WisDOT plans major safety overhaul for Green Bay’s Mason Street, Ashland Avenue

GREEN BAY – On Aug. 25, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) hosted a live, online public involvement meeting to show proposed safety improvements to seven intersections on Mason Street (WIS 54) and Ashland Avenue (WIS 32) in the city of Green Bay.

Intersection improvements are being proposed for WIS 54/West Mason Street at Hillcrest Drive, Green Ridge Road, La Count Road, Country Club Road, Packerland Drive and Hinkle Street.

A separate project is marked to improve the intersection at WIS 32/Ashland Avenue and 9th Street.

“So today’s meeting is to gather feedback and comment from the public on the proposed improvements — knowledge of community events, area improvement projects, other factors that may affect the scope or schedule for improvements will be beneficial to us — so we are reaching out for input before we finalize the preliminary design. So that’s a key step to our project design process — to have that — so we factor that all before we finalize and begin in the final design,” explained Joshua Lang, project manager with WisDOT.

“The purpose of the projects here is intersection safety — to address the safety needs. These projects are funded by safety funds from the Highway Safety Improvement Program to address specific crash trends. Numerous recent crashes at the intersections within the analysis period showed there was a leading type of crash of left turn crashes.”

Proposed improvements on Mason Street include work at the Hillcrest Drive, Green Ridge Road, La Count Road, Country Club Road, Packerland Drive and Hinkle Street intersections, including:

• Reconstructing positive offset left turn lanes at each of the intersections.

• Modifications to drainage to accommodate new turn lane layouts, including reconstructing, adjusting, or removing and replacing inlets in the reconstructed areas; and reconstructing and reconnecting storm sewer pipes.

• Curb ramp upgrades throughout the project corridor.

• Updated pavement marking and signing in the areas of the turn lane modifications.

Prior to the project, the city of Green Bay will upgrade traffic signals at the intersections of Mason Street and Country Club Road, Packerland Dr., and Hinkle St. to monotubes, scheduled between fall 2025 and summer 2026.
During reconstruction, West Mason Street will have various single-lane closures at each intersection.

For the WIS 32/Ashland Avenue and 9th Street project, improvements will include reconstructing positive offset left turn lanes, upgrading curb ramps at the intersection and at the 9th Street railroad crossing, removing the islands to accommodate truck turning, adding medians on 9th Street and raising the profile of 9th Street to improve railroad safety, which includes reconstructing a portion of 9th Street, and modifying the traffic signals at the intersection and the railroad signals at the 9th Street crossing.

During this reconstruction work, one lane of Ashland Avenue will remain open in both directions.

West of Ashland Avenue, 9th Street is scheduled to remain open in both directions, but the DOT said that a full closure could still occur.

East of Ashland Avenue, 9th Street will be fully closed.

Construction is expected to take place in 2027 and 2028.

For more information, visit wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/ne/wis32and54/default.aspx.