Washburn Road Construction 2024
Updated as of 4/23/24
Road Construction for phase one of the Bayfield St. project started in March. The detour route will open through November and traffic should follow that route. There is signage on the route to help you navigate to the businesses on Bayfield St.. Additional signage is being placed to help direct you once you are off the detour route and on the side streets. All businesses are open for business during the construction. The Chamber is putting the final touches on a map to guide you to your favorite Washburn businesses as well. It should be available in both a digital and physical form soon.
As new information becomes available we will update this page. We will also include an update in our newsletter that goes out each week on Thursday afternoon. Scroll to the very bottom of this page to sign up if you would like to be added to the list.
Please use our contact page if you have questions or need assistance. We will do our best to provide an answer or get you in touch with someone who can help.
You can find more information about Washburn road construction on the cities website HERE, or on the Wisconsin DOT website HERE.
Washburn Road Construction Updates
This week Hoffman Construction will finish removing the concrete pavement between 2nd Ave W and 8th Ave W and they will continue to crush concrete between 11th Ave and Thompson Creek too. Existing gravel between 4th and 8th Ave will be scraped up and piled along the job site. Jake’s Excavating will be installing water and sanitary between Washington Ave and 3rd Ave. This may cause some interruptions to water service for some. Those affected should be notified at least 24 hours in advance. Traffic will still be allowed to cross STH 13 at 2nd Ave, 4th Ave, and 8-11th Ave.
Detour Route
Main Route
If you are coming from Ashland, the detour starts at Hwy 13 and Bigelow St.. You will turn right onto Bigelow St. and follow the signs. The end of the route is on the corner of Bayfield ST. (Hwy 13) and 1st Ave W. That is where you will enter if coming from Bayfield. The map on the left shows you the full detour for this phase of the project
Entering and Exiting the Detour
We noticed that a lot of people are confused about how to enter and exit the detour from the East end. The image to the right shows the flow of traffic and where people need to stop. The double stop signs in front of the chamber office are NOT suggestions! Please pay attention if you are on Bayfield St. between 2nd & 1st Ave W Headed towards Bayfield. You must stop as oncoming traffic does not have to stop.
Also, Please note that there is no parking along the detour route. This includes on 1st Ave W. next to the chamber. However, you can drive and park on the 100 block of Bayfield St. for the duration of the project. The detour ahead signs are standard but you can still utilize this section while the work is being done.
Signage has changed at the West entrance to the detour (coming off HWY 13 from Ashland) we are working on getting an image like the one above created to help explain how that intersection works too. It will be available soon.
Accessing Businesses On Washington Ave
The work on Washington Ave, just south of Bayfield St. is almost complete. Omaha St. is open making it easier to access businesses on 3rd Ave W. The image to the left shows how you can access businesses still affected by this section of workif you traveling West through the city.
Coco’s & Chippewa Valley Bank have been the most impacted businesses at this time. You can’t access them by car from Washington Ave. or Bayfield St.. Currently, you can only access them through the alley off of 2nd Ave W. or by walking to them on Bayfield St.. It was mentioned in the last construction meeting on 4/23/24 that they will be laying gravel on the Washington Ave. this week which would open Washington Ave up to the alley so that you can access these businesses again from the alley off of Washington Ave.
Access to the businesses on the North side of Bayfield St. will need to use 4th Ave W. to cross over. Once on the North side turn right on Pine St.. You can access the parking lot between Sweet Fern Apothecary/Seeds of Well Being & 211 Martini from the alley on 3rd Ave W.. To do that turn right off of Pine St. at 3rd Ave W. and then turn Left into the alley. You can use that parking lot or you can park on Pine St. or 3rd Ave. W when going to the businesses in that area. If you do park on 3rd Ave W. It would be best not to park between the alley and Bayfield St.
Washburn Road Construction Fast Facts
General Information
- The detour route is not open to ATVs, or UTVs.
- Reach out to the city or the chamber if you have any questions or concerns and we will do our best to help.
- 11th Ave W, 9th Ave W, 8th Ave W, 4th Ave W & 2nd Ave W are the designated open cross streets. Use only these Avenues to cross Bayfield St. by car or by foot. Open status is subject to change at any time.
- The businesses are doing their best to navigate this disruption. Please be patient with them as they work out the logistics. Also please continue to support them while this work is taking place.
Driving Information
- The speed limit on the detour is 25 miles per hour. Law enforcement will be monitoring the road and they will give tickets. Tickets in a construction zone are doubled!
- The lettering on the signs on the detour are set to WISDOT standards for the posted speed limit. If you can’t read them you are going too fast.
- There are a lot of people not following the posted traffic signage. It is getting better each day but it is still happening. As you drive through the city pretend you are in a new place that you have never visited before and look at all the posted signage. We all work on muscle memory, also known as driving on auto pilot, in places we know and are used to. Doing that now could get you a ticket or could lead to an accident.
Parking Information
- You can park and drive on Bayfield St. between 1st Ave W & 2nd Ave W. This is for business traffic only. If you are not visiting a business on that street please stay on the detour until 1st Ave W or join the detour at 1st Ave. W. If you are on Bayfield St. between 1st & 2nd Ave W and are headed towards Ashland you will need to turn right onto 2nd Ave W between Cozy Corner Guitar and the Cenex Gas Station to get onto Washington Ave or left to get onto Omaha and the detour. If 2nd Ave W is closed you may need to make a U-Turn on Bayfield St. to get back out.
- You can not park on the detour route.
- Parking on the avenues is discouraged especially the ones that are not open as a cross street. Parking for Bayfield St. businesses is available on Omaha from 11th Ave W to 3rd Ave W.
Business Information
- If you are a business owner please contact the chamber with questions about signage. We are handling that for everyone including non-members. Talk with us before doing anything with signs, we can help save you a lot of time and money.
- The next meeting for businesses with the contractors and the project coordinators is tentatively set for Tuesday, May 7th at 1pm in the basement of the library. This is not a public meeting this is for the business community only.
- Reach out to the city or the chamber if you have any questions or concerns and we will do our best to help.
- If you need a graphic to help show customers how to get to your business reach out to the chamber and we can create one for you.