Highway 18-60 Project Update
Paving was being done near the intersection of Highway 18 and Highway 60 Tuesday morning as crews were heading toward the Wisconsin River Bridge.
Rebar was laid down Tuesday morning near The Port, a convenience store and gas station, ahead of the paving that was going toward the Wisconsin River Bridge.
Paving phase going well on Highway 18-60 Project
By Ted Pennekamp
Concrete paving on the Highway 18-60 Project in the town of Bridgeport began on July 25 and has been proceeded quite rapidly. The paving is expected to take three weeks to complete, said Construction Project Leader Jay P. Adams.
As of Aug. 2, the paving of two lanes had gone from near Walmart to near the parking lot of Prairie du Chien Country Club. Paving is also being done from near the Highway 18-Highway 60 intersection and heading south to the Highway 18 Bridge over the Wisconsin River.
Heavy rains within the last month have delayed the project, but Adams said it is expected to get back on schedule.
“When the grading work for Stage 2 begins, there is expected to be a very large workforce to help aid in getting the project back on schedule,” he said. Adams said Stage 1 is expected to be complete in August and Stage 2 is expected to be complete in November in time for the winter shutdown as originally planned.
Regarding side roads, Adams said, “There are no side roads closed at this current time, but as a general rule side roads will continue to be closed temporarily to allow for reconstruction as various construction processes progress through them. These include, grading, culvert work, base course placement and paving.”
Adams said that the target end date for the entire project is still May of 2017. He also noted that motorists will have to remain extra cautious during all stages of the project.
“Building a road under traffic is always a challenge and motorists will have to continue to navigate the work zone until the final traffic condition is in place and the project is complete,” he said.
There is expected to be a lot of extra traffic beginning Thursday, Aug. 4 and throughout the weekend for the Country on the River music festival next to Highway 18 in the town of Bridgeport.
“Starting back in the design stage of the project, Country on the River (COTR) was a consideration,” said Adams. “We have been working with COTR event organizers, the Sheriff’s Department and Highway Department in advance of the event. Both Ward and Bouska Roads will be open for the event and we will have message boards and revised pavement markings aiding in the guidance of motorists to and from the concert.”
The project is on U.S. Highway 18 between South Town Lane in Prairie du Chien and the Wisconsin River Bridge in Crawford County. The project also extends along State Highway 60 approximately 1,000 feet. The total project length is 3.2 miles.
The $17 million project, which is both state and federally funded, consists of reconstructing this corridor from the current two-lane configuration to a four-lane facility with a 50-foot median.
Several side roads along the corridor will be realigned in order to consolidate access locations. The west end of Old Highway 18 will no longer access US 18 in the current location. However, when the project is complete, Old Highway 18 will connect with Cabin Hill Lane. Access to all properties and businesses will be maintained through alternate routes.
Left and right turn lanes will be added at most intersections to improve traffic flow and safety. The finished project will consist of two 12-foot lanes, an 8-foot shoulder on the outside, and a 6-foot shoulder on the inside in each direction. The surface will be concrete pavement. Drainage will be improved with additional ditching and new drainage structures throughout the length of the project.
Traffic efficiency and safety are the primary reasons for the project. Additional lanes, dedicated turn lanes, and consolidation of access points are design elements that contribute to the increased safety and efficiency.
The intersection of Highway 18 and Highway 60 will also be made easier and safer. The most notable change to the US18/STH60 interchange will be improved lane designation which makes navigation through the intersection easier to understand. This is accomplished through longer and better marked turn lanes and tapers, raised islands, and updated pavement marking and signing. The intersection will be larger so the motorist will get in the proper lane sooner than they do in the current configuration. This eliminates some of the confusion associated with a tighter intersection design.
“Road construction inevitably brings inconvenience with it but I think motorists are going to be pleased with the end product,” Adams said. “It’s always a good feeling when we start to put the road back together as in the concrete pavement construction that is occurring right now.”
