CTH K

Heavy traffic congestion, plus impacts to a nearby public school, led the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to reconstruct and widen CTH K (60th Street) from the Union Pacific Railroad to STH 31 in Kenosha County.

CTH K was widened from a two-lane to a four-lane highway and was expected to require extensive excavation. Upon construction, it was found that the soils were very poor for engineering purposes, further complicating the project with additional excavation.

This $2.3 million project appeared to be a traditional widening project, but came with its own set of unique challenges. As construction manager, Benesch implemented innovative techniques to address these stability issues, such as the use of fly ash, as well as undercutting and placing large “breaker run” stone.

This project also required extensive coordination with the Union Pacific Railroad, as the road intersects with the tracks on one end of the project site. Additionally, stormwater detention, lighting, traffic signals and ADA-compliant features were implemented during construction.