Most-used bridge in Green Bay will see lane closures from Sept. 9-27 for inspections

GREEN BAY — The Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge, Green Bay's most traversed over-water roadway, will see lane closures for inspections beginning next week, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Over 43,000 motorists use the bridge daily , according to the department's traffic counts, making it not only the busiest bridge in the city but the most frequented stretch of roadway for drivers in the city. The bridge carries Interstate 43 traffic over the Fox River.

Here's what you need to know.

Why is the bridge closing?

The DOT inspects the bridge twice a year. It has not identified any structural issues to the bridge.

The department said residents should expect to see bridge inspectors and equipment, including drones, around the bridge throughout September.

Will all of Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge be closed?

Lanes across the bridge will be closed in phases that last for about a week.

• 7 a.m. Sept. 9 to 5 p.m. Sept. 13: The first part of the bridge to close will be the right lane going north on I-43.
• 7 a.m. Sept. 16 through 5 p.m. Sept. 21: The second part of the bridge to close will be the right lane going south on I-43.
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 23-27: The third and final part of the lane closures will involve both north- and southbound right lanes.
• Atkinson Drive: Included in the third phase of the bridge closure will be the southbound on-ramp from Atkinson Drive onto I-43. The on-ramp will also close to traffic between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sept. 23-Sept. 27.

If inspections are delayed due to weather, crews will continue to close the bridge through the week of Sept. 30.

Will there be alternate routes?

The department warns drivers to pay attention to road signs when crossing the bridge and to watch for backups along the bridge, but this will not prevent commuters from using any left lanes.

Commuters may want to consider using the city's other bridges to the south to get across the Fox River.

Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. Contact him at 920-431-8247 or jlin@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Most-used bridge in Green Bay will see lane closures from Sept. 9-27 for inspections