County S Reconstruction

raSmith worked in conjunction with Kenosha County and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)  to complete the design to expand four miles of County S, from the I-94 East Frontage Road to WIS 31 through the Village of Somers and City of Kenosha. County S had seen a rapid increase in traffic over the last five years, driving an important need to improve safety and efficiency along this vital local corridor.

The existing two-lane rural roadway was expanded to a four-lane divided road with a raised median, on-road bicycle accommodations, improved drainage, and a shared-use path. Two important waterways crossing through the project required comprehensive coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The project included a new 44-foot long single span flat slab bridge over the Kilbourn Road Ditch, an 86-foot long box culvert extension carrying the South Branch Pike River, a 148-foot long three-span prestressed concrete girder bridge over the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and an 18-acre stormwater retention pond to help alleviate regional flooding. Traffic signals were replaced at two intersections and added at a third intersection. The at-grade Union Pacific Railroad crossing was replaced with new signals and crossing gates to improve safety. The County EA intersection was relocated 250 feet further west to provide additional separation from the Union Pacific Railroad crossing.

The City of Kenosha, the WisDOT Bureau of Aeronautics, and the Federal Aviation Administration were integral in the extensive coordination between the design team looking to expand County S while the Kenosha Regional Airport was also planning its own runway expansion project adjacent to County S.

The expansion of County S is the largest transportation project ever completed by Kenosha County.