July 22, 2025

By Lane Kimble

APPLETON, Wis. — The Ballard Road Interchange portion of the massive I-41 reconstruction project looks like your typical large-scale work zone.

You see heavy machinery moving dirt, cranes lifting metal, and crews laying concrete nearby.

State Representative Ben Franklin?  He sees a bakery or–at least–the idea of one.

“If you think of looking at a finished cake from a professional baker, we all like the way that looks aesthetically and we love the way it tastes, but there is a lot of groundwork that goes into making that cake… it’s the same thing here,” Franklin told WTBA.

Hard hats instead of chef’s hats, sure.  And cement and aggregates instead of batter, indeed, but wouldn’t you know it?  The analogy kind of works.

“Technically, it starts with the demolition, and then building everything up,” Franklin said.  “You’ve got the rebar and everything else going in, then the finished concrete, and what will end up being the final landscaping.  The icing on the cake.”

The Republican from De Pere was one of three lawmakers to tour the Ballard Roadproject near Appleton on Friday, coordinated by WTBA of Tomorrow members and Director of Government Affairs Elise Nelson.

Rep. Dave Murphy (R-Greenville) and State Sen. Jamie Wall (D-Green Bay) joined Franklin in checking out some of the grading for ramps and MSE walls, then ventured up to what will eventually be an exit ramp for a new diverging diamond interchange.

“This is cool here,” Rep. Murphy marveled.  The Greenville lawmaker has been pushing for the I-41 reconstruction since entering office in 2012.  “It is very surreal when you’re thinking about it and talking about it.  It’s very abstract.  All of the sudden there’s dirt moving and there’s concrete being put down and it’s real.”

Work on the new Ballard Road DDI began in late-April and should conclude in October.  Accomplishing that means good communication and a solid bond between prime contractor Zignego Company and subs such as Musson Brothers, Sheet Piling Services, Forward Traffic, and consultant Westwood Professional Services.

Michels Road & Stone, Inc. also joined the tour to highlight some of the mainline freeway work their crews are priming on the overall project’s 23-mile stretch.

“WTBA helps create a lot of relationships,” Musson Brothers Project Manager Bob Draths said.  “You see these people, not just on the jobs themselves but when you see them out at different events it helps build camaraderie.  And while we’re competitors when it’s bidding time, when you’re actually building the jobs you’ve gotta work together.”

All the right ingredients combining to craft a recipe for success.