OZAUKEE COUNTY — Out on Wisconsin State Highway 33, cars turned around as construction crews down the road worked on tearing apart the pavement right near Highway I.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is working on installing a single-lane roundabout at an intersection that DOT officials say has been the site of fatal crashes.
"When certain intersections have higher than expected incidents, whether that's fatalities, serious injuries, or just the number of incidents, we do look closely to see if there is something we can do design-wise, to improve the safety of those locations," said Pyritz.
Michael Pyritz with the DOT said it's those crashes that prompted officials to take a look at the intersection during a five-year window. According to WISDOT, from 2014-2018 there were 18 crashes that occurred, which officials say is a significant amount compared to similar highways with similar traffic volume.
"We looked at various options to improve the safety of this location and the roundabout was the best choice," said Pyritz.
Kenneth Kraus lives near HWY 33 and he said the road closure is going to cause a major detour for farmers and residents in the area.
"The farmer that lives here, he owns land on the other side of HWY 33 so now he has to go all the way to Saukville to get to his far," said Kenneth.
The road is expected to be closed for a least 60 days. Officials hope to have the new roundabout built by Labor Day Weekend.
Here is the following detour:
- From the west: Highway Y to Highway NN to Highway 60
- From the east: Highway O to Highway 60 to Highway NN to Highway Y
- From the south: Highway 60 to Highway O
- From the north: Highway O to Highway 60
Access to local businesses will be from the detour routes. For more information, visit projects.511wi.gov
