Blue Mound Road construction

[hawing]

A question for Waukesha County posters:

 

When we drove home from our last Brewers game on the 6th, it looked like the Blue Mound Road area nearest the interstate (like around Barker Rd) was about to become a construction zone. When coming from the west, we prefer to get off the highway at the Blue Mound exit (297 I think), which gives us lots of choices for pre-game dinner and/or custard stops.

 

Is the road work underway yet? If so, how much of Blue Mound is disrupted? and if not, do you know when the work is scheduled to begin? We have tickets to Monday's game (W and F too) and would like to figure out before Monday afternoon whether (or how much) we have to adjust our commute. Thanks in advance.

[bullox]

Looks like it's just an offramp:

 

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/6050/constkg2.jpg

 

link

 

I can't tell you 100% though. I'm a couple thousand miles away.

[cweber39]

I went that way a week or so ago the bridge is under construction I didn't think the ramp was. I was able to cross the bridge to go to bluemound it was one lane. If you are going west the ramp is closed, I can check this week for you

[billyhallfan]

hawing, since i know you come from madison, i have used bluemound numerous times already this year, and the traffic has still been an advantage over the interstate...so i wouldn't view it as a huge concern, if that is what you were thinking...

[brewcrewman17]

Coming from the west, you'll be able to exit onto Bluemound road and head East or West on Bluemound no problem. There is no construction on Bluemound road East of Barker Rd, so that's also not a problem.

[bork]

It shouldn't be a problem this week, but it could be a problem for the rest of summer. The entire stretch of Bluemound Rd from Barker Rd to Moorland Rd will be under construction for safety improvements. It just says starts this Spring. See the State's project page http://www.dot.state.wi.us/projects/us18bluemound/index.htm

[hawing]

The link posted by bork is one I found a couple of weeks ago (after we got home from our last game). Based on our experience with online listings for city of Madison road projects, I know they're not necessarily updated frequently or in a timely manner. So "spring 2008" could mean as soon as tomorrow or as late as mid-June. That's why I was hoping for some input from locals who have been in the area more recently than we have.

 

Anyway, thanks for the responses thus far.

[Patrick425]

I live in Waukesha, but have not traveled down Bluemound since the construction started. It does seem like it's the bridge over I-94 that they are working on right now and that should not effect exit 297 (since it empties east of the bridge - if you are going east bound off that exit).

 

If you are taking bluemound to find a custard place, you could also exit at Hwy 100 and then take Bluemound east to Gillies (around 76th and Bluemound). It's been in Milwaukee for 70 years and is Bud's favorite place to eat!

 

Someone mentioned Bluemound being quicker than the freeway. I'm not sure I agree with that. I come in from Waukesha and yes the freeway does backup sometimes when there is a Brewer Game. However, every time I have exited the freeway to take Blumound (thinking it would be quicker), I have been dissapointed with my decision.

[Chio151]

Right now it's the bridge over the freeway. However, they are also using a federal grant to make many of the turns from Bluemound into left-turn only instead of open medians. That may start this summer as well.

[hawing]

OK, it sounds like we can use our customary exit for the time being. Usually by about exit 297 we've had enough highway driving, hence our preference for that route. Thanks to all who posted here.

 

(And Patrick425, we often go to Gilles for custard, and after years of doing so finally saw Bud there last fall. But sometimes the flavor of the day at Oscar's or Kopps looks more appealing, so we go there instead. We check their websites in advance. I'm not dorky only for baseball!)

[bork]

Well, here's a timely article in the JS. Work starts June 2nd, but there should still be 3 lanes in each direction (turn/bus lane becomes the third lane, when the median lane is closed).

 

Three years later (2011), the fun starts again when they repave the road.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=741556

[funkyplaidcoat]

Having grown up in the area and driven frequently between Brookfield and Madison, one out-of-the way alternative would be to head north to Capitol Dr. and drive west to Hwy 164 then south back to I-94. It might avoid some of the congestion.