Road to reopen before Farm Tech Days, Hoover resurfacing

By Brandi Makuski

County leaders say roadway construction of County Highway R is running ahead of schedule and will open to traffic the week of July 14.

A section of the county roadway between County Highway HH and Porter Road has been closed since last June, when county highway and Dept. of Transportation crews began work on reconstructing the road, which has been seeing higher traffic counts thanks to Crossroads Commons.

Completing work as quickly as possible was essential, said Highway Commissioner Nathan Check, to accommodate vendors and set-up volunteers for the massive Farm Tech Days event coming to the area August 12-14 at the adjacent Blue Top Farms and Feltz Family Farms. 

The work includes reconstructing the formerly narrow two- lane roadway to a four- lane with a landscaped median as well as a five- foot paved shoulder. Crews will also install a 10-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path on the west side of the road.

The project is multi-jurisdictional and includes funding from the Village of Plover, Portage County, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Check said county crews have completed the grading and storm sewer improvements. DOT- contracted Sommers Construction from Shiocton is expected to begin curb and gutter and asphalt paving on Wednesday.

Looking south on County Highway R. (City-Times photo)

“Right now, I would say we’re about a week ahead of the original schedule,” Check said, adding roadway signage and lane marking would be complete within the next week. “We were shooting for a month before Farm Tech so the vendors could utilize that road a few weeks ahead of time.”

Once the county road has been reopened, the Village of Plover plans on closing down a large portion of Hoover Avenue for repaving work.

Richard Holden, director of economic development for the village, said crews will close Hoover Avenue beginning July 21 from the Maple Drive intersection- adjacent to Lake Pacawa Park- north to the Lombard Drive intersection near County Highway HH.

“I guarantee you County R will be done ahead of schedule,” Holden said. “Then we can advise residents to use that alternate route when Hoover is closed to traffic,” Holden said.

The roadway would reopen as sections of the road pacing were completed, he said, adding the project would last 2-3 weeks depending on weather.

Check said some additional work would need to be completed on County R after the Farm Tech Days event. That project would consist of closing up temporary median openings designed especially for parking access to the event. Motorists can expect single-lane closures during the day, with the project being finalized in late August or early September.