County Hwy. R reopens to traffic, and it’s smooth sailing for motorists

By Patrick Lynn

After months of reconstruction on County Hwy. R, the project phase is complete and Portage Co. has reopened the road to traffic with a new speed limit of 40 miles an hour.

The road now consists of smooth pavement, two 12-foot lanes, a center 14-foot two-way left turn lane, four-foot paved shoulders, and a multi-use path along the west side of the road, according to Highway Commissioner Nathan Check.

The Village of Plover also extended its water main along the road, and a new bridge was constructed over the Little Plover River, Check said.

The road closed in March for a full reconstruction from just south of Porter Rd. to between Black Oak Dr. and Roosevelt Dr., repairing a narrow roadway laden with potholes and poor visibility at intersections.

It’s the second of a three-phase rebuild through the Plover Rd. intersection, just east of the Del Monte plant, Check said. The first phase, completed in 2013, widened the road between County Hwy. HH and Porter, added in paved shoulders, as well as a multi-use path on the west side.

The 1.3-mile project cost between $3.5 million and $4 million and is being partially funded with $1 million from a Wisconsin Department of Transportation program. Portage Co. will borrow the rest, Check said.

Under the terms of a 2010 agreement between the village and the county, the two governmental agencies split the costs for the first phase. Portage Co. will fund 100 percent of the second phase this year. The village is responsible for paying 100 percent of the third phase.