NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – Drivers traveling into the Fox Valley from Northeast Wisconsin will soon encounter a major traffic change as Highway 47/Richmond Street over I-41 in Appleton is scheduled to close beginning May 19 as part of the ongoing I-41 expansion project.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Richmond Street bridge closure is expected to last through the fall while crews reconstruct the interchange into a diverging diamond design. The updated interchange is intended to improve traffic flow, increase safety, and provide better accommodations for bicycles and pedestrians.
WisDOT Communications Manager Mark Kantola said the Richmond Street interchange is one of several major construction areas tied to the larger I-41 corridor expansion between De Pere and Appleton.
“We are reconstructing the intersection as a diverging diamond interchange, a DDI it’s called,” Kantola explained. “That new interchange will accommodate higher traffic volumes, increased safety and additional bike and pedestrian accommodations.”
Kantola noted the project will directly impact drivers from the Shawano and Bonduel areas who commonly use Highway 47 to access Appleton.
“Those traffic impacts include the 47 Richmond Bridge over 41 will close May 19th to the fall of 2026,” Kantola said. “So yes, if you are traveling from Shawano into this area and take 47 Richmond Street, please know it will be under construction through fall of this year.”
In addition to the bridge closure, northbound I-41 ramps at Richmond Street are expected to close in late June, while southbound ramps are expected to shut down in mid-July.
WisDOT has posted detour routes online and encourages motorists to review maps before traveling through the area. Kantola said drivers can avoid confusion and delays by checking the state’s I-41 project website ahead of time.
“There’s nothing worse than getting to where you need to go and have a ramp closed or a road closed,” Kantola said. “You can alleviate all that anxiety by simply going to wisconsindot.gov, look up the I-41 project, and it will show you everything you need to know to navigate the construction.”
The Richmond Street work is part of a much larger effort to expand 23 miles of I-41 from four lanes to six between Appleton and De Pere. The project also includes bridge replacements, interchange modifications, roadway reconstruction, and additional safety improvements throughout the corridor.
Kantola acknowledged the scale of construction can be frustrating for drivers but emphasized the long-term benefits.
“This is probably the biggest project anybody in this area will see,” he said. “The 41 reconstruction and expansion is just so necessary and so important for safety.”
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