Northwest Wisconsin Highway Construction Update – Jun. 26, 2026

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2 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Northwest Wisconsin Highway Construction Update – Jun. 26, 2026

NORTHWEST WISCONSIN — This week’s updates from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) on road construction projects for Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.

Barron County

Highway: County O

Location: East Branch Upper Pine Creek Bridge north of the village of Dallas
Schedule: June 15 to early August
Cost: $ $501,425
Description of work: Replacing the bridge and reconstructing 149.5 feet of approaching roadway
Traffic impacts: County O is closed at the structure, and traffic is being detoured via County D, WIS 25 and County U.
Highway: County O
Location: Wisconsin Avenue intersection in Rice Lake
Schedule: April 20 to late September
Cost: $1.1 million
Description of work: Realigning and extending the County O left-turn lanes, constructing right-turn lanes both north and south along Wisconsin Avenue, replacing traffic signals and adding sidewalk and a pedestrian crossing on County O
Traffic impacts: Wisconsin Avenue and County O remain open to traffic, but motorists will encounter lane closures for the switch to permanent traffic signals and removal of temporary signals.

Highway: US 53 South

Location: Bridges between Cameron and New Auburn, structures over US 8, Knapp Street, County A, County AA and Carlson School Road, 2025; and structures over 20th Street, County I and the Chetek River, 2026
Schedule: Feb. 23 to October, 2026 construction; May 5, 2025, to October 2026, overall project
Cost: $10.91 million
Description of 2026 work: Replacing the decks on the bridges over the Chetek River and 20th Street; replacing the bridge over County I; milling pavement on both sides of each structure and placing new asphalt pavement on the approaches; milling and overlaying the pavement on the southbound US 53 on- and off-ramps at the County I interchange; and replacing guardrail, pavement markings and signage
Traffic impacts: Southbound US 53 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter:
- Single-lane closures on southbound US 53 before and after bridges over 20th Street, Knapp Street, County I, the Chetek River and Carlson School Road
  - The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph.
- Single-lane closures on County I through the duration of the project
- Closure of the ramp from County I to southbound US 53
- The ramp closure is anticipated to be in place through Oct. 1.
  - Traffic is being detoured on northbound US 53 to the US 8 interchange, where motorists will exit and then re-enter southbound US 53.

Highway: US 63

Location: Charrie Lane in Cumberland to the Washburn County line
Schedule: April 13 to late June
Cost: $4.64 million
Description of work: Removing a portion of the existing pavement and paving new asphalt, installing centerline and edge line rumble strips, cleaning or repairing culverts, reconstructing sidewalk curb ramps to Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and placing new pavement markings
Traffic impacts: US 63 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter single-lane closures controlled by flagging from:
- 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays
- 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays

Highway: US 63

Location: Beaver Dam Lake in Cumberland
Schedule: April 24 to early September
Cost: $2.64 million
Description of work: Removing the existing box culvert carrying Beaver Dam Lake under US 63, building a bridge with a longer span to replace the box culvert, removing the Lake Street Bridge, dredging Beaver Dam Lake under US 63 and the Lake Street Bridge, building an ATV trail on the east side of US 63 from Arcade Avenue to Nedvidek Street, reconstructing US 63 on both sides of the new bridge, reconstructing portions of Lake Street, Nedvidek Street and Babcock Avenue to match the raised profile of US 63 and constructing curb, gutter and sidewalk
Traffic impacts: US 63 is closed to traffic on both sides of the structure.
- Traffic is being detoured via WIS 48, US 53 and WIS 70. In addition:
  - Lake Street is closed just past the boat landing.
    - Access to the boat landing is being maintained.
    - The Lake Street Bridge is open to emergency vehicles only through late July.

Burnett County

Highway: WIS 35

Location: Lanquist Street in Siren to WIS 70 East
Schedule: May 4 to mid-October
Cost: $8.55 million
Description of work: Replacing pavement with new concrete from Lanquist Street to Southshore Drive, replacing storm sewer and expanding its capacity from Lanquist to Works Progress Street, resurfacing the roadway from Southshore Drive to WIS 70 East, reviewing and revising access points, improving turning movements in all quadrants at the WIS 35 and WIS 70/County B intersection in the city of Siren, replacing traffic signals, replacing curb ramps and removing extra lanes from Park Street to Northshore Drive to reduce flooding potential
Traffic impacts: WIS 35 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter:
- Shoulder closures on northbound WIS 35 from Lanquist Street to Bradley Street; southbound WIS 35 from the WIS 35/70 intersection to Bacon Street; and east- and westbound WIS 70 from 1st Avenue to the WIS 35/70 intersection
- Lanes closures controlled by flagging on north- and southbound WIS 35 from Southshore Drive to the roundabout
- Various single-lane closures controlled by flagging on north- and southbound US 53 from Southshore Drive to WIS 35/70 roundabout
WIS 35 is only open to southbound traffic from Lanquist Street to Southshore Drive, and northbound car and heavy truck traffic is being detoured.
- Northbound car detour: County B, 4th Avenue North and Elizabeth Street
- Truck detour: WIS 70/MN 70, I-35 (MN), MN 48/WIS 77 and WIS 35

Polk County

Highway: WIS 46

Location: US 8 to WIS 35
Schedule: April 15 to early October
Cost: $8.49 million
Description of work: Recycling 4 inches of pavement in place on the rural portion of the project; placing 2.75 inches of new asphalt and installing centerline rumble strips; milling 3.25 inches of pavement in the village of Balsam Lake and placing 3.35 inches of new asphalt; cleaning, extending, lining or replacing culverts; replacing or adjusting existing guardrail; and replacing curb ramps in the village of Balsam Lake
Traffic impacts: WIS 46 is closed from 140th Avenue to 150th Avenue.
- This closure is anticipated to be in place through mid-July.
- Traffic is being detoured via US 8 and WIS 35.
- Motorists might encounter single-lane closures controlled by flagging on other segments of the project.

Highway: US 8

Location: WIS 35 North to WIS 46 South
Schedule: May 11 to late August
Cost: $7.52 million
Description of work: Milling 2.25 inches of existing asphaltic surface and placing 3.25 inches new asphalt; reconstructing two locations of roadway where sloughing is occurring; widening the paved shoulders from 3 to 5 feet; installing centerline and shoulder rumble strips; cleaning, extending, lining or replacing existing culverts and replacing deteriorating end walls on some structures; replacing or adjusting guardrail; and completing roadside maintenance, including clearing and ditching
Traffic impacts: US 8 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter single-lane closures controlled by flagging for paving operations. In addition, a pilot car will lead motorists through the work zone.

Rusk County

Highway: US 8

Location: Little Soft Maple Creek northwest of Weyerhaeuser
Schedule: June 23 to late September
Cost: $1.92 million
Description of work: Constructing a temporary bypass on the north side of US 8 to carry traffic during construction, removing the existing box culvert, constructing a single-span bridge half at a time to replace it, replacing roadway approach pavement on both sides of the structure and installing guardrail
Traffic impacts: US 8 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter single-lane closures controlled by flagging from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Sawyer County

Highway: County D

Location: Chippewa River Bridge east of Exeland in the town of Weirgor
Schedule: March 23 to late July
Cost: $1.08 million
Description of work: Replacing the bridge deck, making concrete surface repairs to the abutments, piers and girders, completing bridge joint, shoulder and guardrail work and replacing the roadway approach pavement
Traffic impacts: County D is closed at the Chippewa River.
- Traffic is being detoured via WIS 40, WIS 70 and WIS 27.

Highway: WIS 70

Location: County GG in the unincorporated community of Loretta in Sawyer County to Pixley Wilderness West Road in the Price County town of Lake west of Fifield
Schedule: June 15 to early August
Cost: $5.5 million
Description of work: Removing a portion of the existing asphalt, repaving the roadway with new asphalt pavement, installing centerline rumble strips, replacing or repairing guardrail as needed, placing gravel along the shoulders and replacing pavement markings
Traffic impacts: WIS 70 remains open to traffic, but motorists will encounter lane closures controlled by flagging.

Washburn County

No current WisDOT projects

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What’s the Wisconsin wolf population? DNR issues latest estimate.

Published

12 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Press Room

What’s the Wisconsin wolf population? DNR issues latest estimate.

Wisconsin had an estimated 1,162 gray wolves in 321 packs in late winter 2026, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

The 2026 population estimate represents a 5% year-over-year decline and is 3% below the 5-year average, a slight fluctuation around a mean that suggest the state’s wolf population has reached its biological carrying capacity, said Lydia Margenau, DNR wildlife research scientist.

The DNR released the information June 25 during a virtual meeting of its Wolf Advisory Committee. Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist, led the meeting. The full 2026 wolf monitoring report is expected to be posted to the DNR’s website in the coming days, Johnson said.

The statistical confidence levels in the 2026 wolf estimate include a population range from 1,026 to 1,307 and a range in packs from 287 to 359.

The estimate does not include wolves not associated with packs or those that have disbursed out of the state’s core wolf range.

Specific to the five Wisconsin wolf management units, Zone 1 in the far north and northwest had 511 wolves, Zone 2 in the northeast had 273, Zone 3 in the northwest had 126, Zone 4 in the northcentral and northeast had 54 and Zone 5 in the central forest zone had 191. Seven other wolves were not attributed to a zone.

The average pack sizes ranged from a low of 2.54 wolves in Zone 4 to a high of 4.34 in Zone 1.

Pack territories were an average of 54 square miles in Zones 1 through 4 but, similar to past years, 32 square miles in Zone 5, likely due to higher prey density in the central forest area, Margenau said.

The DNR produces an annual report on wolves in the state, partly as a requirement to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The gray wolf in Wisconsin and most other states has been protected under the federal Endangered Species Act since February 2022.

Since 2020 the DNR has used an occupancy model in its work to produce a wolf population estimate. The model uses inputs from wolf tracking surveys conducted by agency staff, volunteers and others as well as data obtained from GPS-collared wolves.

The GPS collar data helps the scientists determine wolf territory sizes and movements. The DNR obtains location information from the collared animals via satellite.

As of June 2026 there were 45 active GPS collars on wolves in Wisconsin, according to DNR research scientist Danielle Deming, including 15 deployed this year.

For the winter 2025-26 wolf monitoring period, 503 carnivore tracking surveys were conducted across 17,771 miles of roads, according to the DNR. Ninety-seven percent of the blocks received at least three surveys, the minimum recommended.

The work is done in winter when the wolf population is near or at its annual low and when the animals are easiest to track.

Wolf populations typically double after pups are born in spring then drop over the rest of the year due to various sources of mortality, according to wolf researchers.

The gray wolf was native to Wisconsin but after decades of persecution, including poisoning and bounties, the species was considered extirpated from the state by 1960.

Increased protections, including the 1973 Endangered Species Act, helped the carnivore expand from a residual population in northern Minnesota and recolonize Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The Badger State’s wolf population was estimated at 25 in 1980, 34 in 1990, 248 in 2000, 704 in 2010 and 1,034 in 2020, according to DNR reports.

As seen in the recent data, the wolf population has leveled off over the last decade or so as the animals have filled the most suitable habitat in the state, according to biologists.

The slight declines in recent years could be due to mild winter conditions which favor white-tailed deer but are tougher on wolves, Margenau said.

Researchers with the Voyageurs Wolf Project also documented a recent decline in the wolf population it studies in northern Minnesota in its most recent report.

Wisconsin has held four wolf hunting and trapping seasons in the modern era, in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2021.

But no wolf hunting or trapping has occurred since February 2021 due to a successful in-state lawsuit by wolf advocates in October 2021 and a federal district judge’s decision in February 2022 that returned the wolf in Wisconsin and many other states to protections of the federal Endangered Species Act.

Several attempts are being made to delist the wolf. They include: an appeal of the decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, legislation that has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; and a rider attached to the fiscal year 2027 Department of Interior appropriations bill.

Confirmed or probable gray wolf depredations on livestock and other domestic animals in Wisconsin decreased in 2025, as did the amount of compensation paid, but were close to 5-year averages, according to DNR reports.

The compensation dropped from $322,970 in 2024 to $200,864 in 2025.

So far in 2026 in Wisconsin there have been 19 verified wolf conflicts and 15 verified wolf depredations on livestock, down from 32 and 22, respectively, in 2025, Johnson said.

There has never been a wolf attack on a human in modern Wisconsin history, according to the DNR.

For more information, visit the DNR’s Wolves in Wisconsin page at dnr.wi.gov.

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Wisconsin

Coveted 2027 recruit Baboucarr Ann commits to Wisconsin basketball

Published

22 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Press Room

Coveted 2027 recruit Baboucarr Ann commits to Wisconsin basketball

Baboucarr Ann, a four-star recruit from Minnesota, has committed to the Wisconsin men’s basketball team.
He is the third commit for Wisconsin’s 2027 class.
Ann chose Wisconsin over offers from Notre Dame, Iowa State and Minnesota, among others.

MADISON – Greg Gard and Co. have landed another one of their top recruiting targets in the 2027 class.

Baboucarr Ann, a four-star recruit from Maple Grove, Minnesota, announced his commitment to Wisconsin men’s basketball via social media on June 25.

“Belief. Trust. Development. Family,” Ann said in a tweet. “That’s why I’m a Badger.”

Ann chose the Badgers over scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Iowa State and nearby Minnesota, among other high-major programs. 247 Sports has ranked the 6-foot-5 prospect No. 84 nationally and No. 1 in Minnesota.

He is the third UW commit in the 2027 class, joining Wauwatosa West guard Jalen Brown and 7-foot-1 center Jack Thelen. Brown also is a top-100 recruit in 247 Sports’ rankings.

Ann and Thelen are teammates both at Maple Grove and on the AAU circuit. Brad Davison, UW’s special assistant to the head coach, is a Maple Grove alum and had a key role in Ann’s recruitment.

While the rankings surely will fluctuate as other schools pick up more commitments, the Badgers have 247 Sports’ third-best recruiting class in the country. Iowa State and Illinois are the only higher-rated classes.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 24, 2026

Published

1 day ago

June 25, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 24, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 24, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 24 drawing

13-14-16-21-38, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 24 drawing

Midday: 1-3-4

Evening: 7-7-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 24 drawing

Midday: 4-2-3-3

Evening: 1-5-4-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from June 24 drawing

Midday: 02-07-08-09-12-13-14-16-18-19-20

Evening: 02-03-04-05-09-16-17-18-19-21-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from June 24 drawing

06-22-24-27-31

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from June 24 drawing

09-17-27-29-31-38, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks numbers from June 24 drawing

01-08-12-24-26-27

Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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