BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – Officials provided an update on the major highway project happening right now on a stretch of I-41 that runs from Appleton to De Pere.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials, Brown County officials, and Governor Tony Evers held a press conference at the construction site for a new interchange at Southbridge Road in De Pere.
This is one of the major parts of the I-41 expansion project.
“We’re definitely ahead of schedule as far as where we thought we would be,” said Kyle Treml who is a project manager for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. “Weather is a big factor in that, it’s been dry and it’s been warm.”
The entire I-41 expansion project began in April. Since then, there have been several interchanges between De Pere and Appleton that have been under construction. Eventually, the project will also turn the four-lane highway into six lanes (23 miles in total).
As part of this project, a new building will replace the Wrightstown Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility (SWEF) with a combined Wrightstown Post and SWEF for the Wisconsin State Patrol.
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For more information about the project, click here. The entire I-41 expansion project has an estimated completion date of 2030.
The new Southbridge Road interchange is currently under construction and is one of the more visible signs that change is happening with the interstate right now.
“There’s some poor soils in the area so we’re trying to replace the wick drains which will allow for a settlement to build the interchange in 2026,” said Treml.
He said the interchange should be open for traffic by the end of 2026. Officials expect 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles to travel on the new interchange per day once it opens.
“We’re investing in jobs and local economic opportunities and improving the flow of business and industry,” said Governor Tony Evers. “It’s an investment that we will never regret making.”
The state included $50 million in its latest budget to assist Brown County officials with the South Bridge connector project. The Southbridge interchange will be part of a new route that includes a new bridge over the Fox River and will help people in the rural parts of Brown County have easier access to the highway.
“The reality is how often are you building interchanges, let alone a bridge over a major river,” said Brown County executive Troy Streckenbach.
“There’s going to be great access for the town of Lawrence on the west side and De Pere on the east side,” said Treml. “It’s definitely going to be a great thing for the communities when it’s done.”
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For more information about the South Bridge connector project, please click here. The new Southbridge Road interchange is part of the I-41 expansion project while the South Bridge connector route is technically a different project. However, they both need to happen to make the vision for the South Bridge connector route possible.
Those who live near where the South Bridge connector and interchange project, said they’re excited that it’s happening.
“It’s been some decades now where they’ve been talking about a new bridge and it’s finally coming,” said Linda Snell who lives in De Pere. “I think it’ll help the congestion a lot and it’s a growing community so the road must grow too.”
Snell said she and some of her neighbors are also excited that the new route will make their trips to the other side of town or I-41 shorter.
State officials remind drivers to slow down and stay off their phones especially when driving through construction zones.
