WisDOT approves $2.91 million for ADA curb-ramp upgrades along US 12 near Altoona

A $2.91 million Wisconsin Department of Transportation contract will fund reconstruction of noncompliant curb ramps and upgrades to pedestrian crossings along a section of US 12 serving Altoona.

WisDOT announced the contract on March 23, 2026, after Gov. Tony Evers approved the project. The prime contractor is Chippewa Concrete Services Inc. of Chippewa Falls.

Work will extend from Eau Claire to Altoona

The Altoona portion of the project runs along US 12 from Truax Boulevard in Eau Claire to Mayer Road in Altoona. The contract also covers sections of WIS 93 and WIS 312 elsewhere in Eau Claire County, so the full $2.91 million award is not limited to Altoona.

WisDOT said some curb ramps in the project area did not comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The planned work includes rebuilding those noncompliant ramps and upgrading pedestrian crossings.

For people using wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and other mobility devices, the work is intended to improve access across the US 12 segment. The project concerns specific ramps and crossings; it does not mean that every sidewalk in Altoona will be made ADA-compliant.

Construction timing and traffic information

WisDOT said construction was tentatively scheduled to begin March 30, 2026. Because that was a tentative start date, the announcement did not establish that work would begin on that date or that construction had been completed.

The approved release does not provide a completion date or a current construction status as of Aug. 6, 2026. It also does not include traffic-control details, such as lane closures or specific effects on drivers, pedestrians or nearby businesses.

A separate WisDOT project page identifies the US 12 Altoona project and lists resurfacing the road with new asphalt among the work. That page corroborates the Altoona location but does not provide the curb-ramp contract’s completion status.

What the contract means locally

The state transportation award directs funding toward pedestrian infrastructure on a US 12 segment used by Altoona residents and others traveling through the area. The practical effect during construction could include changes for people walking, rolling or driving through the corridor, although the release does not specify those controls.

For now, the known next step is the scheduled start of the state-administered construction work. WisDOT, rather than the City of Altoona, announced and administered the contract.