Area DOT projects on track

Two area projects involving the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) that started in early April are still set to be largely complete before the Memorial Day weekend. 

One of the projects is on a 7.2 mile stretch of road U.S. Highway 51 just north of the Hwy. 51/U.S. Highway 8 interchange in Lincoln County.

 County Highway L has been used as the primary detour that will be, if things continue as they have, removed as Hwy. 51 is reopened.

Michelle Guoin, a project manager for the DOT, said the detour will be removed and Hwy. 51 reopened at noon on Thursday, May 21.

She acknowledged that is a “slight change” from what was originally planned “but we did run into some additional work that had to be done on one of the bridges.”

“Thursday (May21) by noon is when all the traffic control and everything is to be off the highway and it has to be opened back to traffic,” Guoin said. “After Memorial Day, they’re going to have to come back and finish some work but it would be under flagging. There’s a polymer overlay that goes on the bridges and that can’t go on until the concrete has 28 days of cure time.”

As for the project in downtown Minocqua, Guoin said paving, curb and ramp work for the southbound lanes (Oneida Street) should be, weather permitting, complete before Memorial Day weekend. 

Work on the northbound lanes (Chippewa Street) is to be complete by June 18. 

However, Guoin said regardless the status of that northbound lane project before Memorial Day weekend, things would be “buttoned up” and all traffic control measures removed until after that weekend “and then the contractor would come back and finish anything to be done in the northbound lanes.”

“It’s hard to say at this point if there’s going to be any work that will remain,” she said. “The southbound work finished before Memorial Day is going to be tight but we’re on track to meet that deadline right now. Hopefully, we don’t get anymore bad weather.”

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].