A public involvement meeting was held Dec. 7, and comments are still being accepted on proposed options for a state Highway 22 road project between County Road BE and the Oconto County border with Shawano County.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) officials said the purpose of the 11.5-mile proposed project is to repave the road and replace culverts and guardrails. The project would also convert a four-lane stretch of road between Warrington Avenue and County Road R to two lanes with left-turn lanes. A left-turn lane would also be added at Resort Road, and deck repairs would be completed on the bridge over Pickerel Creek.
Construction is scheduled to occur in 2026.
The existing pavement is showing signs of distress with cracking and rutting, officials said.
These cracks may deteriorate further to become safety hazards, especially during weather events, and contribute to continued accelerated pavement deterioration by allowing water to seep beneath the roadway.
There are several culverts that are deteriorating and nearing the end of their service life.
There is an operational issue near the County Road R intersection where traffic is weaving to avoid left-turning vehicles within the short four-lane section. There are several locations of guardrail along the project that do not meet current design standards and will be upgraded with this project.
There is an existing rear-end crash pattern at the Resort Road intersection; safety at this intersection will be improved by adding a left-turn lane to eastbound state Highway 22.
The pavement project includes cold-in-place recycling with 3-inch asphalt overlay, 3-inch mill and overlay from Warrington Avenue to County Road R, base stabilization with 3-inch asphalt overlay from County Road C to end of project limits and 2-inch asphalt overlay for park and rides.
When the project is being completed, it is proposed traffic be detoured for about four weeks along state Highway 117, state Highway 29, state Highway 160 and state Highway 32. The remainder of the project work should be performed under flagging with single lane closures.
Detours would be established for the replacement of two deep culverts, rehabilitation work for the bridge and base stabilization from County Road C to the end of project limits.
Local access along state Highway 22 would be maintained throughout construction. Temporary driveway closures would be necessary during parts of the construction process.
A small amount of real estate acquisition is expected for the Resort Road intersection improvements and select culvert replacement locations. The real estate acquisition process will begin in spring 2024.
Comments about the project will be accepted until Dec. 21 by Michelle Guoin, project manager, at michellem.guoin@dot.wi.gov.
The final design is expected in August 2025.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
Comments sought for Highway 22 project
