Welcome to the Minocqua Area - Nature's Original Water Park. We call it that because it's located in the middle of Northern Wisconsin's Lake Country. Here there are thousands of lakes, rivers and streams that literally saturate the geography. And vacationers have long been visiting the Minocqua Area to enjoy all this water by boating, swimming, fishing, snowmobiling and more. There's no admission fees and we're open year round!

US 51, Front Street to Old Hwy 70, Minocqua, May 16, 2013 (*updates in red*)
5/17/2013
Roadway construction
•    Wisconsin Public Service utility relocation continues. They are focused on installation of new street light pole bases and final tie-ins of the new gas main at Huber Lane and Rogers Drive.
•    Storm sewer crews completed Stage 1 work (to Island Cove Drive). They plan to finish the storm sewer work at the Huber Lane/Lakeview Drive intersection next week.  
•    Crews have completed the sanitary sewer and water work in Stage 1.
•    Grading crews continued to excavate US 51 to subgrade followed by the placement of 18 inches of gravel, primarily in the outside northbound and southbound lanes and plan to complete grading and gravel placement in the outside lanes next week. They are also busy grading and placing gravel for the new sidewalks on the east and west sides of US 51.
•    Concrete crews continued to work from south to north on the new sidewalk and curb and gutter. This work is expected to continue over the next few weeks, including the decorative sections of sidewalk, which is expected to start next week.  
•    IMPORTANT: The public is asked to avoid the new sidewalks until they have sufficiently dried. The white curing compound from the new concrete will stick to anything that touches it. Drying times could take as much as a week or more.  
•    Crews will continue to communicate with the business owners regarding to access to their properties as the new sidewalk and curb and gutter is placed.
•    The landscaping crew completed placement of the shoreline stabilizing riprap along the west side of the causeway. Retaining wall work at various locations along the project is expected to start next week.
•    Electricians continued installation of underground conduit and pull boxes. This work is expected to continue for approximately another week.
•    Asphalt paving (which will consist of a total of 6 inches of hot mix asphalt) will be constructed in three layers; the first two layers in the outside northbound and southbound lanes are scheduled for placement the week of May 27.
•    A work restriction will be in place from noon, Friday, May 24 to 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 28. During this time the contractors will not be permitted to work on US 51. The purpose of the work restriction is to minimize impacts to traffic during the Memorial Holiday weekend.

Traffic
•    The highway is reduced to one lane in each direction between Front Street and Island Cove Drive.  As work progresses, motorists should be aware that frequent shifting of open traffic lanes may be necessary to accommodate work operations.
•    Crews plan to maintain at least one lane of traffic in each direction for the majority of the project.  At times, traffic may be reduced to a single lane with flagging operations.  
•    Motorists may encounter delays and are reminded to use caution when traveling through the work zone.
•    All sidewalks within the project limits are closed and are signed as such.  Pedestrians and others that typically use these routes should consider other alternatives.
•    Lakeview Drive is permanently closed to vehicular traffic at US 51. However, pedestrian access from the new sidewalk along US 51 to Lakeview Drive will be constructed as part of this project.
 
Next public meeting
•    The next construction information meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at the Minocqua Town Hall at 7:30 a.m.
 
For more information, contact:
Kristin McHugh, WisDOT Region Communications Manager (715) 421-8380