Status/phase

Project Complete

Project overview

The US 53/County B Intersection Improvement Project in the town of Hawthorne, in Douglas County, is a short term solution while Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) continues to study long term improvements to the entire corridor.

In addition to resurfacing US 53 from the Wisconsin Central Ltd. Railroad overpass to Kent Road, this project will reconstruct the US 53/County B intersection as a J-turn intersection.

View NW, US 53 Resurfacing and US 53/County B Intersection Improvement in a larger map

The US 53 and County B intersection is located on the main highway leading into northern Wisconsin. This intersection has also been the site of 50 crashes from 1996 to September 2010, with multiple fatalities and injuries.

Of the 50 crashes, three involved a fatality and 30 involved injury. Sixty-two percent of the total crashes were right angle, far right side crashes involving a crossing or left turning vehicle from County B.

The construction of the J turn intersection will provide for an immediate safety enhancement until further study of a long-term treatment is completed.

Improvements will provide a raised concrete island to delineate left turn only lanes on US 53 at County B and will require County B crossing and left turning traffic to be redirected to new median crossovers located north and south of the existing intersection.

Construction is scheduled to start and be completed in 2011.

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