Hard shutdown on Hwy. B in Plover to begin Sept. 4

By Brandi Makuski

PLOVER — Traffic patterns will change as part of the ongoing County Hwy. B Road Improvement Project in the village of Plover, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 4, and continuing through Tuesday, Sept. 17, depending on the weather.

The work will include a full closure of the Hoover Ave. and Hwy. B intersection, restricting both east-west and north-south traffic through the area.

According to Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathan Check, the project will involve significant updates at the intersection.

“For the Hoover Avenue intersection, we will be replacing all of the concrete pavement on County Hwy. B and milling and overlaying the asphalt pavement near the intersection,” Check said. “The contractor will also be updating the traffic signals and electrical at the intersection.”

Further work on the highway, west of Hoover Ave. to Wisconsin Ave., will include final grading and concrete paving of the outside lanes.

“With the constrained space, we are not able to keep a safe slope from the existing travel lanes, which is the reason for the closure,” Check explained.

A detour using I-39 and State Hwy. 54 will be in place during the construction period. Alternate access routes for local businesses have been developed and are available on the Portage County Highway Department’s website.

Village Administrator Steve Kunst said at the village’s last Board meeting that “people aren’t going to like it” but that it was a necessary step for the county to complete the project.

“We’re just all going to have to be a little extra patient and vigilant,” he said.

Weekly construction updates are also posted on the department’s website for any construction recently completed and planned for the upcoming week.

For more information or to address specific concerns, the public is encouraged to contact Nathan Check at (715) 345-5230 or via email at [email protected].