MONROE - Spring is in the air, and road and street repairs are soon to get underway.
In Green and Lafayette counties, highway departments are gearing up for several bridge construction sites and many miles of resurfacing or repaving projects - if the winter hasn't yet gobbled up too much of their budgets, the highway commissioners said.
Drivers may want to note the areas to avoid or be prepared to slow down and use extra caution when passing through the construction zones.
Green County
A major bridge replacement project is starting April 16 on County K near Union Road and Oakley, and is expected to last two to three months, according to Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel.
An anticipated second project scheduled for late September will be a bridge removal over the Cheese County Recreation Trail west of Monroe on Patterson Road. That area, Wunschel said, is to become an at-grade crossing.
Wunschel also asks drivers to watch for resurfacing and repaving projects throughout the county. A section of County CC west of Belleville is scheduled to begin in mid-August, as is a stretch of County E at County C to Wisconsin 92.
If the budget is still holding up strong, the county anticipates resurfacing County S near Juda, from Wis. 11/81 north to Mohns Road, Wunschel added.
In addition to these projects, about 40 miles of highways will get seal-coating in mid-July.
Lafayette County
Lafayette County is planning to finish the relocation and reconstruction of a section of County G between Fayette and Argyle near County D and South Lake Road. This will require a detour for some of the time, according to Highway Commissioner Tom Jean.
The winter has taken a toll on his budget also.
"Some of the projects that were projected for the summer will probably be put on hold," Jean said. "We also completed a new bridge and one mile reconstruction of County Highway D last year that stretched our resources."
On the list of Lafayette County planned projects is milling and resurfacing five miles of County F from County G to County N near Yellowstone Lake.
"This will be done later in the summer and will be done under flagged traffic," Jean reported.
Normal maintenance activities will include 20 to 30 miles of seal-coating on county highways, more than 20 miles of crack-filling on state highways and 30 to 40 miles of seal-coating on local township roads.
All of these projects will be accomplished without detours; however, flagging operations will control the work zone, Jean added.
Jean also reported the state of Wisconsin will be rebuilding the retaining walls along Wis. 81 East (Louisa Street) in the city of Darlington, which could result in some delays.
Lafayette County currently has 11 different bridges approved for replacement within the next five to six years. These bridges are in various stages of design, and none will be replaced this year.
City of Monroe
Monroe has a long list of paving and seal-coating projects for 2014. (See sidebar)
The paving projects will be completed on a time- and weather-permitting schedule, according to Tom Boll, streets and sanitation supervisor. Residents in the project areas will be notified two to three days in advance of the construction.
The seal-coat projects will be done primarily from late May through June, and again from mid- to late-August. The city contracts with the Green County Highway Department to do the seal-coating, and the county usually does its seal-coating during July.
No notification is usually given for seal-coating, because "it is a fast-moving operation with limited closures," Boll added.
Other Green County communities
Rich Vogel, Brodhead Public Works supervisor, reported only one closure for the 2014 season. Brodhead will be closing 17th Street to traffic late this summer, but a detour has not been decided yet.
New Glarus has three reconstruction projects this year, according to Village Administrator Nic Owen. They are anticipated to start April 14 and be finished by July 25. The streets are 2nd Street between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue; 1st Street between 6th Avenue and 11th Avenue; and Railroad Street between 12th Avenue and 13th Avenue.
In Green and Lafayette counties, highway departments are gearing up for several bridge construction sites and many miles of resurfacing or repaving projects - if the winter hasn't yet gobbled up too much of their budgets, the highway commissioners said.
Drivers may want to note the areas to avoid or be prepared to slow down and use extra caution when passing through the construction zones.
Green County
A major bridge replacement project is starting April 16 on County K near Union Road and Oakley, and is expected to last two to three months, according to Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel.
An anticipated second project scheduled for late September will be a bridge removal over the Cheese County Recreation Trail west of Monroe on Patterson Road. That area, Wunschel said, is to become an at-grade crossing.
Wunschel also asks drivers to watch for resurfacing and repaving projects throughout the county. A section of County CC west of Belleville is scheduled to begin in mid-August, as is a stretch of County E at County C to Wisconsin 92.
If the budget is still holding up strong, the county anticipates resurfacing County S near Juda, from Wis. 11/81 north to Mohns Road, Wunschel added.
In addition to these projects, about 40 miles of highways will get seal-coating in mid-July.
Lafayette County
Lafayette County is planning to finish the relocation and reconstruction of a section of County G between Fayette and Argyle near County D and South Lake Road. This will require a detour for some of the time, according to Highway Commissioner Tom Jean.
The winter has taken a toll on his budget also.
"Some of the projects that were projected for the summer will probably be put on hold," Jean said. "We also completed a new bridge and one mile reconstruction of County Highway D last year that stretched our resources."
On the list of Lafayette County planned projects is milling and resurfacing five miles of County F from County G to County N near Yellowstone Lake.
"This will be done later in the summer and will be done under flagged traffic," Jean reported.
Normal maintenance activities will include 20 to 30 miles of seal-coating on county highways, more than 20 miles of crack-filling on state highways and 30 to 40 miles of seal-coating on local township roads.
All of these projects will be accomplished without detours; however, flagging operations will control the work zone, Jean added.
Jean also reported the state of Wisconsin will be rebuilding the retaining walls along Wis. 81 East (Louisa Street) in the city of Darlington, which could result in some delays.
Lafayette County currently has 11 different bridges approved for replacement within the next five to six years. These bridges are in various stages of design, and none will be replaced this year.
City of Monroe
Monroe has a long list of paving and seal-coating projects for 2014. (See sidebar)
The paving projects will be completed on a time- and weather-permitting schedule, according to Tom Boll, streets and sanitation supervisor. Residents in the project areas will be notified two to three days in advance of the construction.
The seal-coat projects will be done primarily from late May through June, and again from mid- to late-August. The city contracts with the Green County Highway Department to do the seal-coating, and the county usually does its seal-coating during July.
No notification is usually given for seal-coating, because "it is a fast-moving operation with limited closures," Boll added.
Other Green County communities
Rich Vogel, Brodhead Public Works supervisor, reported only one closure for the 2014 season. Brodhead will be closing 17th Street to traffic late this summer, but a detour has not been decided yet.
New Glarus has three reconstruction projects this year, according to Village Administrator Nic Owen. They are anticipated to start April 14 and be finished by July 25. The streets are 2nd Street between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue; 1st Street between 6th Avenue and 11th Avenue; and Railroad Street between 12th Avenue and 13th Avenue.