Groundbreaking Reconstruction Planned for State Highway 140, Project STH 140

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is laying the groundwork for reconstructing Wisconsin Route 140. Project State Highway (STH) 140 starts at Bergen (State Line Road) and ends at Emerald Grove (0.2 miles south of Delco Drive) which is a straight line between the stateline of Illinois and the Village of Clinton, Wisconsin.

Map of STH 140

Spring 2024, when the project commences, seems far away but Chris Hazard, WisDOT Project Communications Manager said, “we are anticipating the STH 140 project to take the full 2024 construction season.”

Although the closing of Interstate Highway 140 could cause shifts in commuter plans, WisDOT plans to solve flooding in places such as Emerald Grove with two new box culverts, and nine new cross culverts. Interstate Highway 43 to US Highway 14 “will be closed and detoured for the duration of the construction season due the replacement of two box culverts,” according to Chris Hazard.

Not only has IH-140 had problems with severe flooding but severe winter weather has buckled the pavements. Emerald Grove lay victim to a tornado touchdown in July 2017, which caused minor damages but no injuries or deaths. The 2018 polar vortex devastated the already aging IH-140 resulting in an emergency WisDOT project which started July 2019.

According to Della Koenig, Project Leader, “the emergency project will keep WIS 140 serviceable until the 2024 reconstruction project.”

Reconstructing the highway is not only a weather issue but a driver safety and ergonomics one. According to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HISP), the WIS-67 intersection had 15 crashes between 2013 and 2017, which is twice the state average for similar intersections. It is ranked by HISP and WisDOT as one of the top 25 crash locations in Southwest Wisconsin.

Della Koenig said in the video “WIS 140 Reconstruction Project, Rock County”, that on County Road P, the turns and curves would be shifted to the northwest to accommodate American Transmission Company (ATC) lines. “It is more cost effective to move roads than ATC’s lines.”

Lake Shore Road and Tighe Road also hope to see improved turn radii, curbs, and gutters.

Ogden Avenue through the interchange at I-43 will still be open to the public with traffic control and flags.