The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) reminds drivers to prepare for busy roads and celebrate safe driving habits during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. According to AAA, more than 1.4 million Wisconsinites will be driving to their destinations this holiday weekend. Peak travel times are expected from 2-6 p.m. Thursday (July 2), between noon and 7 p.m. Friday (July 3) and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 5. “Know before you go” with 511 Wisconsin, 511wi.gov or get the free 511 WI app, to stay aware of road conditions and view live traffic cameras on your route.

“Safety on our roads is a shared responsibility. Whether you’re driving across the state or just across town, your choices behind the wheel matter,” WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said. “Buckle up, drive sober, put distractions away and look out for one another. Together, we can make this Fourth of July a safe and memorable celebration across Wisconsin.”

Most road construction will pause over the holiday weekend to open as many lanes as possible. Significant road construction projects that may impact Fourth of July weekend travel include:

North Central Wisconsin

  • Forest County: WIS 32 is closed between US 8 and Range Line Road in Crandon. Traffic is detoured via US 8 and US 45.
  • Lincoln County: WIS 17 is closed between Lincoln County G and Norwegian Road near Merrill. Traffic is detoured via Lincoln County G and Lincoln County C.
  • Lincoln County: WIS 107 is closed between Wilderness Drive and Lincoln County S near Tomahawk. Traffic is detoured via WIS 64, US 51, and Lincoln County S.
  • Marathon County: WIS 29 is restricted to a single lane in each direction between WIS 97 and WIS 107 near Athens. The WIS 97 interchange is closed. WIS 97 traffic is detoured via WIS 29, WIS 13, WIS 153, and WIS 64.
  • Marathon County: WIS 29 is restricted to a single lane in each direction between Marathon County D and Marathon County OO near Wittenberg.
  • Marathon County: WIS 29 is restricted to a single lane in each direction between Marathon County Q and Bass Lake Road near Hatley.
  • Marathon County: WIS 29 eastbound is restricted to a single lane between 48th Avenue and the Rib River bridge in Wausau.
  • Menominee County: WIS 47 is closed between the Langlade County line and County VV (west). Traffic is detoured via US 45, and WIS 29 near Neopit.
  • Oneida County: US 8 is closed between WIS 47 and WIS 17 North in Rhinelander. Traffic is detoured via Kemp Street, Arbutus Street, Pelham Street, Courtney Street, Lincoln Street, and WIS 17.
  • Shawano County: WIS 22 is closed between Shawano County R and Pulcifer near Cecil. Traffic is detoured via Shawano County R, Shawano County H, and WIS 32.
  • Shawano County: WIS 29 is restricted to a single lane in each direction between Shawano County J east of Wittenberg and South Highline Road east of Shawano.
  • Waupaca County: US 45 is closed between Givens Road and Church Road in New London. Traffic is detoured via US 10 and WIS 22.
  • Waupaca County: US 10 is open to one lane each way between the Portage County line and WIS 22 near Waupaca.
  • Waupaca and Shawano counties: US 45 is restricted to a single lane in each direction between Waupaca County C and Gollnow Road near Marion.
  • Wood County: The intersection of WIS 73 and WIS 80 in Pittsville is closed. Traffic is detoured via WIS 73, WIS 54, Wood County X, and WIS 80.
  • Wood and Portage counties: WIS 13/34 is closed between Rudolph and U​S 10 in Rudolph. Traffic is detoured via WIS 66, I-39, and US 10.

Northeast Wisconsin

  • Brown and Outagamie counties: Two lanes are open each way on I-41 between Appleton and Green Bay. Watch for lane shifts and reduced speed limits.
  • Calumet County: WIS 55, just south of County E in Stockbridge, is closed to traffic. Traffic is detoured via WIS 32/57 and US 151.
  • Oconto County: WIS 22 is closed through the city of Gillett. A signed detour directs WIS 22 traffic to use County R and County H.
  • Outagamie County: WIS 47/Richmond Street over I-41 in Appleton is closed to traffic.
  • Outagamie County: WIS 76 from Everglade Road to County JJ and the WIS 76/County JJ intersection is closed in the village of Greenville. Traffic is detoured via WIS 15 to County JJ to N Olk Street to County M to County S to WIS 76.
  • Sheboygan County: The southbound I-43 collector/distributor ramp and associated loop ramps at WIS 23 in Sheboygan are closed to traffic.
    • Detour route for I-43 southbound to WIS 23 eastbound follows WIS 23 westbound to County Y to WIS 23 eastbound.
    • Detour route for WIS 23 westbound to I-43 southbound will be via County Y to WIS 23 eastbound to I-43 southbound.
  • Winnebago County: WIS 21 is closed to through traffic between Omro and Oshkosh. Traffic is detoured via WIS 116, US 45 and I-41.

Northwest Wisconsin

  • Ashland County: WIS 13 northwest of Glidden and north of Hennes Road is reduced to a single lane of traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals at Becky Creek.
  • Barron County: US 53 South between Cameron and Chetek is reduced to a single lane of traffic at three bridge locations. Watch for reduced speed limits. The ramp from County I to southbound US 53 is closed.
  • Barron County: US 63 is closed in the city of Cumberland at Beaver Dam Lake. Traffic is detoured via WIS 48, US 53 and WIS 70.
  • Bayfield County: US 2 is restricted to a single lane of traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals at the North Fish Creek Bridge southwest of the US 2 and WIS 13 intersection.
  • Bayfield County: WIS 13 is restricted to a single lane of traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals at Little Whittlesey Creek north of the US 2/WIS 13 roundabout.
  • Burnett County: WIS 35 is only open to southbound traffic from Lanquist Street to Southshore Drive in Siren. Northbound car traffic is detoured via County B, 4th Avenue North and Elizabeth Street. Heavy truck traffic is detoured via WIS 70/MN 70, I-35 (MN), MN 48/WIS 77 and WIS 35.
  • Douglas County: The bridge carrying WIS 13 over US 2/53 southeast of Superior is restricted to a single lane of traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals.
  • Douglas County: WIS 105 west of Tower Avenue in Superior is open to traffic using a single-lane bypass controlled by temporary traffic signals. Heavy truck traffic is detoured via MN 23, US 2 and WIS 35.
  • Dunn County: WIS 85 is closed to through traffic from County O North to 1010th Street southwest of Eau Claire. Traffic is detoured via WIS 37 and US 10.
  • Eau Claire County: I-94 between the US 53 interchange and Mallard Road southwest of Eau Claire is open to two lanes of traffic each way. Watch for reduced speed limits and temporary eastbound traffic lanes in a portion of the work zone.
  • Polk County: WIS 46 is closed between 140th Avenue and 150th Avenue south of Balsam Lake near Lykens Lake north of US 8. Traffic is detoured via US 8 and WIS 35.
  • Rusk County: US 8 is restricted to a single lane of traffic at Little Soft Maple Creek southwest of Bruce controlled by temporary traffic signals.
  • St. Croix County: I-94 on the St. Croix River bridges between Hudson and Lakeland, Minn., is open to three lanes of eastbound traffic and one lane of westbound traffic on the eastbound St. Croix River Bridge and one lane of westbound traffic on the westbound structure. The traffic split for westbound traffic begins near the 11th Street overpass. Watch for reduced speed limits.
  • St. Croix County: Eastbound I-94 traffic is operating on temporary traffic lanes before and after 100th Street and Kinney Road between Hudson and Roberts. Watch for a reduced speed limit on the eastbound lanes.

Southeast Wisconsin

  • Milwaukee County: Motorists can expect lane closures and various ramp closures along I-94, between 70th Street and 25th Street. I-94 will remain open to at least two lanes in each direction along the corridor. Expect slower traffic in this area.
  • Milwaukee County: Motorists can expect various ramp and lane closures along I-41, between Burleigh Street and Good Hope Road. I-41 will remain open to at least two lanes in each direction. Expect slower traffic in this area.
  • Milwaukee County: A single lane of I-43 southbound, between Good Hope Road and Silver Spring Drive, is closed. Two lanes of southbound I-43 remain open in this corridor.
  • Milwaukee County: The I-43 and Becher Street interchange is closed. Motorists are encouraged to use the nearby Lapham Boulevard interchange to get around the closure.
  • Waukesha County: The I-43 Rock Freeway, between WIS 83 and WIS 164, is reduced to one lane in each direction.
  • Waukesha County: WIS 59, between County X (Saylesville Road) and WIS 67, is closed to through traffic. Posted detour follows WIS 67 and US 18.
  • Washington County: The I-41 southbound exit ramp to WIS 60, and the WIS 60 entrance ramp to southbound I-41 are closed. Motorists are encouraged to use WIS 164 and WIS 167 (Holy Hill Road) to get around this closure.

Southwest Wisconsin

Do your part to keep work zones safe

Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including reduced speed limits, lane shifts and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:

  • Buckle Up, Phone Down – every trip, every time. Encourage family, friends and co-workers to take the pledge.
  • Leave the phone alone. Texting while driving is illegal statewide and using a hand-held mobile device is prohibited in work zones.
  • Follow posted speed limits. Fines double in work zones.
  • Do the zipper merge to keep traffic moving during lane restrictions.
  • Move over or slow down. Give space to crews to safely do their work.
    • State law includes police and fire vehicles, ambulances, tow trucks, highway maintenance and disabled vehicles. In addition, state law restricts the use of a cell phone in areas surrounding those vehicles.
  • Steer It, Clear It! State law requires drivers to move vehicles involved in a crash out of traffic if no one is hurt and the vehicles can be moved safely. If someone is hurt or the vehicle is disabled, drivers should not risk injury by trying to push the vehicle out of traffic.
  • Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

Visit WisDOT’s work zone safety webpage for more tips and information.

Travel info on Wisconsin highways

Wisconsinites and visitors are encouraged to “know before you go” and access real-time information on travel conditions, live traffic cameras, work zones and incidents across Wisconsin:

Alerts and updates provided via these sites are not intended for use while driving. When driving, your focus should always be on the road ahead.

Motorists may encounter the WisDOT Safety Patrol, sponsored by GEICO, along sections of I-41 in Brown and Outagamie counties, I-41 and I-94 in Milwaukee County, I-39/90/94 in Columbia County and I-94 in St. Croix County. The fleet of specially equipped vehicles help manage highway incidents within major construction work zones to keep everyone safe. Coverage hours vary, but most coverage is seven days per week, up to 14 hours per day. Learn more about the WisDOT Safety Patrol.

Most Wisconsin safety rest areas are open and these facilities offer restrooms, amenities and a break from travel. The safety rest areas along I-43 near Denmark and Maribel in northeast Wisconsin are closed for reconstruction. View the interactive map of WisDOT’s roadside facilities.

DMV’s holiday hours and convenient online service 24/7

Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) customer service centers will be closed on the Fourth of July for any DMVs with Saturday hours. DMV online service is open 24/7 at wisconsindmv.gov.

Travelers may want to consider adding emergency contact information to their license data. Visit wisconsindmv.gov/emergencycontact for the convenient online self-service application. Only law enforcement can access the information and help expedite contact to a family member or other loved one more quickly in the event of an emergency.