WIS 93 is a vital south-north rural highway serving residential, commercial, commuter, agricultural, and heavy truck traffic between the La Crosse and Eau Claire metropolitan areas. As such, WIS 93 holds multiple critical designations as a principal arterial, 2030 Backbone Connector, National Highway System (NHS) route, oversize-overweight (OSOW), and a Wisconsin-designated long truck route, currently accommodating approximately 4,700 vehicles per day.

Safety had become a concern for motorized users of all sorts, from residential travelers to commuters, commercial fleet vehicles, heavy truck loads and agricultural machinery. This project needed to boost safety, improve the user experience and extend the useful life of this important roadway by addressing pavement deficiencies, drainage systems and safe, cross-community connections. It also focused on retaining this segment of WIS 93 as a county bicycle route, servicing and connecting to existing pedestrian and multi-modal facilities in the Village of Eleva.

The deteriorating pavement was an immediate safety concern with crumbling shoulders and increasing crack sizes too numerous to effectively maintain. The culverts were also in great need of replacement, and existing beam guard end treatments and railing type no longer met current crash standards.

WisDOT hired MSA to rehabilitate the project corridor to upgrade the roadway surface and increase safety for users along its route. The project team incorporated Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR) methods to reuse existing asphalt material, saving on overall project time and materials cost. Further, this project included the incorporation of sinusoidal centerline and shoulder rumble strips, a variety of rumble strips milled with a unique pattern and depth that has proven to increase driver safety while minimizing excess noise. This variety of “mumble strip” was first piloted for WisDOT on this WIS 93 project.

This project required working around, and with respect to area wetlands, Class II and III trout streams, a potential eagle nest, and a handful of important archaeological and historical sites located within the project corridor. MSA consulted with an archaeologist in order to ensure the best approach to commence work while protecting each of these sensitive locations. To upgrade multi-modal use for pedestrians and bicyclists, paved shoulders were widened from three to five feet, delivering a broader, safer transit lane. In addition, curb ramps in the Village of Eleva were upgraded to meet ADA compliance standards, greatly improving community accessibility, equity and safety.

Completed, STH 93 now boasts heightened roadway safety measures, sustainable resurfacing and cost-efficient upgrades to existing beam guard, drainage structures and curb ramps. The result is a more durable and reliable transportation corridor for travelers in west-central Wisconsin.