The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has released new details on a major $105 million highway corridor project in La Crosse, offering insight into construction timelines, traffic impacts and design changes expected to reshape the downtown area.
During a recent public meeting, officials addressed a range of community questions about the Highway 53/14/61 corridor project, which stretches from Interstate 90 south through the city to where West Avenue reconnects with the highway system.
Project leaders said construction is expected to span three years, from 2030 through 2032, with the most disruptive work concentrated in the downtown core.
According to project officials, the first two years of construction will focus on 3rd and 4th streets in downtown La Crosse. Each street will be worked on separately, likely with one undergoing construction in 2030 and the other in 2031. Work north of the La Crosse River is scheduled for 2032.
A key concern raised by residents involves how traffic will be rerouted during construction. While final plans are still under review, officials outlined potential options, including converting streets to temporary two-way traffic or detouring vehicles along nearby state highways.
“We do have a project plan for 2029 in case we do need to do bi-directional traffic to handle that extra loading … but we’re still kind of working through that decision,” said Wisconsin DOT project manager Michael Richardson. “If we are detouring traffic, I think our official detour would probably go 16 to 35 to stay on state routes, because we would have to work out something with the city to detour on local streets.”
Officials emphasized that detour strategies could evolve based on further study and public feedback.
The corridor project includes several design adjustments aimed at improving safety and accessibility. Driving lanes, currently 12 feet wide, will be reduced to 11 feet, while sidewalks in certain areas—particularly near bridge overpasses and between King Street and Vine Street—will be widened by a few feet.
The project also incorporates the addition of bike lanes along portions of the corridor, resulting in the loss of approximately six to seven on-street parking spaces on the north end of downtown, outside the main business district.
In terms of new infrastructure features, officials confirmed that only one roundabout is planned, located at La Crosse Street. Other proposed roundabouts were ultimately rejected due to potential impacts on nearby businesses.
While no funding has been allocated for greenway improvements, about 1.5% of the total project cost will be dedicated to beautification efforts, similar to past initiatives along Interstate 90.
The $105 million investment covers all aspects of the corridor overhaul, including roadway reconstruction, safety enhancements and multimodal improvements.
As planning continues, transportation officials say community engagement will remain a key part of refining the project, particularly as it relates to minimizing disruption for residents and businesses during the multi-year construction period.
Originally reported by Rick Solem in Wizm News.
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