Nearly a year after dirt started piling up around the Northland Avenue/Interstate 41 interchange in Grand Chute, and just over six months since the overpass closed in February, construction is nearing completion.
When it reopens, it will be the second of nine existing interchanges to complete work — either improvements or reconstruction — as part of the multi-year I-41 Project.
The project aims to expand the interstate from four to six lanes, add auxiliary lanes and collector-distributor roadways where necessary, reconstruct or improve existing interchanges as well as 11 overpasses and underpasses, reconstruct the interchange where the interstate and State 441 meet and build a new interchange at I-41 and Southbridge Road in De Pere, according to WisDOT.
Here’s what to know.
When will drivers be able to cross Interstate 41 using Northland Avenue?
Northland Avenue’s bridge over I-41, along with the northbound on- and off-ramps connected to I-41, will reopen in mid-September. Wisconsin Department of Transporation Region Communications Manager Melissa Kok said the target is the week of Sept. 15, but an exact date is yet to be determined.
When it reopens, drivers will find the roadway transformed from a traditional, light-controlled intersection to a diverging diamond.
What about the southbound on- and off-ramps at Northland?
While southbound drivers were often able to exit at Northland and turn right (west) during the project, the southbound cloverleaf-style on-ramp was closed.
Starting Sept. 2, the off-ramp will close as well, as both will need to be realigned to fit the new interchange layout. They are expected to reopen in mid-November.
When will the southbound off-ramp at Wisconsin Avenue reopen?
The newly rebuilt off-ramp should open before Labor Day weekend, Kok said.
However, this won’t be the last change coming to this exit as part of the project. Closures for the northbound on-ramp from Wisconsin are expected to begin in 2026.
The span between Wisconsin and Northland is one of the segments of the I-41 mainline that will get auxiliary lanes in addition to the third travel lane. The lanes, according to WisDOT’s project website, “ease speed changes, balance the traffic load and provide an efficient way to weave into and out of traffic while lessening congestion in the through lanes.” That work is expected to wrap up in fall 2026.
Which other areas will get auxiliary lanes?
Auxiliary lanes are also planned along the I-41 mainline between Richmond Street and Ballard Road in Appleton, between Delanglade and Lawe streets in Kaukauna, and between Southbridge and Scheuring roads in De Pere.
They will also add auxiliary lanes on State 441, between Northland and I-41.
What is a diverging diamond interchange?
A diverging diamond briefly has drivers briefly switch sides between light-controlled intersections, allowing for left turns without crossing oncoming traffic or stopping. The interchange at State 441 and South Oneida Street, on the south side of Appleton, is one such interchange.
As part of the I-41 Project, diverging diamonds are also going in at Appleton’s Ballard Road (which will reopen in early November) and Richmond Street (which is set for spring to fall 2026) interchanges.
Taima Kern is editor of The Post-Crescent. Reach her at tkern@gannett.com or 920-993-7104.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: When will the Northland Avenue/Interstate 41 bridge reopen, relieve Wisconsin Avenue traffic?
Reporting by Taima Kern, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
