City Times Staff

Work on Bus. 51 in Plover is already well underway for next year’s roadway reconstruction project.  

Crews from Wisconsin Public Service and the Dept. of Transportation have been working to relocate utilities underground in preparation for the upcoming Bus. 51 expansion project. Construction is expected to begin in April and will be completed in segments.

“We’re going to be looking at underground utilities throughout that corridor,” said Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney. “Unfortunately, as nice as it will look when it’s finished, we likely won’t see that duplicated elsewhere. Burying utilities is quite expensive.”

Currently the DOT owns the Plover and Whiting sections of Bus. 51 and will bear the cost of the improvements before turning ownership of the road over to Plover. Plover will own the roadway up to the Minnesota Ave. intersection at the border of Stevens Point.

Stevens Point already owns its section of Bus. 51. A planned expansion project for that roadway was abandoned last year.

Until the start of construction next year, motorists traveling through Plover, and later Whiting, will encounter single-lane closures along the road.

“Motorists are asked to drive with caution in the work zone and can expect to encounter slower traffic and potential delays during peak travel hours,” said a news release from the DOT.

Motorists should also allow extra time for travel.

For updates on the ongoing project, go to http://projects.511wi.gov/region/north-central.