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Roundabout construction underway in Hales Corners

Posted at 6:02 PM, Jul 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-17 09:47:01-04

Hales Corners construction is about to cause even more headaches next week.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation scheduled work on Forest Home Avenue, Janesville Road, and Highway 100 back in March.

Road reconstruction, as well as a roundabout, are currently in the works. Starting Monday, July 23 drivers may start seeing red unless they pack their patience ahead of major closures in the area that'll last 90 days, says DOT. 

Hales Corners business Allis Awnings, Windows, Doors and More's Vice President of Operations, Richard Brost, says it's best drivers avoid the area. Brost says he uses social media and phone calls to keep customers updated on the work and how they should navigate to get to the store.

"I just put out a Facebook post last week, because now with the shutdown, where they're actually shutting down, [drivers are] only going to have access from the east on Forest Home," says Brost.  

Another area business, SafetyMart, isn't exactly upset construction workers are right outside the front door.

"They come in, they buy more business. So, one's not that disappointed that construction is happening out in front of us," says SafetyMart owner Dennis Kaminski.  

Granted his customers are having a difficult time getting access to the store. But Kaminski is working with them to ship items to them versus having to fight traffic coming to the store. 

Both Kaminski and Brost say they're unaware of any businesses taking major financial hits because of the construction. Businesses say the Janesville and Forest Home Avenue intersection was due for a major upgrade. While the roundabout isn't everyone's first choice, they're hoping it'll make navigating through the area easier. 

To see current and future roundabout construction, take a peek at a WisDOT's planning map: