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 motorists will encounter lane closures and a reduced speed limit.
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.
- 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 southbound lane.
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 will encounter lane closures on the south end of the project.
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 F
- Location: View Lane east of Dresser to WIS 65 south of Balsam Lake
- Schedule: May 5 to June 17
- Cost: $1.14 million
- Description: Milling a portion of the existing pavement, placing new asphalt pavement, adding shoulder gravel and replacing pavement markings.
- Traffic impacts: County F remains open to traffic, but motorists will 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.
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 will encounter lane closures on the south end of the project.
Regionwide Pavement Marking Project
Highway: Various
- Location: Barron, Sawyer, Polk, and Washburn counties.
- Schedule: April 28 to mid-October
- Cost: $1.97 million
- Description: Replacing epoxy centerlines, edge lines and special markings.
- Traffic impacts: Motorists will encounter moving lane closures or traffic diversions where crews are working.
Last Update: Jun 08, 2025 2:13 pm CDT
