Most highway construction will come to a temporary stop, but motorists will need to be alert for work zones, reduced speed limits and potential slow-downs
Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are asking July Fourth holiday travelers to buckle up, stay alert, and expect slower traffic in work zones and along major travel corridors. Peak travel times are expected between noon and 8 p.m. on Wednesday (July 3) and Sunday (July 7). Construction in most highway work zones will stop by noon on Wednesday (July 3) and will not resume until 6 a.m. on Monday, July 8.
While workers will open as many highway lanes as possible, motorists still need to be patient, alert and watch their speed. The Wisconsin State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will be keeping an eye on traffic and assisting stranded motorists. Important safety tips for travelers:
•Slow down. Excessive speed is a major factor in traffic crashes. Last year in Wisconsin, there were nearly 20,000 speed-related crashes resulting in 7,957 injuries and 173 fatalities.
•Eliminate distractions and focus on the road ahead. Texting while driving is prohibited and very dangerous. Drivers in Wisconsin are also prohibited from using a handheld mobile device in work zones (except in an emergency).
•Move Over or slow down when approaching emergency responders such as police and fire vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks and highway maintenance vehicles that are stopped along a highway with their warning lights flashing.
•Properly secure trailers and cargo. If your vehicle breaks down, try to get safely off the highway. Remain buckled up inside your vehicle and wait for help to arrive.
Significant road construction projects that may impact holiday travel:
•I-41/94 in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties has an 18.5-mile long construction work zone. There are three lanes available in both directions but some of the areas have narrow lanes and lane shifts. Southbound has limited access to and from the Interstate with WIS 20 being the only full-service interchange available between Ryan Road and WIS 142. The entire length of the project has a reduced speed limit of 60 mph.
•Dane and Rock counties: Motorists on I-39/90 and I-43 near Beloit should be alert for lane shifts, crossovers and reduced speeds.
•Dane County: Verona Road (US 18/151) – motorists should be alert for lane shifts, turn restrictions and reduced speeds.
•La Crosse County: I-90 is reduced to single lane in each direction between La Crosse and West Salem.
•Monroe County: I-90 is reduced to two lanes of bi-directional traffic from Sparta to Tomah.
•Iowa County: US 151 westbound lane closure near Barneveld
•Winnebago, Calumet and Outagamie counties: Eastbound and westbound US 10 have reduced lanes and lane shifts with a 55-mph speed limit in the WIS 441 work zone.
•Fond du Lac County: US 45 in the village of Eden is closed to through traffic. Detour uses US 151, I-41 and WIS 28.
•Manitowoc County/City of Manitowoc: US 10 (Waldo Blvd) is closed from 8th Street to Maritime Drive in the city of Manitowoc. WIS 42 is closed at Waldo Blvd in the city of Manitowoc.
Eastbound US 10 will be detoured at the junction of I-43 and US 151. Detour will follow US 151 east to the junction of US 151 and US 10.
Westbound US 10 will be detoured at junction of US 151 and US 10. Detour will follow US 151 west to I-43, north on I-43 to westbound US 10.
Eastbound WIS 42 will be detoured at the junction of I-43 and WIS 42. Detour will follow I-43 north to WIS 310, east on WIS 310 to eastbound WIS 42.
Westbound WIS 42 will be detoured at the junction of WIS 310 and WIS 42. Detour will follow WIS 310 west to I-43, south on I-43 to westbound WIS 42.
•Marquette County: WIS 23 in the city of Montello is closed to through traffic as the roadway is reconstructed. A detour is posted.
•Marathon County: Marathon County WW bridge in the village of Maine will be reduced to one 10 ½-foot-wide lane with the use of temporary signals.
•Oneida County: Motorists on WIS 47 will have a short local detour around the US 8/WIS 47 intersection construction in Rhinelander. US 8 is open to through traffic.
•Portage County: Business 51 (Post Road) in the village of Plover and Whiting is reduced to one lane in each direction with a 12-foot width restriction. County HH is closed at Business 51 in the village of Whiting with a local detour around the road closure.
•Waupaca County: WIS 156 at the Wolf River bridge (five miles east of Clintonville) is reduced to one lane with the use of temporary signals.
•Wood County: WIS 97 (Central Avenue) in the city of Marshfield is reduced to one lane in each direction with a 12-foot width restriction.
•Sawyer County: US 63 from Hayward to Seeley is open to traffic except for large trucks, which are detoured using WIS 77, WIS 27 and US 2.
•Dunn County: Eastbound motorists through the I-94 construction zone should be alert for lane shifts and narrow shoulders between WIS 128 and 250th Street.
•Dunn County: The Hay River Bridge (WIS 25) will be closed between WIS 170 and County Highway N. Detour uses WIS 170, County S and County N.
•Buffalo County: WIS 35 bridges over the Mississippi River tributaries will have traffic signals controlling a single lane closure.
For up-to-the-minute information on work zones and incidents that may affect highway travel, motorists can access the state’s 511 travel information system by downloading the free 511 Wisconsin mobile app or following @511WI on Twitter. Users can also access the system by visiting 511wi.gov on the web.