Road construction work to take Memorial Day weekend break

Posted at 12:25 p.m. on May 24, 2017

The Brillion News

To accommodate heavy traffic volumes expected over the Memorial Day weekend, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) is asking contractors to temporarily halt construction work on many highway improvement projects across the state.

While workers will open as many highway lanes as possible, motorists should still allow extra travel time and expect slower traffic in work zones and along major highway corridors.

Construction in most highway work zones will stop by noon on Friday, May 26, and will not resume until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.

Peak travel times for the Memorial Day weekend are expected to occur between noon until 8 p.m. on both Friday, May 26, and Monday, May 29.

AAA of Wisconsin expects some 700,000 state residents will travel 50 miles or more on state roadways over the holiday weekend.

“We’ll be pulling back construction barrels and opening as many lanes as possible, but we’re asking motorists to plan ahead, avoid peak travel periods if possible, and expect traffic to slow down or even stop especially in work zones,” said Wayne Chase, the DOT’s Chief Construction Oversight Engineer. “We need drivers to be patient and focused on what’s ahead of them to prevent rear-end crashes that are common in work zones.”

Safety reminders

State law prohibits drivers from using a handheld mobile device in Wisconsin work zones except for emergencies. Fines start at $40.

During last year’s Memorial Day weekend in Wisconsin, 10 people lost their lives in traffic-related crashes.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will utilize aircraft as part of traffic safety enforcement efforts. The dates, times and locations of many of the aerial enforcement missions are announced in advance on Twitter (@WisconsinDOT, #WisDOT).

Construction here

Significant road construction projects that may affect highway travel during the Memorial Day weekend include:

1. I-43 in Brown County is reduced to a single lane in each direction between Denmark (State 96) and the State 172/I-43 ramps in Green Bay. Also, I-43 in southern Manitowoc County is reduced to a single lane in each direction. As these lane reductions may result in traffic back-ups and/or slow travel, motorists may wish to consider using I-41 through Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Outagamie and Brown counties as an alternate north/south route.

2. I-41 near US 10 in Winnebago County – northbound and southbound lanes of I-41 have a 55 mph speed reduction and lane shifts throughout the 441 Tri-Project work zone. Eastbound and westbound US 10 also have a 55 mph speed reduction through the work zone.

3. State 22 in Clintonville (Waupaca County) is closed between 13th Street and State 156. Through traffic is detoured.

4. State 54 between Dexterville and Port Edwards (Wood County) is closed and detoured.