Memorial Day weekend travel forecast: Mostly clear Few work zones to hinder holiday travelers

Highway construction crews will wrap up their work early on Friday (5/25) to
allow Memorial Day holiday weekend travelers to get to their destinations
with as few lane restrictions and detours as possible.  Most work will cease
at noon Friday and won’t resume again until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 29.

“We’re doing everything we can to give motorists as many open roads as
possible to take advantage of the three day weekend,” Don Miller, director
of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Project
Development said.  “That said, there are a number of long-term projects that
will require lane shifts, lane width restrictions, and even a few detours,
so we suggest that travelers allow a little extra time to get where they’re
going.”

Miller said there are a few projects that may affect travel on major routes.
I-90 at La Crosse will be reduced to one lane in each direction at Highway
35.  Madison Beltline traffic will see lane shifts with traffic reduced to
two lanes in each direction.  In Milwaukee, the Marquette Interchange
project continues with full ramp closures between I-43/I-94 from the south
to westbound I-94 and from I-43 north and southbound to and from I-794.
Elsewhere, I-39/US 51/WIS 29 traffic through Wausau will have two lanes open
in each direction through a work zone, but there may be width restrictions.
And I-43 east of Beloit is down to one lane in each direction.  (A more
detailed list is below.)

Miller cautioned, however, that travelers will still see projects in process
with lots of orange barrels along the side of the road.  He said work zones
require motorists to slow down and watch out for changing conditions.  “Work
zones often have rough pavement, narrow lanes, lane shifts, and congestion.
When you see the signs for work zones ahead, be prepared to slow down
because your normal driving conditions are about to change.”

One of the best ways to find out if there’s a work zone along your intended
route this summer is to log onto the Department of Transportation’s Web site
(www.dot.wisconsin.gov <
./” target=_blank>http://www.mchange.org>.
   2.    I-43 at Moorland Road interchange, 1 mile.  I-43 will have
two lanes in each direction through the work zone.  Moorland Road will have
one lane open in each direction.
   3.    WIS 11 Burlington Bypass from WIS 83 to WIS 36/83, 11 miles.
Construction of the bypass requires WIS 11 through-traffic to detour using
WIS 75 and WIS 142.  WIS 36/83 on the northeast side of the city is reduced
to a single lane of traffic in each direction.
   4.    WIS 67 in Oconomowoc, 1 mile.  Bridge reconstruction
requires through traffic on WIS 67 to detour to the new Oconomowoc Bypass.
Follow the signed detour route.
   5.    WIS 60 in Hartford, 1.1 miles.  Reconstruction of highway
requires detour via Dodge County Highways P and S, WIS 83 and North Wilson
Avenue.  Access is maintained to local businesses and residences.
   6.    US 41 between Fond du Lac County OO to WIS 26 at Oshkosh,
7.9 miles.  Traffic will be open to two lanes in each direction through the
work zone starting mid-day Friday (5/25).
   7.    US 10/441 Lake Butte des Morts Bridge, 1 mile.  Pavement and
bridge repairs reduce traffic to one lane in each direction.  From US 41 to
Winnebago County AP, work will require closure of most of the ramps at the
US 10/US 41/WIS 441 interchange.  Alternate routes for the closed ramps are
posted.
   8.    I-43/US 151 interchange at Manitowoc.  Lane restrictions
will affect traffic on US 151 near the interchange.  All lanes open on I-43.
   9.    I-43 from WIS 140 at Clinton to the east Rock County line,
5.2 miles.  Pavement replacement limits traffic to one lane in each
direction.
   10.    US 12/US 14/US 18, the Madison Beltline, between Verona Road
and Park Street, 2 miles.  Road reconstruction shifts traffic lanes.  Two
lanes open in each direction, but with an 11-foot width restriction.
   11.    WIS 73 in Plainfield, 1.9 miles.  Reconstruction has closed
WIS 73 between 5th Avenue and Waushara County BB.  Traffic is detoured via
I-39/US 51, County D and County BB.  The detour route also has an 11-foot
width restriction at County BB and WIS 73 for approximately one quarter
mile.
   12.    US 10 between Portage County J and Lake Road, 5.9 miles.
Construction of new four-lane highway limits traffic to one lane in each
direction through the work zone.
   13.    WIS 66 from Portage County J to the west village limits of
Rosholt and from the east village limits to WIS 49, 10 miles.  Highway is
being reconstructed with detour via WIS 49, WIS 153, and US 51.  Local
access to Rosholt is maintained via WIS 66, County Z and County A from the
west and via WIS 66 from the east.
   14.    I-39/US 51/WIS 29 through Wausau, 8 miles.  Roadway and
bridge reconstruction requires width restrictions but two lanes will remain
open in each direction.  Detailed information is available at
www.5129wausau.com <
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/news/docs/memday2007.pdf.  Numbers above
correspond to numbers on Web map.