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The 7½-month project to widen, add medians and replace the worn pavement is on time and on budget, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said this week.
Vehicles on Monday will be shifted to the outer lanes of the road until it reopens Nov. 1.
This week, crews will continue work on the median, which includes paving left turn lanes and adding curb and gutter, concrete islands, traffic signals, street lights, irrigation systems and sod, project manager Dale Merten said.
Merten said the DOT also plans to open unsignaled intersections at Mississippi, Winnebago, Pine and Badger streets. Those intersections have been reduced to right-in and right-out only.
There may still be a few finishing touches and minor repairs after the road reopens, Merten said, but they shouldn’t affect traffic flow.
West Avenue has been closed since mid-March for a $5 million overhaul of the busy north-south route. The project was paid for mostly with state and federal money, with the city funding water and sanitary sewer work and some lighting.
The southern stretch from Green Bay Street to Jackson Street reopened in May, and lanes from Jackson Street to La Crosse street have been closed intermittently since April.
The DOT raised medians along the roadway to prevent left turns and reduce congestion. Five intersections — at Johnson, Mississippi, Winnebago, Pine and Badger streets — now limit access to right in, right out. The project required acquiring $1.25 million in right of way from 48 properties.
