WisDOT buys land key to new I-41 interchange, South Bridge Connector project for nearly $4M

Jeff Bollier, Green Bay Press-Gazette

DE PERE - Plans to construct a new Interstate 41 interchange and the first segment of Brown County’s long-sought South Bridge Connector route took a step forward this month.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation on May 1 and 2 purchased a combined 37.9 acres of land west of I-41 along Orange Lane, in the town of Lawrence. The land purchases are two of WisDOT's larger land acquisitions related to the I-41 expansion project between Appleton and De Pere and the county's South Bridge Connector plan, said Missy Kok, WisDOT's I-41 Project spokesperson.

Kok said WisDOT continues to purchase land along the I-41 expansion corridor right now.

WisDOT paid almost $3 million for a 24.7-acre parcel south of Orange Lane and west of Mid Valley Drive and $979,100 for a 13.2-acre parcel north of Orange Lane and west of Mid Valley Drive, according to Wisconsin Department of Revenue real estate transaction records.

WisDOT already owns a 6.5-acre property at 2031 Orange Lane in Lawrence, which is adjacent to both newly purchased properties.

The properties in question generally align with the westernmost segment of the South Bridge route from the I-41 interchange west to Williams Grant Drive. The county’s South Bridge timeline indicates this segment of the route would be constructed in 2025 and 2026.

A 2024 construction map of the Interstate 41 expansion project between Grand Chute and De Pere.
A 2024 construction map of the Interstate 41 expansion project between Grand Chute and De Pere.

When will the I-41 road construction begin in the Green Bay area?

Initial work on the new I-41-South Bridge Connector interchange is scheduled to begin this fall and continue until fall 2026.

The new interchange is part of WisDOT’s plan to expand I-41 from Appleton to De Pere to three lanes in each direction. The overall project began April 1 with the closure of the Capitol Drive overpass in Grand Chute.

Information like road closures, detours and other impacts of the expansion can be found on WisDOT’s I-41 project website.

Construction of the new I-41-South Bridge Connector interchange in De Pere will require several road closures beginning in fall 2024, according to a WisDOT public information meeting slide.
Construction of the new I-41-South Bridge Connector interchange in De Pere will require several road closures beginning in fall 2024, according to a WisDOT public information meeting slide.

What roads will close when the I-41 interchange construction begins?

Kok said the work this fall will involve piling dirt up along either side of I-41 to provide the foundation for the new road and I-41 entrances and exits. It also will involve the closure of French Road from Creamery Road to Southbridge Road beginning this fall.

Also this year, east of I-41, WisDOT also will construct a temporary road to maintain access to properties on Innovation Court and a new segment of French Road to connect with Innovation court.

In 2025, WisDOT plans to construct a new segment of Mid Valley Drive and a roundabout to access the new I-41 interchange.

From left to right, the South Bridge Connector road project will connect the intersection of Packerland Drive, Williams Grant Drive and Scheuring Road to the intersection of Monroe and Heritage roads. The new route includes a new interchange with I-41 and a new bridge across the Fox River.
From left to right, the South Bridge Connector road project will connect the intersection of Packerland Drive, Williams Grant Drive and Scheuring Road to the intersection of Monroe and Heritage roads. The new route includes a new interchange with I-41 and a new bridge across the Fox River.

What is the South Bridge Connector?

The South Bridge Connector, when completed, will be a single road that connects Heritage Road and Monroe Road on the Green Bay area’s east side to the intersection of Scheuring Road and Williams Grant Drive on the region's west side.

The total project costs were estimated last year at about $128.8 million. The costs include a new, $50 million bridge across the Fox River which will be paid for using state dollars. The new South Bridge-Interstate 41 interchange will be paid for as part of the I-41 expansion project.

The remaining $78.8 million in project costs will fall on four local municipalities to fund and execute. They are:

  • Brown County: $36.9 million

  • De Pere: $26.2 million

  • Ledgeview: $6.5 million

  • Lawrence: $4.2 million

The communities continue to pursue additional state and federal program and grant funding to help reduce the local communities' share of the project costs.

More on the South Bridge Project: Brown County’s southern bridge poised to get $50 million; De Pere ready with a new name

South Bridge early phases on track for construction in 2025 and 2026

Since the South Bridge Connector road will feed into the new I-41 interchange, Brown County needs to build two road segments to connect the interchange into the existing road network.

Those two segments go from the southbound I-41 ramps west to Williams Grant Drive and from the northbound I-41 ramps east to Lawrence Drive.

Cole Runge, Brown County Planning director, said design, land acquisition and other preparations to construct those two segments will continue this spring and summer. The projects remain on track to be completed by the end of 2026, the same time WisDOT expects to complete the new interchange.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: WisDOT buys land for Interstate 41 interchange, South Bridge Connector

Advertisement