Midwest Construction Watch

[hobsini2]

The ramp from NB 294 to WB 90 near O'Hare is officially open again as of last Saturday.

[NWI_Irish96]

Up in Northern Indiana last week and noticed the following:

Got to check out some of the Elkhart CR 17 construction near IN 119 last week.  New section from CR 28 to CR 38 (including SR 119 intersection) expected to open this Fall.

SR 19 near Lexington Ave (old US 20) in Elkhart is getting a badly needed reconstruction.  Down to one lane each way in this area. 

No real evidence yet of construction of the new US 31 near US 6.

[Brandon]

The ramp from NB 294 to WB 90 near O'Hare is officially open again as of last Saturday.

Woot!  Congrats to ISTHA for getting it finished early.

[triplemultiplex]

US 10 in central Wisconsin between Marshfield and Junction City is oh-so-close to opening.
I took the opportunity on Sunday to "pre-drive" a couple miles.  All that is needed is striping and signage:


When it opens in about a month, a lot of changes will happen.
First of all, Marshfield will no longer be the largest city in this state not connected to a four lane highway.
Second, there will be a slew of renumberings as WI 13 is rerouted via US 10 and WI 34 between Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids.  I could spell it all out, but it's easier to go here:
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/us10/changes.htm
Being true to form for Wisconsin, the reroute of WI 13 creates more multiplexes, including an unnecessary one with WI 34 between Wisconsin Rapids and Junction City, and a situation where 2 state highways could be united into 1 (WI 80 and 97) but are not.

[agentsteel53]

how did you get on the road?  was it legal to do so?

[NE2]

Apparently the west end of the new US 10 opened yesterday: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/opencms/export/nr/modules/news/news_3456.html_786229440.html

[mgk920]

US 10 in central Wisconsin between Marshfield and Junction City is oh-so-close to opening.
I took the opportunity on Sunday to "pre-drive" a couple miles.  All that is needed is striping and signage:


When it opens in about a month, a lot of changes will happen.
First of all, Marshfield will no longer be the largest city in this state not connected to a four lane highway.
Second, there will be a slew of renumberings as WI 13 is rerouted via US 10 and WI 34 between Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids.  I could spell it all out, but it's easier to go here:
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/us10/changes.htm
Being true to form for Wisconsin, the reroute of WI 13 creates more multiplexes, including an unnecessary one with WI 34 between Wisconsin Rapids and Junction City, and a situation where 2 state highways could be united into 1 (WI 80 and 97) but are not.

They worked fast, especially the part around Auburndale - that wasn't even under construction yet the last time I was out there.  (Dry weather will do that! )

I'll have to check it out.

Also, how much will this speed up a trip to the MStP area via US 10 and I-94 from the Appleton-Oshkosh area, especially compared with the routing via WI 29?

Mike

[Revive 755]

Construction has gotten well underway on redoing the I-90/IL 47 interchange, with lots of grading, foundation/pier work for the new IL 47 bridge, and another of the tollway's wonderful 24/7/365 45 mph work zone speed limits - even though the pier work is the only thing near the mainline right now, and it's behind a jersey wall.

[hobsini2]

There is a couple mile stretch of IL 64 (North Ave) that is in the process of being widened to at the very least have a center median as well as possibly going to 6 lanes from Route 59 in West Chicago to just east of Kirk Rd in St Charles. While this is going on, the intersection with Powis Rd is closed.

[triplemultiplex]

how did you get on the road?  was it legal to do so?

Plenty of room to drive around barricades.
Certainly not.  If 5-0 saw me, that cop would be able to take the rest of the shift off from the revenue that would generate.
Whenever I trespass on construction sites, I do so knowing that if I look and act like I'm supposed to be there, nobody will question it.

They worked fast, especially the part around Auburndale - that wasn't even under construction yet the last time I was out there.  (Dry weather will do that! )

As does flat terrain.

Also, how much will this speed up a trip to the MStP area via US 10 and I-94 from the Appleton-Oshkosh area, especially compared with the routing via WI 29?

I only drove a couple miles around Miladore, but as far as comparing it to 29, I think 29 will still win.  There's just too much 2 lane between Marshfield and Osseo with enough towns to slow one down.  I know you've speculated at the prospect of this expressway to Marshfield being the impetus for future expansion of US 10 to Osseo, but that area is so low in population and not beneficial enough for MSP - Fox Valley for that to be likely in my mind.  Rather I look at the WI 13 corridor between Marshfield and Abbotsford and see that as a better contender for the next major rural upgrade.

So in the future, maybe, one travels from Appleton to MSP via Stevens Point, Marshfield and joins WI 29 somewhere around Abbotsford.  I think it would be a cheaper upgrade that would benefit more drivers and still serve as a better route for the Winnebago-bound.

This is getting kind of fictional, but my idea on where to take that US 10 expressway copies an idea I read on some roadgeek thing (don't know if it was fanciful or a real concept). I would bypass Marshfield, follow WI 13 to Spencer, then go new-terrain on a parallel course to the old "Soo Line" (CN now, as I'm sure you know) to Owen.  That connects Marshfield to points west cheaper than upgrading US 10 and also provides the perfect angling highway between those "Winnebago Pool" towns like yours and MSP.

[on_wisconsin]

I only drove a couple miles around Miladore, but as far as comparing it to 29, I think 29 will still win.  There's just too much 2 lane between Marshfield and Osseo with enough towns to slow one down.  I know you've speculated at the prospect of this expressway to Marshfield being the impetus for future expansion of US 10 to Osseo, but that area is so low in population and not beneficial enough for MSP - Fox Valley for that to be likely in my mind.  Rather I look at the WI 13 corridor between Marshfield and Abbotsford and see that as a better contender for the next major rural upgrade.

So in the future, maybe, one travels from Appleton to MSP via Stevens Point, Marshfield and joins WI 29 somewhere around Abbotsford.  I think it would be a cheaper upgrade that would benefit more drivers and still serve as a better route for the Winnebago-bound.

This is getting kind of fictional, but my idea on where to take that US 10 expressway copies an idea I read on some roadgeek thing (don't know if it was fanciful or a real concept). I would bypass Marshfield, follow WI 13 to Spencer, then go new-terrain on a parallel course to the old "Soo Line" (CN now, as I'm sure you know) to Owen.  That connects Marshfield to points west cheaper than upgrading US 10 and also provides the perfect angling highway between those "Winnebago Pool" towns like yours and MSP.

I like this idea! Plus it would also provide a direct link between the Fox and Chippewa valleys and the Twin Ports via the US 53 expressway.

[NWI_Irish96]

Up in Northern Indiana last week and noticed the following:

Got to check out some of the Elkhart CR 17 construction near IN 119 last week.  New section from CR 28 to CR 38 (including SR 119 intersection) expected to open this Fall.

SR 19 near Lexington Ave (old US 20) in Elkhart is getting a badly needed reconstruction.  Down to one lane each way in this area. 

No real evidence yet of construction of the new US 31 near US 6.

Another trip to the northern end of the state.  Elkhart CR 17 is not open yet from CR 28 to CR 38, but it looks very close to being ready.

In Mishawaka, new SR 331 (Elm Rd/Capital Ave) now open from US 20 to 12th Street.

Near LaPaz, construction underway for the new US 31 at US 6.

[MDOTFanFB]

If you're going to the Downriver area of southeast Michigan, you might be careful on (possibly even avoid) M-85 (Fort Street) because major construction that begun nearly a year ago is still ongoing. Quarry Road near Memorial Park in Wyandotte is currently closed at M-85 and is being detoured. Major backups are occurring at Northline, Eureka, Goddard and Pennsylvania Roads where they cross M-85 due to this, so don't forget to head north to Emmons Boulevard or south to King Road if you're crossing M-85. New traffic lights have already been installed on M-85 throughout the construction area.

I-75 between Sibley and King Roads in Brownstown Township is being reconstructed, including the modification of the Dix-Toledo Highway (Exit 34) interchange into a diamond interchange and the replacement of the two Dix-Toledo overpasses into a single overpass carrying five lanes.

Also in Brownstown Township, U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road) is being reconstructed between West and Vreeland Roads, including the replacement of the Smith Creek bridge and the widening of the Silver Creek bridge.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Should make a note in here about the severe flooding in and around the twin ports this week.  The Duluth area got 10 inches of rain in a day and half.

The Knife River wiped out MN 61 north of Duluth.
Huge stretches of MN 73 are underwater in and around Moose Lake.
The St. Louis River did a number on MN 210:

...

Across the border, WI 13 is closed east of US 53 and then way down in Glidden, the Chippewa River is doing it's usual flooding of WI 13 through town.  I know the spot; just north of the gas station where the river swings close to the highway and there's a snowmobile trail bridge over the river.  It's a routine closure whenever there's high water up north.

US 2 between I-35 and Boundary Ave in Proctor was also damaged and is still closed as of now. MNDot says it should finally reopen on the 18th.

[MDOTFanFB]

BREAKING NEWS:
MDOT will replace freeway lights and BGSes on I-94 between French Road on Detroit's east side and M-102 (Vernier Road) in Harper Woods starting immediately. The new freeway lights will be placed on the side of the freeway rather than in the median. Lane closures will occur at all times on weekends and only during off-peak hours on weekdays. This is expected to last into May 2013.

More info can be found at http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151--287552--,00.html.

[Revive 755]

The westbound lanes of I-90 in Illinois between Randall Road (Elgin area) and at least Belvidere Road (nearing Rockford) have been shifted onto the shoulder and experience a major slowdown at nearly every overpass as of last week.

[Stephane Dumas]

When it opens in about a month, a lot of changes will happen.
First of all, Marshfield will no longer be the largest city in this state not connected to a four lane highway.


They worked fast, especially the part around Auburndale - that wasn't even under construction yet the last time I was out there.  (Dry weather will do that! )

I'll have to check it out.

Mike

Even Google maps jumped the gun and mark that gap of US-10 open with the freeway/expressway ended at WI-13 at a roundabout http://goo.gl/maps/bGHpZ

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Another round of nighttime lane closures are underway at the MLK bridge at I-80/94. This time, it seems to be for removal of construction material and guardrail construction at the ends of the bridge. The bridge is expected to be reopened by month's end at the latest.

Work on U.S. 12/20 is moving along nicely. Work is scheduled to be finished in time for the holiday rush. In the meantime, drivers looking to enter U.S. 12/20 east from the Indiana Toll Road should use Broadway for more direct access, or use I-65 and 15th Avenue as a turnaround detour, since the ramp is still closed for a few more days.

The Vale Park Rd. Interchange project at Indiana 49 in Valparaiso is making progress as well. Deck pouring of the Vale Park overpass is set to begin in a few days, and asphalt paving of the new ramps is nearly complete. The work for this project is also scheduled for completion before Thanksgiving.

[Stratuscaster]

It was announced in my local paper (and probably elsewhere) that the grade-separation project to put IL-38/Roosevelt Rd and Kautz Rd in West Chicago, IL over the railroad tracks will start in November '12, to be completed in October '13. http://goo.gl/maps/dLb7Q

The intersection will be elevated over the tracks, similar to how the intersection at Keslinger Rd and Peck Rd near Geneva, IL was done (except that Roosevelt/Kautz is a 'T'.) http://goo.gl/maps/zQHAP

About time, too. EVERY time I come south on Kautz to IL-38, there's a train at the crossing. Usually a really long train. There's an intermodal facility right nearby for new vehicle deliveries (at least, that's what I think it is.)

[nwi_navigator_1181]

I'd thought I bump this thread, since construction season is in full swing again. The main reason is for what's in the news this week.

I-65 is set for reconstruction starting next month. The stretch between Indiana 2 and U.S. 231 is set to be retooled, with the possibility of a third lane added in each direction when all is said and done. This is the same stretch where the planned Illiana Expressway interchange is set for placement later this decade. This project may also set the pace for placing a third lane between U.S. 30 and U.S. 231. There is enough space to delegate a third lane in its current form, with the exception of the bridges over 109th Avenue and U.S. 231. The outer shoulders could be tweaked on the 109th Avenue bridge, but one U.S. 231 bridge barely supported four lanes of traffic during the 2003 rebuild. More will be made known when the project progresses. Here is the source.

Also of mention, I-94 is set to have bridge deck work done between the Indiana Toll Road and Indiana 49. Both projects are slated for November completion.

[hobsini2]

Construction began this week on Route 59 in Naperville at the BNSF bridge. Not sure exactly what they are doing but southbound 59 is a nightmare already.  Backup starts around Bruce Rd and sometimes all the way back to 88.  This may be prep work for a widening of 59???