The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Northeast Region office is announcing the Mason Street bridge over US 41 in Green Bay closes on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 12:01 a.m. for demolition. Ramps carrying traffic to and from US 41 at Mason Street will also close, as the second phase of the US 41 mainline expansion project between 9th Street and Larsen Road in Brown County gets underway.
The $29 million project involves replacing the 46-year-old bridge over US 41 and constructing three multi-lane roundabouts along Mason Street at the ramp terminals and Taylor Street intersection. The removal of the overpass is scheduled to begin the evening of Feb. 1 and requires full-freeway closures during nighttime hours. Motorists are encouraged to plan alternative routes.
Overpass demolition details include:
- Close Mason Street at 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 1 to traffic between Hinkle and Taylor streets, along with all ramps connecting US 41 to Mason Street
- Remove the Mason Street bridge the nights of Feb. 1 through 3, and Feb. 6 and 7, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., with the exception of Feb. 3, where the hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Full-lane closures on northbound and southbound US 41 at Mason Street while the overpass is removed. US 41 traffic will be detoured up the off-ramps of the Mason Street interchange and directed back to the freeway using the US 41 on-ramps from Mason Street
- Northbound and southbound US 41 will be reduced to one traffic lane between Lombardi Avenue and WIS 29 during demolition
Portable message signs have been placed to inform motorists of the closure. The Mason Street interchange, including the bridge and all ramps, is scheduled to remain closed Feb. 1 though Aug. 1, 2012. The intersection of Mason and Taylor streets will remain open to northbound, southbound and eastbound traffic until March 1 and then close until August 1. Alternate routes across US 41 include Larsen Road and 9th Street. During the project, motorists can access US 41 using the Shawano Avenue or Lombardi Avenue interchanges.
A detour for WIS 54 will be posted utilizing WIS 172 and I-43 for regional and truck traffic. To improve safety and operations, concrete barriers will be placed down the center of Packerland Drive, on both the north and south sides of Mason Street, to prevent left turns to and from the Mason Street frontage roads.
The project also includes the expansion of US 41 in each direction between 9th Street and Larsen Road, along with the reconstruction of the US 41 bridges over 9th Street. In September 2011, work began on northbound US 41 lanes, with all traffic shifted over to the existing southbound lanes. Once work is completed on the new northbound US 41 later this year, both northbound and southbound traffic will be moved to the newly constructed lanes and work will begin on the reconstruction of southbound US 41.
