Extensive U.S. Highway 8 improvement project starts next month in Pelican

Next month a $6.2 million transformation will get underway for US 8, between highways 47 and 17 North, in the town of Pelican.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced Thursday that Gov. Tony Evers has signed a $6.2 million contract for the construction project. Details such as staging, schedule, traffic impacts, and other important points will be shared with the public by project staff at a construction information meeting Thursday, April 2, at 5 p.m. at Rhinelander City Hall.

“Musson Brothers is the prime contractor for the project,” WisDOT noted in its March 19 news release. “Crews will remove the existing asphalt and concrete pavement, pave a new asphalt pavement surface and install centerline rumble strips. The intersections of WIS 17 South/WD Boyce Drive and County G with US 8 will be reconstructed as single lane roundabouts. The WIS 17 North/Germond Road intersection with US 8 will be milled and overlayed.

“During construction, US 8 will be closed during construction and detoured onto WIS 17 North, Lincoln Street, South Courtney Street, Pelham Street, Arbutus Street and Kemp Street. Temporary pavement will be used at the WIS 17 South/WD Boyce Drive and County G intersections to allow access to the detour route from WIS 17 South. Temporary pavement and temporary signals will be used at the County G intersection to allow through traffic on County G.”

Construction is anticipated to be completed by November, depending on weather conditions and construction progress.