Construction slated for Mayfair Road

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Peter Zuzga

Morning commuters pass through a construction zone in the 2100 block of Mayfair Road on March 6. The barrels will be up until fall as crews work on 1.6 miles of roadway.

Peter Zuzga

Morning commuters pass through a construction zone in the 2100 block of Mayfair Road on March 6. The barrels will be up until fall as crews work on 1.6 miles of roadway.

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Snow might not be the only thing causing minor delays for travelers in the coming weeks.

Construction work began early this week on the Highway 100 - Mayfair Road - project on 1.6 miles of road from Walnut Road to Burleigh Street, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The contractor, Payne and Dolan, began work on the $6.9 million project Monday. Highway 100 will remain open to traffic during construction won't be done until fall. There will be temporary lane shifts and changes in how drivers access businesses, driveways and cross streets, however, the project is phased to both stay on schedule and minimize traffic impacts, said Emlynn Grisar, southeast region communications manager for the DOT. A minimal delay of less than three minutes is expected.

Nighttime work zones will be utilized for completing the center lanes, intersections and the Highway 45 ramp.

Access to businesses will be maintained, except for short periods that are necessary to pave driveways. Grisar said two travel lanes will be provided in each direction from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. Outside of these hours, one lane of traffic will be open in either direction.

The 1.6 mile stretch of road was last resurfaced in the 1980s. Grisar said the roadway will receive a new asphalt pavement and the left turn lane bays will be extended. The southbound lanes of Highway 100 under the Highway 45 overpass will also be lowered for better vehicle clearance.

"The intersections are being improved to provide additional capacity and to improve safety," Grisar said. "The pavement is in disrepair and needs a new surface."

She said in 2013, the DOT will rehabilitate and expand Highway 100 between Bluemound Road and Watertown Plank Road.