When most UW-Madison students are away for the summer, the city takes advantage of an emptier downtown Madison to conduct construction projects, which causes traffic to be detoured throughout the UW-Madison campus area.
Traffic on Lake and Frances Streets has been detoured due to a project that is scheduled for completion Aug. 13. The project includes replacing the street lighting, asphalt pavement, the sanitary sewer, water main, deteriorated curb, gutter and sidewalk. A new storm sewer will be installed.
One lane of traffic will be maintained northbound toward Lake Mendota on both roads, and both roads will be closed to southbound traffic. Parking is not permitted on either street, but the parking ramp on Frances Street and businesses on both streets will remain accessible.
Traffic detours have been implemented on the UW-Madison campus on and around Observatory Drive due to an underground utility project related to steam and chilled water service. The detours will stay in effect until October, when the project is scheduled for completion.
Because of the project, North Charter Street has closed between Observatory and Linden drives and Observatory Drive is now one-way westbound from Lot 11, at Bascom Hall, to Babcock Drive.
The detour will prevent drivers, including those on mopeds, from proceeding beyond Babcock Drive while heading east on Observatory. However, two-way access will be maintained between Park Street and Lot 11 as well as to Lot 26, at Soil Science, which is just east of Babcock Drive.
