Kenosha County celebrates completion of Highway S expansion

SOMERS — County Executive Jim Kreuser joined other local, county and state officials Friday in celebrating the completion of the largest county trunk highway project in Kenosha County’s history.

The Highway S expansion project, now substantially complete, involved transforming 3.6 miles of that road into a four-lane, divided highway from Highway 31 to the Interstate 94 East Frontage Road.

Other improvements included the addition of turn lanes at major intersections, new traffic signals, drainage enhancements, and the construction of an off-street, multiuse path for bicyclists and pedestrians.

“This much-needed, expanded roadway will serve as a gateway into Somers the same way that Highway 165 does in Pleasant Prairie,” Kreuser said. “The economic development that’s going to spin off of this is going to be massive, and there is already much activity in this area because of the work that the Village and Town of Somers have done.”

Kreuser noted that Kenosha County was able to obtain support for this project from the federal and state governments, with a federal award covering 80 percent of the cost of the eastern stretch of the project between highways H and 31.

Kenosha County Highway Director Clement Abongwa said construction work began in spring 2021 and continued through last week, before the roadway reopened fully late Sunday night.

The new westbound lanes of the new, divided roadway, generally located just north of the original two-lane highway, were completed in 2020. The eastbound lanes, generally located on the original right-of-way, were rebuilt this year.

“I can’t tell you how much this project means to the Village of Somers,” Village President George Stoner said. “This is our southern gateway.”

Along with Stoner, other guests Friday afternoon at a ribbon-cutting ceremony included Wisconsin Department of Transportation Local Program Design Chief David Nguyen, a representative of Gov. Tony Evers, County Board supervisors, members of Kenosha County’s delegation to the state Legislature, and members of the Highway S project team.

More information about the Highway S expansion project is available at
https://www.kenoshacounty.org/2051/Highway-S-Expansion-Project.