WisDOT to begin installing a cable barrier along Interstate 94 in Waukesha County

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin installing a cable barrier along the median of Interstate 94 between highways 67 and SS in Waukesha County.

According to a news release, the project will begin April 8 and conclude by late fall. The work will cost an estimated $2 million.

The installation of the cable guards is the result of a statewide effort to address crossover crashes. In recent years, for example, there have been several fatal accidents on Highway 16 in which cars crossed the median and struck oncoming traffic. Cable barriers were installed along two stretches of that highway last summer.

The installation on I-94 will require some pavement work and lane closures.

"To effectively implement these safety improvements, some grading and roadway shoulder work is required," the release stated.

WisDOT also noted there will be daytime shoulder closures and limited overnight single lane closures.

Cable barriers along the median are an effective means of reducing cross median crashes and can be placed further from the roadway, making them less likely to be hit, WisDOT said.

High tension cable barriers act like a net when a vehicle strikes them, according to the project overview.

"The cables are designed to detach from the posts and absorb the energy of the vehicle," the  overview stated. "The vehicle is slowed and redirected to prevent a potential cross median crash."

Contact Evan Frank at (262) 361-9138 or evan.frank@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP.