GILLETT, WI – With major road construction continuing through downtown Gillett, the Gillett Chamber of Commerce wants residents and visitors to know one thing: the city is still open for business.
Construction on the Highway 22 reconstruction project continues between Finnegan Lake Road and the Highway 22/32 intersection. This week, crews are completing roadway grading, installing curb and gutter, beginning concrete pavement work at several intersections, and starting the Christie Brook box culvert extension.
Highway 22 remains closed to through traffic, with motorists directed to use the posted detour via County H and County R. Some driveways and intersections may be temporarily inaccessible during construction, but contractors are providing regular updates to affected property owners.
Despite the ongoing work, Chris Byars, a representative with the Gillett Chamber of Commerce, says every effort has been made to keep local businesses accessible.
“Even though the construction is going on, all of our businesses are accessible,” Byars said. “Most of them are giving updates on their own Facebook pages on the best ways to get to their places because sometimes that is a moving target. But they are open, and they are ready to serve.”
Business access signs have been placed throughout the city to help customers navigate around construction and reach shops, restaurants and services.
“It sometimes takes a little longer because you have to go around the construction,” Byars said. “But ultimately our businesses are open, they’re accessible and ready to serve anybody who wants to come.”
Byars said the Chamber has worked closely with city officials and construction managers since utility work began last December and throughout the state’s highway reconstruction project.
“The project managers have communicated with us and the city to help keep people updated on what the plans are for each week,” he said. “I think they have been as accommodating as they truly can be with an active project.”
He also urged drivers to obey construction signage after several close calls in work zones.
“We’ve had a few pretty hairy things where people could have been hurt, and thankfully nobody was, because people weren’t respecting the construction signs,” Byars said.
Youth Fair Will Move Forward Despite Construction
The next major event on Gillett’s calendar is the Oconto County Youth Fair, which begins in late August. While construction will still be underway, Byars says organizers have already planned traffic routes to help visitors safely reach the fairgrounds.
“There will be more signage that will come up with that,” Byars said. “It’ll be different in the sense with the two projects that are going on since we do have the playground that’s also going in the park at this time.”
He said fair organizers established entrance and parking routes well in advance of construction, allowing visitors to navigate the area more easily.
One unexpected benefit of the construction project has been improvements to the fairgrounds’ pull track.
“They also have extended the pull track at our fairgrounds,” Byars said. “There’s going to be some larger pulling events that can happen because of that. If people like to watch truck pulls and tractor pulls, that’ll be something to come out and enjoy.”
Byars encourages residents to continue supporting Gillett businesses throughout the project, saying a few extra minutes of travel can make a significant difference for local shops and restaurants while the city’s downtown improvements continue through the fall.
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