, northbound traffic will remain on WIS 13, and southbound traffic will be detoured via County GG and Thomas Street.

• Truck traffic is being detoured via WIS 182, WIS 47, US 51 and US 2.

Buffalo County
Highway: WIS 35
Location: Two are in Fountain City; one is northwest of Cedar Street, and the other is southwest of the intersection of WIS 35 and Old 35. The third is in the town of Buffalo northwest of the WIS 35/54 intersection.
Schedule: Feb. 28 to August
Cost: $4.25 million
Description: Replacing three bridges.
Traffic impacts: WIS 35 is open to one lane, with traffic controlled by temporary signals at all bridge locations and lanes having an 11-foot width restriction.

Chippewa County
Highway: County TT
Location: Cobban Bridge between Jim Falls and Cornell
Schedule: Aug. 8 to late October 2023
Cost: $4.7 million
Description: Replacing the bridge.
Traffic impacts: County TT in the work zone remains closed.

• The shoulder and right-turn lane on northbound WIS 178 are closed by barrier wall.
• The Old Abe Trail remains open.

Dunn County
Highway: US 12
Location: Wilson Creek tributary north of I-94 in the town of Menomonie
Schedule: April 10 to late June
Cost: $1.29 million
Description: Replacing the culvert, removing guardrail and restoring the asphalt roadway and ditches.
Traffic impacts: US 12 is closed.

• Through traffic is being detoured via I-94, WIS 128 and US 12.
• Access is being maintained to commercial and private driveways in the work zone.

Eau Claire County
Highway: I-94
Location: Just west of the WIS 312/County EE interchange to the Chippewa River Bridge northwest of WIS 37.
Schedule: July 11, 2022, to September 2023
Cost: $23.71 million
Description: Reconstructing east- and westbound I-94 by removing and replacing the existing pavement from WIS 312/County EE to County E, replacing culverts and guardrail, installing median cable barrier, restoring the ditches and slopes and placing new pavement markings. Making improvements at the I-94/WIS 312/County EE interchange, including replacing the joints on the bridge, overlaying the deck with concrete and replacing the pavement on either side of the bridge and the ramps. Resurfacing east- and westbound I-94 by milling and overlaying the existing asphalt pavement from County C to the Chippewa River Bridge.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter bidirectional traffic on I-94 and WIS 312.

• I-94 traffic is operating on the westbound lanes from County E to just west of the WIS 312/County EE interchange.
• WIS 312 traffic is operating on the eastbound lanes in the interchange area.

Jackson County
Highway: WIS 121
Location: County FF South to WIS 95 west of Alma Center
Schedule: April 6 to June
Cost: $2.86 million
Description: Removing a portion of the existing pavement and placing new asphalt pavement; replacing culverts that have reached the ends of their service lives; upgrading guardrail; installing rumble strips; and replacing pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: WIS 121 is closed to through traffic for culvert replacement, with traffic detoured via WIS 95, I-94 and WIS 121.

Polk County
Highway: US 63
Location: St. Croix/Polk County line to County J south of the village of Clayton
Schedule: April 12 to late September
Cost: $5.71 million
Description: Replacing the pedestrian underpass east of 7th Street in the village of Clear Lake; milling off 2 inches of asphalt pavement and placing 3.25 inches of new asphalt; adding shoulder gravel to accommodate the highway profile increase; realigning the approach of County A/F at US 63 to achieve better sight distance at the intersection; realigning the approach of 60th Avenue at US 63; expanding the intersection tapers to meet current design standards; replacing guardrail; and cleaning, lining or repairing culverts and installing new end walls on some structures.
Traffic impacts: The week of April 17, US 63 is expected to be reduced to a single lane of traffic at the pedestrian underpass east of 7th Street in Clear Creek midweek, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.

St. Croix County
Highway: WIS 65
Location: I-94 westbound ramp to just south of Wagner Drive in Roberts
Schedule: April 3 to November
Cost: $6.47 million
Description: Expanding WIS 65 from two to four lanes from the I-94 westbound ramp terminal to about 1,200 feet north of 70th Avenue; installing turn lanes, traffic islands and new traffic signals at the 70th Avenue intersection; upgrading drainage; placing permanent signage and new pavement markings; and modifying the park and ride lot.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter a single-lane closure on WIS 65 between the I-94/WIS 65 roundabouts.

Highway: I-94
Location: Safety and weight enforcement facility (SWEF) off eastbound I-94 east of Hudson
Schedule: Sept. 12, 2022, to October 2023
Cost: $21.98 million
Description: Replacing the existing SWEF building with a modern one, reconstructing the parking lots and ramp/loop roadways and constructing an automated truck traffic monitoring system along eastbound I-94, a virtual weigh station along US 12 and an approximate 300-foot communications tower near the new building.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter the following off-site impacts:

• Westbound I-94:
• There will be a continuous median shoulder closure with barrier wall until temporary widening of the eastbound median is removed later this summer.
• Eastbound I-94:
• The week of April 17, there will be off-peak driving lane closures for paving the outside shoulder in temporary widening areas.
• There will be left-lane closure and lane shifts late the week of April 17 or early the week of April 24.
• There will be a continuous outside shoulder closure with barrier wall at the SWEF ramp locations until tie-in work is completed this summer.

• US 12:
• The week of April 24, there will be single-lane closures between Ross Road and Clint's Trail controlled by flagging and an eastbound shoulder closure for the installation of a virtual weigh station.

Highway: I-94
Location: Rush River bridges west of Baldwin
Schedule: Sept. 7, 2021, to October 2023
Cost: $6.14 million
Description: Building temporary roadway and bridges to maintain four lanes of traffic on I-94; removing and replacing the existing east- and westbound I-94 bridges over the Rush River with structures wide enough to allow for an additional lane of traffic on I-94 when warranted, along with approach pavement; clearing and grubbing ditches; and installing storm sewer, signage, pavement marking, guardrail and fence.
Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter the following closures for the coming week:

• Eastbound I-94 lane closures:
• 7 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday.
• 5 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday.
• 5 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
• 5 p.m. Wednesday to 11 a.m. Thursday.
• 6 p.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. Friday

Highway: I-94
Location: Carr Creek south of Woodville and County NN between County B and WIS 128
Schedule: July 19, 2021, to November 2023
Cost: $21.6 million
Description: Building temporary roadway and bridges to maintain four lanes of traffic on I-94; removing and replacing the existing east- and westbound I-94 bridges over Carr Creek and County NN with structures wide enough to allow for an additional lane of traffic on I-94 when warranted; constructing eastbound exit ramp and westbound entrance ramp bridges and realigning the ramps at the I-94-County B interchange; extending the north end of the existing box culvert at County NN; and completing grading operations, approach work, sign installation and pavement marking.
Traffic impacts: Motorists can expect to encounter the following lane closures on I-94 for the coming week on:

• Westbound I-94:
• 8 p.m. Sunday to 2 p.m. Monday
• 5 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday
• 5 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday
• 5 p.m. Wednesday to 2 p.m. Thursday
• 6 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday
• 7 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday
• Eastbound I-94
• 6 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday
• 5 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday
• 5 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday
• 5 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday
• 6 p.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. Friday
• 8 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday

Trempealeau County
Highway: I-94
Location: County NN north of Osseo to the east county line
Schedule: July 18, 2022, to November 2024
Cost: $23.69 million
Description: Removing and replacing existing east- and westbound I-94 and I-94/US 10 interchange ramp concrete pavement, adding right-turn lanes at the I-94/US 10 interchange in Osseo and completing a polymer/chip seal on the US 10 bridge over I-94.
Traffic impacts: I-94 is open to two lanes of traffic in each direction, but motorists might encounter single-lane closures during off-peak travel times.

• Eastbound I-94 traffic is scheduled to be switched onto the temporary lanes built in 2022 on Wednesday, April 19.
• Eastbound ramp traffic at the I-94/US 10 interchange are using temporary ramps until the permanent ramps are completed in late August.

Washburn County
Highway: WIS 77
Location: County I west of the village of Minong east to County M
Schedule: April 10 to late July
Cost: $8.48 million
Description: Removing a portion of the existing pavement and placing new asphalt pavement; cleaning, repairing or installing new culverts; reconstructing sidewalk curb ramps in the village of Minong; replacing deteriorated curb and gutter in the village of Minong; replacing guardrail; placing centerline rumble strips in rural areas; and installing new pavement markings.
Traffic impacts: Motorists on westbound WIS 77 will encounter a shoulder closures in the village of Minong for curb and gutter work.

Highway: US 53
Location: Pine Grove Road southeast of Shell Lake to Wildcat Road southeast of Spooner
Schedule: Aug. 15, 2022, to October 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: The week of April 17, the inside travel lanes will be closed as the contractor preps for the traffic switch to the southbound lanes, which is expected to occur late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Then, one lane of north- and southbound traffic will be operating on the southbound lanes.