AASHTO Journal, 5 August 2016
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said some construction projects to repair roads and culverts damaged by mid-July floods in the state’s northern counties will take most or all of August, while another will extend through September.
In an Aug. 1 update, WisDOT said it has reopened some roads but that others will have detour signs posted for some time.
Roads were damaged last month after storms dumped up to 12 inches of rain in a matter of hours, leading Gov. Scott Walker to declare a state of emergency on July 12. Floods swelled in following days.
The Federal Highway Administration on July 19 provided Wisconsin $2.75 million in emergency funds to help cover costs on federal-aid roads, and provided another $1.5 million to other federal agencies to help address road damage in national forests and on Indian reservations.
The FHWA at that time said more than a dozen roads remained washed out in eight counties a week after the initial storms.
By Aug. 1, crews had completed repairs in some area but WisDOT listed roads that remain closed in Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties.
It said a project in Bayfield County, to remove debris and repair a culvert and pavement on US 63, would be completed to let traffic resume there at mid-August. But WisDOT said separate projects to repair part of state route 169 in Iron County were scheduled for completion Aug. 31 and by Sept. 30.