Governor Walker approves I-39/US 51 improvements in Portage County

April 4, 2012

Work scheduled to begin in early May, motorists can expect to encounter delays

As part of his efforts to create jobs and make sure Wisconsin is open for business, Governor Scott Walker recently signed a $3.7 million contract to improve approximately 11 miles of northbound and southbound I-39 between WIS 54 and 2nd Street North in the city of Stevens Point and the village of Plover.

Construction is currently scheduled to begin on Monday, May 7.

American Asphalt is the prime contractor for the project. Improvements include:

• Crack sealing from WIS 54 to just north of Portage County HH.
• Milling and asphalt paving northbound and southbound I-39/US 51 from just north of County HH to 2nd Street North.
• Milling and asphalt paving the I-39/US 51 northbound off-ramp to WIS 66 west and the US 10 on-ramp to northbound I-39/US 51. This work will require crews to close the ramps.

During construction, I-39 will remain open to traffic; however, motorists can expect to encounter delays due to single lane closures. To avoid delays motorists may want allow extra travel time or take a different route. Crews will open the highway to two lanes in each direction each weekend.

Repaving the interchange ramps will require full closures. To minimize impacts to businesses and motorists the crews will close the ramps for two consecutive nights. When the interchange ramps are closed, traffic will be detoured to the WIS 66 east interchange or the Portage County HH interchange.

Construction is currently scheduled for completion in late June 2012.

Ninety percent of the project will be paid with federal transportation funds; the remaining 10 percent will be paid with state transportation funds.

For more information, contact:
Communications Manager Kristin McHugh, WisDOT NC Region
(715) 421-8380, kristin.mchugh@dot.wi.gov