Drivers on Interstate 41 though the Fox Cities once again have full access to Appleton via the Ballard Road exit.
While the exit’s on- and off-ramps were previously open, commuters have awaited the completion of the overpass, allowing southbound I-41 drivers access to downtown, northbound drivers access to the city’s north side, and free passage over the interstate.
The exit was closed since spring as part of the ongoing I-41 project, which runs through 2030 and will reconstruct 23 miles of the interstate between Grand Chute and De Pere from four lanes to six and reconstruct a number of overpasses and underpasses to make room for the expansion, in addition to other improvements.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced Nov. 21 that the exit reopens Nov. 22, after crews completed final touches and cleaned the area up.
Ballard Road’s new interchange looks different, what happened?
Ballard is the second of three Appleton-area exits to be transformed from a traditional interchange into a diverging diamond as part of this project, behind Northland Avenue and Interstate 41, which recently opened. Overall, it’s the third such interchange in the region after State 441/U.S. 10 and South Oneida Street was remodeled into a diverging diamond in 2018 as part of a separate project.
A fourth diverging diamond will replace the existing interchange at I-41 and North Richmond Street. Construction on that portion of the project is expected to start in spring 2026 and run though fall 2026, according to WisDOT.
What is a diverging diamond interchange?
A diverging diamond interchange moves traffic to the opposite side of the road, eliminating the need for drivers to make left turns in front of oncoming traffic. This allows traffic looking to make a left turn onto an onramp proceed directly to the ramp, while drivers passing through the interchange are met with a second light and then proceed back to the right side of the road.
According to WisDOT, a diverging diamond also reduces the number of ways vehicles could collide, from 26 possible points in a traditional diamond interchange to 14. It also allows for higher traffic volumes.
What other changes were made to Ballard Road?
WisDOT added bike and pedestrian accommodations, as well as improvements to the park and ride facility on the corner of Ballard and Evergreen Drive.
What’s next for the area?
In addition to the aforementioned work on Richmond Street, WisDOT will also begin work on one interchange and one overpass just east of Ballard in 2026.
The French Road overpass will close from spring to fall 2026 for reconstruction, and work will begin to redesign the I-41/State 441 interchange in fall 2026. The latter project is expected to take until 2029.
Crews will also work on the I-41 mainline between Lynndale Drive and Holland Road from 2026 to 2029.
Taima Kern is editor of the Appleton Post-Crescent, and business editors for the Post-Crescent and the Green Bay Press Gazette. Reach her at tkern@usatodayco.com or 920-907-7819. Follow her on X (Twitter) @TaimaKern.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Ballard Road overpass over Interstate 41 is now open. Here’s what to know
Reporting by Taima Kern, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
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