Construction was nearly complete when this aerial photo was taken of the Interstate 90/39 and Interstate 43 interchange in Beloit. The project came to a close as 2021 ended.
Construction on Interstate 39/90 and the Interstate 43 interchange is seen in this aerial photo. City leaders and business owners were excited to see the project come to a close in late 2021.
The southbound flyover ramp of Interstate 39/90 and Interstate 43 was in its final stages of construction in November as the massive highway project stretching from Beloit to Madison was coming to a close.
Construction was nearly complete when this aerial photo was taken of the Interstate 90/39 and Interstate 43 interchange in Beloit. The project came to a close as 2021 ended.
Construction on Interstate 39/90 and the Interstate 43 interchange is seen in this aerial photo. City leaders and business owners were excited to see the project come to a close in late 2021.
Adams Publishing Group File Photo
Traffic moves along Interstate 39/90 in Beloit in this file photo. Improvements to I-39/90 have improved traffic flow in the Stateline Area.
The southbound flyover ramp of Interstate 39/90 and Interstate 43 was in its final stages of construction in November as the massive highway project stretching from Beloit to Madison was coming to a close.
BELOIT—One of the most extensive high way construction projects in the Stateline Area came to a close at the end of 2021, much to the excitement and joy of residents and business owners who had to deal with orange barrels and traffic delays during the past few years.
The Interstate 39/90—Interstate 43 project finally was finished in November after years of planning and construction. The project stretched about 45 miles from the Illinois/Wisconsin state line to Madison and it involved expanding the interstate from two lanes in each direction to three lanes in each direction. Lanes were expanded to four lanes in each direction in the Janesville area.
A flyover ramp connecting southbound I-39/90 to I-43 was opened finally in November, and final work on the I-43 portion of the project was complete in December, making it one of the final stages of the massive highway project.
“We are excited to approach the finish line on the I-39/90 and I-43 interchange reconfiguration in Beloit,” said Steven Theisen, project communications manager when the completion of the project was near at the beginning of November.
All southbound traffic wishing to enter Beloit must use Exit 2 (Hart Road) and follow Wisconsin Highway 81 (Milwaukee Road) into Beloit. All northbound lanes of I-39/90 opened last week between Illinois and Madison, marking a major step towards traffic flows returning to normal.
Theisen said all southbound lanes of I-39/90 in Dane and Rock counties are expected to open by Nov. 19, with the final stages of the I-43 interchange in Beloit to wrap up in early December. Completion of the interchange would mark the end of the major project that saw construction begin in 2017 after years of preparation and design work by WisDOT.
City officials and businesses located along the I-39/90—I-43 corridor were thrilled that the project was complete.
“The new interchange will be safer for our community and provides much-needed infrastructure to support Beloit’s unprecedented economic growth,” Said Beloit City Manager Lori Curtis Luther at the time of the project completion.
The project not only included adding lanes of traffic and constructing flyover ramps. The project also included the reconfiguration of 11 interchanges between Beloit and Madison.
Planning for the massive construction project began 10 years ago. The following is a timeline for significant parts of the interstate project:
• 2012—Design work started for the Interstate project.
• 2013—First interchange reconstructed at WIS 11/Racine Street in Janesville; advanced based on safety issues.
• 2014—Alternate route improvements to County G, County BT, US 51 from Janesville to Edgerton, etc.
• 2015—Work began on I-39/90 corridor, including the County S/Shopiere Road interchange.
• 2016—First Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) opens at WIS 11/Avalon Road, south of Janesville.
• 2017—Bridge replacements over I-39/90 in Janesville and Beloit.
• 2018—I-39/90 expansion between Beloit and Janesville. Preliminary work started at the I-39/90 interchange with I-43 and WIS 81 in Beloit.
• 2019—Work on the Beloit interchange and expansion between the Illinois state line and Cranston Road.
• 2020—Ongoing work at the Beloit interchange, including the flyover ramps. Also expanded the truck parking at the Beloit Rest Area.
• 2021—Final construction year of the I-39/90 Expansion Project with the project mostly complete in November.
