APPLETON — Gov. Tony Evers this week signed a $16.25 million contract to rehabilitate I-41 from the west side of Appleton to Neenah.

This project is separate from the I-41 major project between Appleton and De Pere announced earlier. This project runs from Highway 15 in Grand Chute south to Breezewood Lane in Neenah.

The project begins Monday, April 1 and is expected to finish in early November of this year.

Preliminary work to prepare for construction will begin next week.

Drivers can expect significant traffic impacts through the entire project and motorists are advised to use alternate routes whenever possible. Traffic impacts will include reduced lanes in both directions, local road closures and numerous ramp closures.

Vinton Construction from Manitowoc, Wis. is the Prime Contractor.

Project improvements

This is a maintenance project for numerous pavement and structure related items. Construction will include concrete pavement repair and diamond grinding of mainline I-41 and service interchange ramps, replacement of the following: bridge approaches, existing beam guard, deteriorated metal culvert pipes, median inlets, and of northbound I-41 over Green Bay Road bridge deck. Miscellaneous structure rehabilitation work will take place at roughly 30 other structures.

Traffic impacts

Impacts to I-41 mainline traffic include:  

  • I-41 northbound will be reduced full time from three lanes to two lanes in the vicinity of Green Bay Road for a majority of the project due to the bridge deck replacement
    Both directions of I-41 will have areas reduced full time from three lanes to two lanes for a significant portion of the project to facilitate the replacement of bridge approaches, other structure repairs, and reapplication of the high-friction surface treatment
  • Concrete pavement repairs will require single and multi-lane closures during night-time and off-peak hours throughout the project limits
  • Mainline I-41 traffic will be routed up and down interchange ramps during night-time hours to facilitate the replacement of some metal culverts

Impacts to I-41 interchange ramps include:

  • I-41 northbound entrance ramp from County II will be closed for a majority of the project due to the bridge deck replacement. 
  • US 10 westbound to I-41 northbound system interchange ramp will be closed for roughly three weeks. 
  • I-41 southbound exit ramp to County II will be closed for about two weeks in late Spring/early Summer and another one week in early Fall.
  • Several interchange ramps will be closed for roughly two weeks.  These ramps include:
  • I-41 southbound entrance ramp from WIS 114 (Winneconne Avenue)
  • I-41 northbound exit ramp to WIS 114 (Winneconne Avenue)
  • I-41 southbound exit ramp to Main Street in Neenah
  • I-41 northbound exit ramp to WIS 125 (College Avenue) in Grand Chute
  • I-41 southbound entrance ramp from WIS 125 (College Avenue) in Grand Chute
  • All other interchange ramps may be closed during night-time hours

Impacts to local streets along the corridor include:

  • Green Bay Road will be closed at I-41 for roughly four to five months due to the bridge deck replacement.
  • Jacobsen Road will be closed at I-41 for up to one week for minor rehabilitation of the bridge over I-41.
  • One lane of Cold Spring Road will be closed under US 10 during daytime hours for roughly one month with flaggers directing traffic through this work area.

Project benefits

The benefit of this project is to extend the life of I-41 bridges and pavement by completing necessary maintenance improvements along the corridor.  The improved pavement surface, enhanced pavement marking, and reapplication of a high-friction surface treatment in the vicinity of the County II interchange should also benefit traffic safety.

For more information

Please see helpful information online to learn more about this project.

Work Zone Safety

Each year in Wisconsin, both highway workers and motorists are killed and injured in crashes that happen in highway construction zones. Motorists should slow down, be patient and pay attention to their surroundings in this and all work zones.

For more information regarding work zone rules for motorists, the law restricting hand-held devices, and general work zone safety information, please see our work zone safety website at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/workzone/.

Paid Partnership
Paid Partnership