I-41 traffic in Outagamie County. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) – The I-41 expansion project in Brown and Outagamie counties is scheduled to get underway in April.
The project will cause some headaches for motorists but both DOT officials and motorists say it will be worth it.
There are no construction barrels on I-41 between De Pere and Appleton yet, but that will change next month when the I-41 expansion project gets underway.
“People are going to see drums, people are going to see concrete barriers, there going to see all of this evidence of construction out on the freeway,” said Scott Ebel the WISDOT I-41 Expansion Project Manager.
In April, the DOT will start work to expand the 23 mile stretch of the highway from two lanes in each direction to three. The project will not only alleviate some of the traffic for the 60,000-70,000 vehicles that travel it each day, but it will make it safer too.
According to WISDOT NE Region Traffic Unit Engineer, Matt Talcott, “Once the job is complete, 41 is going to be a great great driving experience. It should be safer, quicker, everything should be overall better.”
Along with the improvements, however, come the headaches for commuters.
“I drive every single day from Appleton to Ashwaubenon so that’s the exact same stretch of the highway that’s being redone so it does impact me every single day and I will have delays over the next handful of years,” said Joe Niederehe.
The DOT says it’s going to try keep the inconveniences, to a minimum, but at some points they’re going to be unavoidable.
Talcott said, “It’s going to take multiple years so everyone just have to be patient. Just be cautious out there, be a defensive driver and just look out for everybody else on the road as well as yourself.”
While the expansion project will definitely impact motorists who use I-41, the majority of the work during the first year won’t take place on the actual highway, instead it’s going to focus on replacing overpasses.
“A lot of our main line impacts are really going to start hitting in 2025 and that’s when people are really going to see, we’re going to be shifting all four lanes of traffic to one side of the road and open up that other side of the road for the contractors to construct the project,” added Ebel.
Phase one of the expansion will begin in the Capitol Drive area and will include Rosehill Road in Kaukauna.
By this summer crews will be working on the new Southbridge Road interchange south of De Pere.
The DOT has a dedicated website about the expansion project.
Comments