Northbound drivers on Interstate 41 can no longer exit at Richmond Street/State 47 to access Appleton, or enter the interstate from this interchange.
The ramps along the southern side of the interstate closed June 29, and will remain closed until fall, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
The on- and off-ramps serving the southbound I-41 lanes will follow in a few weeks, though the department has not yet announced their closing date.
South of the interchange, Association Drive also closed June 29, and will be redesigned into a cul-de-sac.
Why is Richmond Street/Interstate 41 interchange closing?
The interchange will reopen as a diverging diamond interchange this fall, matching work already completed at neighboring Northland Avenue and Ballard Road I-41 interchanges.
The work is part of the I-41 expansion project, which will continue through 2030 and reconstruct 23 miles of the interstate between Grand Chute and De Pere.
Upgrades include transforming the mainline from four lanes to six, adding auxiliary and collector-distributor lanes, reconstruction of a number of interchanges, overpasses and underpasses and myriad other quality-of-life improvements.
How do I detour around the Richmond Street bridge closure?
WisDOT’s recommended detour for the project sends drivers either south to Northland Avenue or north to Edgewood Drive, then east in both cases to cross or enter the interstate at Ballard Road.
Other nearby crossings, such as Meade Street in Appleton, or Gillett Street and Lynndale Drive in Grand Chute, lack access to the interstate, and are just over- or underpasses.
Taima Kern is editor of the Appleton Post-Crescent. Reach her at tkern@usatodayco.com or 920-993-7104.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Interstate 41 on, off ramps to close June 29 on Appleton’s north side
Reporting by Taima Kern, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Taima Kern, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
