Updates on the major construction projects happening in NE Wisconsin, with a focus on the HWY 41 project.
Most of this year’s closures will be opening in the coming months. The northbound I-41 on-ramp from Wisconsin Avenue will open mid-October. The diverging diamond interchange at Richmond will open in early November. And… Lane expansion and noise barriers from Wisconsin to Lynndale will be complete in late November.
Drivers will encounter various overnight reduced lanes on Northbound (NB) and Southbound (SB) I-41 in work zones. Northbound and Southbound 441 between the County OO Northland Avenue ramps will be closed nightly through Friday. There is a detour in place, but leave yourself some extra time if you’re heading that way this week.
There are several road and ramp closures to be aware of this week. Northland Avenue under 441 is scheduled to be CLOSED nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., as is the Northbound 441 ramp to southbound I-41. The southbound I-41 on-ramp from Schuering Road is scheduled to CLOSE long-term starting Monday, September 21 at 7 p.m.
The DOT is hosting another round of Public Involvement meetings for the I-41 Project this week. On March 17th, the DOT is offering an in-person meeting at The Marq from 5-7. The second in-person meeting will be held on March 19th from 5-7 at Fox Valley Tech in the DJ Bordini Center. Text MEETING to 79489 for more.
The Buchanan Street bridge over I-41 in Little Chute is now closed until summer 2026. The French Road bridge over I-41 in Appleton is now closed until late summer 2026. To see the alternate routes and detours for all of the closures that are currently in progress, text DETOUR to 79489. That’s DETOUR to 79489.
This week, you’ll come across various overnight reduced lanes in work zones on I-41. That includes both the northbound and southbound lanes. The main closure to be aware of today is County JJ between the East and West Frontage Roads. It will be CLOSED today, Monday, December 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The main closure this week is the Northbound I-41 on-ramp from County U. It will be CLOSED from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. The Southbound I-41 on-ramp is closed through the rest of the Fall, as is Ballard Rd over I-41. Lynndale Dr is still reduced to one lane in each direction and that will last through late Spring of 2026.
Northbound I-41 between County U and Cty S is scheduled to be CLOSED overnight tonight from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Instead, take County U north to County S. Turn right and head east to get on I-41 north. The Northbound I-41 on-ramp from County U will also be CLOSED from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly this week.
The southbound I-41 off-ramp to Northland Avenue in Grand Chute is now open to traffic! Keep in mind, the exit placement is temporary until traffic is switched to the new southbound lanes. As of now, the traffic switch is scheduled for the week of November 24. At that time, the southbound I-41 on-ramp from Northland Avenue will open to traffic.
Current closures as part of the I-41 Project include the on-and-off ramps at Northland Avenue through this Fall. Lynndale is reduced to one lane each way through late Spring 2026. French Road between County DDD and Apple Creek will remain closed through mid-November. For current traffic impacts, you can visit 511wi.gov.
If you want to be involved in the upcoming Public Involvement meetings for the I-41 Project, there’s a couple of dates you should keep in mind. On October 22nd, the DOT is offering a virtual public meeting and on October 28th, the DOT is offering an in-person meeting at Fox Valley Tech. For all of the details text MEETING to 79489.
The Northland Avenue bridge over I 41 in Grand Chute is open to traffic! The northbound I-41 ramps are also open. Work will continue on the southbound ramps through mid November. This is the first of three Diverging Diamond Interchanges being added in Outagamie County as part of the I 41 Project.
Drivers will encounter various overnight reduced lanes on Northbound and Southbound I-41 in work zones. NB I-41 between County U and County S is scheduled to CLOSE overnight this Wednesday from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Other ramps scheduled to close include Northbound I-41 on-ramp from County U will be CLOSED from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Expect various overnight reduced lanes on Northbound (NB) and Southbound (SB) I-41 in work zones this week. Northbound I-41 between Wisconsin Avenue and Richmond Street is scheduled to be nightly starting at 11pm. Also, the Northbound I-41 on-ramp from Wisconsin Avenue will be CLOSED nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
This week, you can expect various overnight reductions in lanes on northbound and southbound I-41. Three openings scheduled for this week include: the I-41/County J interchange, the I-41 southbound off-ramp at Wisconsin Avenue, will open this Friday, August 29th, as will the I-41 southbound on-ramp at Ballard Road.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is taking comments on the progress of the I-41 project, which involves reconstructing 23 miles of I-41 from Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton to Scheuring Road in De Pere. You are welcome to stay involved in the public forum on the project, and can do so by texting COMMENT to 79489.
This week, we can expect various overnight reductions in lanes on northbound and southbound I-41. Current closures that are expected to last through this Fall include the Northland Ave on-ramps and NB on-ramp, Holland Rd over I-41, Ballard Road over I-41, and that southbound ramp for Northland Ave will only allow right turns through this Fall, as well.
Driving up and down I-41, it’s hard not to notice the very large new facility being built at the site of the old weigh station in Wrightstown. At that site, is a brand new 400-foot communications tower, which is part of the Wrightstown Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility. See the time-lapse video of its installation by texting TOWER to 79489.
With always-changing lane closures, lane-shifts, and ramp closures, it’s always important to stay up to date. Lots of commutes can be affected and it’s always better to be in the know, so you can plan accordingly. You can follow along with these updates on our website. You can also get in on the update emails by texting UPDATE to 79489.
Even though the southbound I-41 ramp to Ballard Road is now open to traffic, all of the other Ballard Road ramps will still be closed, and that will last through August 21st. Good news on that project: the new Ballard Road bridge that goes over I-41 is expected to be open for traffic at some point in November.
