Wisconsin DOT to spend up to $27 million on weigh station upgrades

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) plans to spend millions on upgrades to two weigh station facilities located along I-94.

According to WisDOT, major upgrades are planned at the Hudson Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility, located 5.5 miles east of Hudson off eastbound I-94, and the Menomonie Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility, located five miles east of Menomonie off westbound I-94.

Both weigh station facilities have been in operation for decades and have “reached the end of their service lives,” officials say.

Construction is planned for the Hudson facility in 2022 and 2023. Construction on the Menomonie facility is scheduled for 2024.

Officials plan to spend $16 million to $21 million on improvements at the Hudson facility. These improvements include:

• Reconstructing the building to a new modern Safety and Weight Enforcement Facility (SWEF) building.
• Reconstructing the parking lots and ramp/loop roadways.
• Constructing a new automated truck traffic monitoring system along eastbound I-94.
• Constructing a new virtual weigh station along US 12.
• Constructing an approximate 300-foot communications tower near the new building.
• Constructing a remote truck pull-off at the Roberts park and ride facility in the northeast quadrant of WIS 65 and 70th Avenue in St. Croix County. 

WisDOT plans to spend an additional $4 million to $6 million on upgrades to the Menomonie facility. These upgrades include:

• Renovating and expanding the existing Menomonie SWEF building.
• Replacing the pavement in the parking lots and on the ramp/loop roadways.
• Constructing a new road salt and brine storage facility.
• Constructing a new virtual weigh station along westbound US 12/WIS 29.
• Constructing an approximate 200-foot communications tower near the renovated SWEF building.
• Constructing a remote truck pull-off adjacent to County B between Walton Avenue and 3M Drive in Dunn County.

WisDOT says that construction will mainly be limited to the weigh station sites and that I-94 lane closures will be minimal.