Location
US 8, River Avenue in the city of Ladysmith to Prentice Street in the village of Glen Flora, all in Rusk County. The approximate 11-mile project also goes through the village of Tony and towns of Flambeau, Dewey and True.
Overview
The existing pavement is deteriorating, and cracking and rutting are present; the curb ramps in Ladysmith and Tony don't meet the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA, standards; and there is a small section of discontinuity in the sidewalk in Tony.
The proposed project includes:
- Milling and overlaying approximately 11 miles of US 8 with asphalt.
- Replacing or removing deteriorated guardrails.
- Replacing deteriorated sections of curb and gutter.
- Reconstructing curb ramps to meet Americans With Disabilities Act standards, where feasible.
- Constructing a short segment of sidewalk in the village of Tony between Linden and Walnut streets to provide continuity.
- Installing new pavement marking.
- Placing centerline rumble strips in rural areas to maintain safe operating conditions along US 8.
- Paving the shoulders, including an additional two feet, and adding shoulder rumble strips to minimize run-off-the-road crashes.
- From 2013 to 2017, there were 49 crashes along this 11-mile segment of US 8; 17 of them involved vehicles running off the road.
- Evaluating the installation of railroad signals and gates at the County B railroad crossing in Glen Flora, which is adjacent to the US 8 project.
The following projects also are planned on US 8:
- A culvert improvement project is planned for 2023 along US 8 between Ladysmith and the east county line.
- A pavement rehabilitation project on US 8 between Prentice Street in Glen Flora and the Rusk-Price County line is planned in 2024.
Real Estate
Almost all work is anticipated to occur within the existing right of way. However:
- Minor right of way or temporary easements will be required at some of the curb ramp locations in the city of Ladysmith and village of Tony.
- To improve the curb ramps in the city of Ladysmith, right of way and easements will be needed from the city’s Memorial Park. Coordination is ongoing with the city, and acquisition of right of way from parklands is subject to agency review and approval of the environmental document.
- Easements also might be required to add railroad signals and gates at the County B railroad crossing.
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Rights of Landowners Under Wis. Eminent Domain Law
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Schedule
Construction is ;scheduled to start in 2024.
- The work is expected to take four to five months to complete.
Traffic Impacts
During construction:
- US 8 will remain open to traffic, but there will be single-lane closures with flagging operations directing motorists through the work zone.
- Local and emergency access will be maintained to adjacent properties, but brief interruptions in access might occur temporarily at driveways.
- Shoulder and parking lane closures are expected during paving work.
- Pedestrians will be staged in the city of Ladysmith and village of Tony, where feasible.
Project Documents
Contacts
Jeff Saxby
WisDOT Northwest Region Consultant Project Manager
(920) 380-2805
JSaxby@sehinc.com
Jeff Olson
WisDOT Northwest Region Project Supervisor
(715) 395-3032
jeffrey.olson@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
Northwest Region, Superior Office
1701 N. 4th St.
Superior, WI 54880
(715) 392-7925, (800) 590-1868
nwr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov