“Highway 50 serves as a critical east-west connector route in the southeast corner of our state, and these improvements are giving folks a safer, more reliable route to their destination,” Evers said. “This highway project was one of the largest urban roadway reconstruction projects WisDOT has undertaken in the last 23 years, and it’s an investment that will pay dividends long into the future, strengthening our state’s economy and modernizing the corridor to spur further growth in Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, and surrounding communities.”
Work began in early 2021 to reconstruct four miles of WIS 50 between 117th Avenue in Pleasant Prairie and 43rd Avenue in Kenosha. The finished project improves access to adjacent hospitals, eases traffic flow in a dense commercial shopping area, and enhances regional mobility in an active freight corridor.
“We’re grateful for Governor Evers’ leadership and commitment to transportation by making strategic investments in communities throughout the state,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson. “The WIS 50 project enhances safety and access to the homes and businesses along this heavily relied upon highway. The partnerships and collaboration across communities, businesses, and all levels of government helped deliver a successful project. We can all be proud of these improvements and the positive impact for Kenosha County and the state for years to come.”
The two-year $88 million project was completed this summer. In addition to the reconstruction and expansion work, project improvements included creating safer turning movements to access homes and businesses, building more sidewalk and pedestrian accommodations to help serve all modes of transportation, and updating the traffic signals to improve driver safety and understanding.
