Northwest Region Construction Update - April 10th

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.

Barron County

Highway: US 53 South

Location: Bridges between Cameron and New Auburn: structures over US 8, Knapp Street, County A, County AA and Carlson School Road, 2025, and structures over 20th Street, County I and the Chetek River, 2026

Schedule: Feb. 23 to October, 2026 construction; May 5, 2025, to October 2026, overall project

Cost: $10.91 million

Description of 2026 work: Replacing the decks on the bridges over the Chetek River and 20th Street; replacing the bridge over County I; milling pavement on both sides of each structure and placing new asphalt pavement on the approaches; milling and overlaying the pavement on the southbound US 53 on- and off-ramps at the County I interchange; and replacing guardrail, pavement markings and signage

Traffic impacts: Southbound US 53 remains open to traffic, but:

• Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on southbound US 53 and a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in work zones.

• Motorists also will encounter single-lane closures on County I for the duration of the bridge replacement project.

Buffalo County

Highway: County P

Location: Trempealeau River Bridge east of Fountain City in the town of Buffalo

Schedule: Feb. 23 to mid-October

Cost: $1.78 million

Description of work: Building a temporary bypass and structure, replacing the bridge, reconstructing roadway approaches and removing temporary bypass and structure

Traffic impacts: Motorists might encounter lane closures and flagging at the site.

• In addition, construction buoys have been added upstream and downstream.

Chippewa County

Highway: Southbound WIS 124

Location: Just south of the Duncan Creek Bridge to North Bridge Street in Chippewa Falls

Schedule: April 6 to mid-May, 2026 construction; June 2, 2025, to mid-May 2026, overall project

Cost: $2.56 million

Description of 2026 work: Removing and replacing deteriorated pavement in the intersection of Bay and West River streets and modifying traffic signals at West Columbia Street, West Grand Avenue, West Central Street, West Spring Street and West River Street

Traffic Impacts: Motorists on southbound WIS 124 (Bay Street) will encounter a right-lane closure from West Columbia Street to West Spring Street for signal base installation. Also:

• The Bay Street/River street intersection is closed.

  • The intersection closure is expected to be open by April 30.

  • Detour for southbound WIS 124: West Central Street to North Bridge Street to the roundabout

  • Detours for West River Street:

    • Eastbound traffic: Island Street, West Spring Street and North Bridge Street

    • Westbound traffic: WIS 124 north to WIS 124 south to West Central Street to Island Street

Highway: US 53

Location: 40th Avenue in Lake Hallie to County B in the town of Tilden

Schedule: March 2 to late June, 2026 construction; and April 1, 2024, to late June 2026, overall project

Cost: $36.6 million

Description of 2026 work: Replacing the pavement on southbound US 53 south of County N, widening the shoulder on the ramp from Business 29/County X to southbound US 53, placing polymer overlays on the southbound US 53 bridges over the Chippewa River and BUS 29/County X, replacing guardrail, completing culvert work, building permanent maintenance crossovers, installing new pavement markings and shoulder rumble strips and removing temporary crossovers used during construction

Traffic Impacts: US 53 remains open to traffic, but:

• Motorists will encounter bidirectional traffic between 40^th Avenue and County N and a reduced speed limit of 55 mph.

• The ramp from southbound US 53 to westbound WIS 29 is closed.

• The ramp from BUS 29/County X to southbound US 53 is closed.

• The ramp closures are expected to remain in place until May 22.

• The ramp from southbound US 53 to BUS 29/County X is closed until April 27.

• Motorists on southbound US 53 wanting to go to Chippewa Falls should use the County S exit.

Chippewa and Eau Claire counties

Highway: US 53

Location: Golf Road in Eau Claire to 40th Avenue in Lake Hallie

Schedule: April 6 to late May, 2026 construction; June 2, 2025, to late May 2026, overall project

Cost: $10 million

Description: Replacing the pavement approaching the Otter Creek bridges, making additional repairs in that area and placing pavement markings

Traffic Impacts: US 53 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter:

• The right lane on southbound US 53 is closed from the Otter Creek Bridge to WIS 93 southbound.

• The right lane on the ramp from westbound US 12 to northbound US 53 is closed.

• As early as Tuesday, April 14, the outside lanes of traffic on north- and southbound US 53 will be closed north and south of the US 12 interchange, but the inside lanes and ramps at the US 53/US 12 interchange will remain open to traffic.

Clark County

Highway: WIS 29

Location: County D in Owen to WIS 13 in Abbotsford

Schedule: March 30 to early October

Cost: $17.37 million

Description of work: Repairing the existing concrete pavement on WIS 29 and the ramps at the County E interchange and then overlaying the roadway and ramps with asphalt pavement; overlaying the ramps at Cardinal Avenue east of Owen and Hi Line Avenue in Abbotsford with asphalt; replacing guardrail to meet current WisDOT standards; repairing the decks on the east- and westbound WIS 29 bridges over County D and the railroad tracks to the east and placing a thin bonded polymer overlay over them; cleaning and repairing culverts to improve drainage; repairing the median inlets near Owen adjacent to concrete barrier wall; and completing minor grading of ditches

Traffic Impacts: Motorists are being shifted to the outside lanes on WIS 29 in both directions about 2 miles east of the WIS 29/WIS 73 interchange.

• The speed limit in that area is reduced to 55 mph.

Dunn County

Highway: US 12 and WIS 40

Location: US 12: Princeton Drive in Elk Mound to just north of WIS 29; and WIS 40, US 12 to County M in the village of Colfax

Schedule: March 30 to October

Cost: $8.99 million

Description of work: Milling 2.25 inches of existing asphalt and paving 3.25 inches of hot-mix asphalt in rural areas; milling 3.25 inches of existing asphalt and paving 3.25 inches of hot-mix asphalt in urban areas; replacing joints on the Eighteen Mile Creek Bridge in village of Colfax; placing centerline rumble strips in rural areas; replacing cross culverts, guardrail and sidewalk curb ramps; and replacing the railroad crossing in the village of Colfax

Traffic Impacts: Motorists will encounter single-lane closures on US 12 and WIS 40 controlled by flagging from Elk Mound through Colfax

• Flagging will be done using automated flagger assistance devices.

• In addition:

  • There are shoulder and parking lane closures through Colfax.

  • Temporary crossings are shifting pedestrians to the west and north side of WIS 40.

  • Starting Thursday, April 16, motorists will encounter single-lane closures with a maximum width of 12 feet at the bridge on WIS 40 south of the WIS 170 intersection.

Eau Claire County

Highway: WIS 93, WIS 312 and US 12

Location: WIS 93: East Hamilton Avenue, Eau Claire, to Deerfield Road, town of Washington; WIS 312: Old Wells Road to US 53, all in Eau Claire; and US 12: Truax Boulevard, Eau Claire, to Mayer Road, Altoona

Schedule: March 30 to mid-September

Cost: $2.91 million

Description of work: Reconstructing noncompliant curb ramps and upgrading pedestrian crossings that aren’t consistent or not fully provided where needed

Traffic Impacts: Motorists will encounter the following on:

Eastbound WIS 312

• Jeffers Road to northbound Business 53 off-ramp: Short-term single lane closures that are expected to be fully open by 2 p.m. each workday

Westbound 312

• Northbound US 53 on-ramp to McKinley Road: Single-lane closures

• Abbe Hill Drive to Old Wells Road: Short-term lane closures that are expected to be fully open by 2 p.m. each workday

• North Hastings Way - Southbound off-ramp and northbound on- and off-ramps, and US 53 - Southbound off-ramp and northbound on-ramp: There are truck detours in effect as the right-turn lanes for the ramps might be closed for a short term to complete curb ramp replacements. 

Eastbound US 12

• Cameron Street to Craig Road: Single-lane closures

Westbound US 12

• Craig Road to Cameron Street: Single-lane closures

Highway: I-94

Location: US 53 interchange to Mallard Road southwest of Eau Claire

Schedule: March 23 to late November, 2026 construction; and March 4, 2024, to late November 2026, overall project

Cost: $69.9 million

Description of 2026 work: Replacing the pavement on eastbound I-94 from Otter Creek to Mallard Road, the eastbound bridges over County J and County D and the box culvert carrying Kluckman Valley Creek under eastbound I-94 near County D; completing shoulders, removing temporary lanes and structures and restoring the interstate’s median

Traffic Impacts: Motorists will encounter lane closures in both directions during off-peak travel times and a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in the work zone.

• County J is closed at I-94.

  • Traffic is being detoured via US 53, County D, County JJ and County IJ.

• Motorists will encounter lane closures on Mallard Road from April 6-30.

Pierce County

Highway: WIS 65 and US 10

Location: Culverts carrying a branch of Goose Creek and branch of the south fork of the Kinnickinnic River under WIS 65 between River Falls and Ellsworth and culverts carrying unnamed drainageways under US 10 southeast of Ellsworth

Schedule: March 23 to early August

Cost: $2.15 million

Description of work: Replacing culvert C-47-2 and C-47-5 on WIS 65, reconstructing the roadway and removing guardrail; repairing the wing walls on culvert C-47-236 on US 10 and replacing guardrail at that location; and replacing culvert C-47-242 on US 10, reconstructing the road where work is being completed, replacing the guardrail on the north side of the highway and removing guardrail on the south side

Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter a climbing lane closure on westbound US 10 as repair work is being done on culvert C-47-236.

• WIS 65 is closed between 610^th Avenue and County J.

  • Traffic is being detoured via WIS 29, US 63 and US 10. 

  • The closure is anticipated to be in place through late April.

St. Croix County

Highway: I-94

Location: Bridges over Kinney Road and 100th Street between Roberts and Hudson

Schedule: March 30 to mid-October, 2026 construction; and Sept. 9, 2024, to mid-October 2026, overall project

Cost: $20.08 million

Description of 2026 work: Removing and replacing the eastbound I-94 bridges; replacing I-94 pavement on both sides of structures in both directions; installing storm sewer; replacing guardrail and pavement markings; removing temporary structures and travel lanes; and restoring the median

Traffic Impacts: I-94 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter the following on:

• Eastbound I-94

  • Traffic is operating on temporary roadways in the median in the 100th Street and Kinney Road work zones.

  • The speed limit in those work zones has been reduced to 60 mph.

  • The eastbound lanes will be fully closed to traffic to set girders on the 100^th Street structure. That closure currently is anticipated to be in place from 11 p.m. Thursday, April 23 to 5 a.m. Friday, April 24.

Highway: I-94

Location: St. Croix River bridges between Hudson and Lakeland, Minn.

Schedule: April 6 to late October, 2026 construction; Sept. 29, 2025, to late October 2026, overall construction

Cost: $9.85 million

Description of 2026 work: Construction on both bridges includes: Replacing the modular and expansion joints, placing a new polymer overlay on the bridge decks, making concrete surface repairs, cleaning of bridge bearings and replacing pavement markings. Construction on the westbound bridge also includes: Making repairs on the east and west abutment back walls, completing spot painting of bridge pin and hanger system. Construction on the eastbound bridge also includes: Repairing the east abutment back wall and replacing the sidewalk railing. Construction on the retaining wall on the Wisconsin approach: Replacing the block wall crossing under and adjacent to I-94 and parallel to the pedestrian path.

Traffic impacts: I-94 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter the following on:

• Eastbound I-94:

  • Three lanes are open to traffic, with lanes reduced to an 11-foot width.

• Westbound I-94:

  • Traffic is reduced to two lanes, with one lane shifted across the median onto eastbound I-94.

    • The westbound traffic split will begin near the 11^th Street overpass in Hudson.

• Ramps

  • All entrance and exit ramps remain open on both sides of the river.

    • Westbound exit access will be from the outside lane.

Sawyer County

Highway: County D

Location: Chippewa River Bridge east of Exeland in the town of Weirgor

Schedule: March 23 to early July

Cost: $1.08 million

Description of work: Replacing the bridge deck, making concrete surface repairs to the abutments, piers and girders, completing bridge joint, shoulder and guardrail work and replacing the roadway approach pavement

Traffic impacts: County D is closed at the Chippewa River.

• Traffic is being detoured via WIS 40, WIS 70 and WIS 27.

Taylor County

Highway: County O

Location: Little Black River Bridge southeast of Medford

Schedule: April 6 to late May

Cost: $663,990

Description of work: Removing and replacing the bridge deck, adding concrete approach slabs, replacing a minor amount of asphalt pavement, completing shouldering, upgrading guardrail and placing pavement markings

Traffic impacts: County O is closed at the bridge.

• Traffic is being detoured via WIS 13, WIS 64 and County C.

Trempealeau County

Highway: Smikrud Road

Location: Grant Creek Bridge south of Ettrick in the town of Gale

Schedule: Feb. 19 to late May

Cost: $580,841

Description of work: Building a temporary bypass and structure, replacing the bridge, reconstructing roadway approaches and removing the temporary bypass and structure

Traffic impacts: Motorists are using a temporary bypass to get around the construction site.

For more information regarding traffic impacts, transportation news and improvement project updates in Wisconsin’s Northwest Region:

• Follow us on X: @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.