Next phase of Bluemound Road work to start in April

Orange barrels will once again dot Bluemound Road: The second phase of the state's Highway 18 resurfacing project is set to begin in April.

This year, work will span Bluemound from Moorland Road to Interstate 94.

"(The DOT) encourages motorists to plan some extra time when traveling in this corridor," Wisconsin Department of Transportation Communications Manager Emlynn Grisar told NOW in an email. "We've staged construction to try to minimize impacts to motorists while still maintaining access to businesses."

The public is invited to learn more about the project during a WisDOT forum Tuesday in the Brookfield Public Safety Building. Maps and other project information will be available for viewing, and project officials will be there to talk with and answer questions for visitors.

According to the DOT, contractor Payne and Dolan is expected to finish construction on the stretch of road by Labor Day. The $14.1 million project will resurface Bluemound Road, lengthen turn lanes at the intersection of Bluemound and Barker roads, extend Executive Drive north to connect with Wisconsin Avenue, reconfigure Executive Drive to the south, and add a westbound travel lane along Bluemound between Ruf and Moorland roads.

The affected section of Bluemound is home to many retail and service businesses, which is why it will remain open during construction, although there likely will be delays.

Grisar encourages interested individuals to attend next week's meeting in order to understand how the project might impact them.

"We'd like residents, businesses and travelers to attend the meeting to talk to the project team directly," she said. "(The DOT) will share information on construction staging, access to businesses and overall schedule."

The construction project is the second in a series of three similar projects, the first of which saw similar work to Bluemound between Moorland Road and 124th Street last year, and the third of which will make alterations to Bluemound between Manhattan Drive and Interstate-94.

The third phase is projected for 2017, but may move up to 2016 if funding becomes available sooner.