A second Highway 18 construction project has just begun, extending a string of work along one of the city's major thoroughfares all the way to Interstate 94, and closing part of road to traffic until fall.
Reconstruction of the roadway on and rehabilitation of utilities along East Moreland Boulevard from East North Street and East St. Paul Avenue to Manhattan Drive began May 4. The project has a scheduled completion date of Oct. 28. The latest work is contiguous with a project that began in March from Manhattan to the interstate junction east of Kossow Road.
'It is a large project,' City Project Manager Margaret Liedtke said of the latest construction effort.
The project will include road reconstruction, some spot water main replacement, the installation of a new storm sewer, sanitary sewer lateral replacement and traffic signal replacement at East Moreland Boulevard and White Rock and Eales avenues.
Access and detours
According to information provided by the city, Moreland will be closed to through-traffic for the duration of the project from North and St. Paul Avenue to Manhattan.
However, Moreland, White Rock Avenue and Eales Avenue will be open to traffic trying to access local businesses.
Access to Frame Park will be maintained from North Street and St. Paul Avenue. But, starting May 16, traffic on East Moreland Boulevard will not be able to drive eastbound from Frame Park Drive to White Rock Avenue, Liedtke said. That closure is scheduled to last about two weeks.
Liedtke said that detour routes have been marked.
Motorists driving eastbound on Moreland should turn right on North then left on Barstow Street to Main Street or St. Paul Avenue to circumvent the closures.
Those traveling westbound on Moreland should use Main and St. Paul as a way around the construction.
Work farther east
Another long-term construction project on Moreland Boulevard began two months ago.
Resurfacing work at Highway 18 from Manhattan Drive to I-94 began March 14. Construction is scheduled to last until November.
Most recently, crews were working to install a new storm sewer along the roadway, and have been working from 7 p.m. to midnight for the past several days. Night work is scheduled to conclude Thursday, May 12.
According to information provided by the city, Moreland along that stretch will remain open to traffic during construction, albeit with temporary lane shifts and changes in how customers access businesses, driveways and cross streets.
To accommodate construction, some lanes will be closed at various times. Access to businesses will be maintained except for short periods to pave driveways. Median openings to residential streets will also remain open most of the time.
The $8.9 million project will lengthen turn lanes, incorporate median improvements and reconfigure the intersection of Kossow Road and Abbott Drive.
Safety improvements will also include minor geometric modifications at certain intersections and traffic signal modifications.
Turn lanes are planned at Moreland Boulevard and Kossow Road.
This year's road construction is the final segment in a three-stage reconstruction project along Highway 18/Moreland Boulevard in Waukesha.