NORTHWEST WISCONSIN -- This week’s updates from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) on road construction projects for Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Barron County
Highway: US 53
- Location: Bridges over 22½ Avenue north of Rice Lake
- Schedule: May 14 to early August
- Cost: $770,405
- Description: Replacing the concrete deck overlays, replacing the bridge approach slabs, repairing bridge wing walls, repairing cracks on girders and parapet as necessary and replacing guardrail as necessary.
- Traffic impacts: US 53 remains open to traffic, but the highway is reduced to a single lane in both directions.
Highway: US 53 South
- Location: Bridges over US 8, 20th Street, Knapp Street, County I, Chetek River, County A, County AA and Carlson School Road between Cameron and New Auburn
- Schedule: May 5 to mid-November, 2025 construction; March 1 to late September, total project completion.
- Cost: $10.91 million
- Description of 2025 work: Replacing the decks on the bridges over County AA and County A; overlaying the decks with concrete on structures over Carlson School Road, Knapp Street and US 8; making miscellaneous repairs to bridges; completing prep work for 2026 construction on the bridges over the Chetek River, County I and 20th Street; and replacing guardrail at the structures.
- Traffic impacts: US 53 South remains open to traffic, but:
- Motorists will encounter lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in work zones.
- US 53 South reopens to two lanes of traffic, with a 70-mph speed limit between closures.
- There is a maximum width of 15 feet 3 inches on the open lane on most bridges.
- Motorists also will encounter intermittent daytime closures of the roads below the bridges during the work week.
- Southbound US 53 is tentatively scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 2 to 6 a.m. Thursday, July 3 between the Chetek and New Auburn exits.
- During the closure, traffic will be detoured via County I, County SS and County M.
- Motorists will encounter lane closures and a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in work zones.
Highway: US 63
- Location: Just west of WIS 48 West to Charrie Lane in Cumberland
- Schedule: April 28 to mid-September
- Cost: $3.68 million
- Description: Removing 3.25 inches of the existing pavement and placing 3.25 inches of new asphalt pavement; closing access to the roadway at various locations to improve safety; upgrading pedestrian curb ramps to current Americans With Disabilities Act standards; repairing or replacing curb, gutter and sidewalk; repairing sanitary sewer manholes and storm water inlets as needed; extending the two-way left-turn lane pavement markings between 3rd and 5th avenues; and replacing pavement markings and signage.
- Traffic impacts: US 63 remains open to traffic, but:
- North- and southbound traffic has 12-foot travel lanes through the entire project.
- The parking lane and shoulder are closed along the northbound lane.
- North- and southbound traffic has 12-foot travel lanes through the entire project.
Highway: US 53
- Location: 26th Avenue north of Rice Lake to Pine Grove Road south of Sarona
- Schedule: Sept. 5, 2023, to late May 2025
- Cost: $21.89 million
- Description of 2025 work: Tensioning cable barrier in the median between 26th and 27th avenues to reduce crossover crashes; placing a high-friction surface treatment on the pavement in the same area to reduce crossover and run-off-the-road crashes; removing and replacing a concrete joint, which will result in a several-day closure of a southbound US 53 lane; and placing final pavement markings.
- Traffic impacts: US 53 is open to traffic, but motorists might encounter single-lane closures as finishing work is completed.
Burnett County
- No current projects
Polk County
Highway: 357th Avenue
- Location: Indian Creek Bridge west of Shell Lake
- Schedule: May 12 to late June
- Cost: $385,213
- Description: Replacing the bridge, grading and restoring the site.
- Traffic impacts: The road is closed at the bridge.
Highway: County B
- Location: County Z to WIS 35/48 north of Luck
- Schedule: April 25 to late August
- Cost: $2.78 million
- Description: Pulverizing and relaying the existing pavement, paving the road with asphalt and completing shoulder work.
- Traffic impacts: County B remains open to traffic, but motorists might encounter lane closures controlled by flagging during work hours.
Highway: County W
- Location: McKenzie Creek Bridge east of Frederic
- Schedule: May 6 to late June
- Cost: $454,311
- Description: Replacing the bridge, grading, replacing the pavement on both sides of the structure and restoring the site.
Traffic impacts: County W is closed, and traffic is being detoured via County I and County O.
Rusk County
- No current projects
Sawyer County
- No current projects
Washburn County
Highway: County K
- Location: US 63 in the city of Spooner to Sunset Lane
- Schedule: June 2 to late August
- Cost: $2.01 million
- Description: From US 63 to Division Street: Removing and replacing the existing pavement and base course, replacing curb and gutter, making spot sanitary sewer
- improvements, completing storm sewer repairs and placing new pavement markings and signage. From Division Street to Sunset Lane: Pulverizing the existing pavement and repaving it.
- Traffic impacts: County K is:
- Closed to through traffic from US 63 to Division Street.
- Open from Division Street to Sunset Lane, but motorists will encounter lane closures controlled by flagging during paving operations.
Highway: US 53
- Location: 26th Avenue north of Rice Lake to Pine Grove Road south of Sarona
- Schedule: Sept. 5, 2023, to late May 2025
- Cost: $21.89 million
- Description of 2025 work: Tensioning cable barrier in the median between 26th and 27th avenues to reduce crossover crashes; placing a high-friction surface treatment on the pavement in the same area to reduce crossover and run-off-the-road crashes; removing and replacing a concrete joint, which will result in a several-day closure of a southbound US 53 lane; and placing final pavement markings.
- Traffic impacts: US 53 is open to traffic, but motorists might encounter single-lane closures as finishing work is completed.
Last Update: Jun 27, 2025 1:56 pm CDT
