By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – A long-awaited road construction project will start soon in Marshfield. Those in charge of the project gave an update to a small gathering at a public informational session April 24 at the Marshfield City Hall. DOT Project Manager Mark Steidl said work on North Central Avenue between Arnold and Harrison Streets begins May 1:

North Central is also State Highway 97, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Steidl said this is not a total reconstruction project.

Steidl said some consideration was given to closing the road entirely, but it was decided in the end to take a phased approach, keeping one lane open in each direction while the work is being done.

Steidl said phase one should be done by the end of June, at which time work will switch to the two outside lanes. He said the state would like to get 10-15 years out of the new road surface. S & N, Inc., of Merrill is the general contractor for the project, and Quest Engineering of Wisconsin Rapids will provide construction oversight. The four-month project is slated to be completed by Aug. 29, at a cost of just over $2 million to the state.