Police monitoring alternate routes for West Mason Street closure

GREEN BAY - Green Bay Police officers say they are monitoring the early effects of the partial closure of Mason Street.

Construction crews are expected to be working on the West Mason overpass at Highway 41 for the next six months.

Crossing guard Marge Curran says helping kids safely cross Ninth Street became more challenging with the partial closure of Mason Street.

“I would say approximately 50 cars or 60 cars more on my shift in the morning and the same in the afternoon,” said Curran.

“As you know with any construction project, there is a learning curve that the local public needs to understand,” said Lt. Rick Dekker of the Green Bay Police Department.

For the first few days of the closure, officers are figuring out the kinks of the alternate routes. For instance, they found some intersection traffic lights need to be extended.

Police say so far, Larsen and Taylor, along with Packerland and Ninth Street are the popular alternate routes around the closure.

“It's been going pretty good for the first couple days here,” said Dekker.

Authorities believe heavy traffic will prevent speeding on the newly congested roads. But just incase, they have a slew of speed readers set up.

Curran hopes they will signal people to slow down, and remember schools are littered on the now popular traffic routes.

“You just have to be able to know when to step out and when not to,” said Curran.

Police advise drivers to use common sense when driving around the Mason Street closure.