Wisconsin notes

[peterj920]

If you're wondering how I found out about the County KK truncation, it was listed on Outagamie County's highway project website.  John St was listed as a joint project between Outagamie County and the City of Appleton with the city leading the project.  It said once completed, Appleton would take full jurisdiction.  The JCT AP sign on KK is a remnant from when County AP was part of Eisenhower and Plank Rd. 

Before all the development, Plank Rd once cut through where Walmart is now at an angle, but was rerouted with the new Eisenhower Dr.  It was also once County P and ran at a Southwest to Northeast angle between US 10 and County KK.  County AP/Midway Rd ended at a T intersection with US 10 until the mid 90s when it was extended east.  When that happened, County P was removed and County AP took over Plank Rd to the east of where they intersect. 

[mgk920]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

[mgk920]

If you're wondering how I found out about the County KK truncation, it was listed on Outagamie County's highway project website.  John St was listed as a joint project between Outagamie County and the City of Appleton with the city leading the project.  It said once completed, Appleton would take full jurisdiction.  The JCT AP sign on KK is a remnant from when County AP was part of Eisenhower and Plank Rd. 

Before all the development, Plank Rd once cut through where Walmart is now at an angle, but was rerouted with the new Eisenhower Dr.  It was also once County P and ran at a Southwest to Northeast angle between US 10 and County KK.  County AP/Midway Rd ended at a T intersection with US 10 until the mid 90s when it was extended east.  When that happened, County P was removed and County AP took over Plank Rd to the east of where they intersect.

I haven't driven that way in a while, does Calumet County 'AP' still have that 'hanging' end near Lake Park Rd?

Mike

[colinstu]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

thanks for sharing!

I saw a ???-ZW? plate last week on the roads, I can tell the end is near!

I hope they stick with embossed letters and don't go with flat plates.

[mgk920]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

thanks for sharing!

I saw a ???-ZW? plate last week on the roads, I can tell the end is near!

I hope they stick with embossed letters and don't go with flat plates.

From WisDOT:
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/041317-dmv-7digit-plates.aspx

The photo gallery in it shows an image of a car with 'ABC-1234', shot on what looks to me like a street in or near the UW campus in Madison.

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

thanks for sharing!

I saw a ???-ZW? plate last week on the roads, I can tell the end is near!

I hope they stick with embossed letters and don't go with flat plates.

It looks embossed.  And if BSI is making it, they aren't going to change the process.

[peterj920]

If you're wondering how I found out about the County KK truncation, it was listed on Outagamie County's highway project website.  John St was listed as a joint project between Outagamie County and the City of Appleton with the city leading the project.  It said once completed, Appleton would take full jurisdiction.  The JCT AP sign on KK is a remnant from when County AP was part of Eisenhower and Plank Rd. 

Before all the development, Plank Rd once cut through where Walmart is now at an angle, but was rerouted with the new Eisenhower Dr.  It was also once County P and ran at a Southwest to Northeast angle between US 10 and County KK.  County AP/Midway Rd ended at a T intersection with US 10 until the mid 90s when it was extended east.  When that happened, County P was removed and County AP took over Plank Rd to the east of where they intersect.

I haven't driven that way in a while, does Calumet County 'AP' still have that 'hanging' end near Lake Park Rd?

Mike

County AP ends at Coop Rd. 

[20160805]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

I can just see these coming out:

420-POOP
666-FART
069-BUTT

etc. 

If you're wondering how I found out about the County KK truncation, it was listed on Outagamie County's highway project website.  John St was listed as a joint project between Outagamie County and the City of Appleton with the city leading the project.  It said once completed, Appleton would take full jurisdiction.  The JCT AP sign on KK is a remnant from when County AP was part of Eisenhower and Plank Rd. 

Before all the development, Plank Rd once cut through where Walmart is now at an angle, but was rerouted with the new Eisenhower Dr.  It was also once County P and ran at a Southwest to Northeast angle between US 10 and County KK.  County AP/Midway Rd ended at a T intersection with US 10 until the mid 90s when it was extended east.  When that happened, County P was removed and County AP took over Plank Rd to the east of where they intersect.

Could someone please hack up a map so I can visualize these changes better?

[DaBigE]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

I can just see these coming out:

420-POOP
666-FART
069-BUTT

etc. 

The DMV may be a little slow in many cases*, but their reviews would surely stop those before they got produced. And the new length only impacts standard, non-personalized plates. Most personalized plates have been allowed to have 7 characters for quite some time.

* Seriously, why in this day and age does it take over a month and a half just to process a special license plate application? (Wisconsin is not alone in this situation.) Then another 4-6 weeks for the plates to actually arrive? I get it's a government operation/non-competitive product, but I could make a plate by hand in that amount of time. 

[merrycilantro]

Whew. I haven't been on here in quite a while, so I just spent the day catching up from back on Page 45. I do have a couple of questions:

1. In regards to reforming/consolidating municipalities in Wisconsin, somebody on here (or multiple people) was talking about fictional maps. Is there a link to any of them? I had toyed with the idea of creating my own, but maybe I won't if there's already the same thing out there. A "Roadgeek Fanfic" if you will...I guess?

2. I am from FDL and I do not understand the re-route of US45 one bit. It seems to take the traveler way out of the way, only to bring them back to Main Street and then back west again to 45 (The Lake Road). I agree with whomever, that just duplex 41 and 45...it would make sense if they are making a 3DI out of the West Bend Spur, however, why would they need to remove US45 from it in order to do so? LOL They didn't have a problem doing that with US/I 41.

3. In regards to the much-needed Wis23 Expansion to Plymouth...Yep. That's the joke around here too, that we'll all be dead and it'll still be the current 2 lane mess it is. I've just resorted to thinking a High Speed Rail service would suffice just fine. My in laws live in Sheboygan Falls, and I frequent Wis23 often enough and I'd ride it (doesn't help that my kids love riding trains and my father is a model railroader so Trains are in my blood )

3A. Hopefully it doesn't cause people to cry blasphemy, but I've often daydreamed about High Speed Rail and what it could be if given a chance in Wisconsin. Partisan Politics aside, and maybe again I am biased because of the aforementioned train-blood hybrid, but I very much enjoy the concept of taking a train to and around Chicago. I do see the other negative side of the coin, however, that you better hope your destination is on a train line, and your life (schedule) is now in the hands of the CTA.

4. I guess I wouldn't be against tolling, I've mentioned that a few times before on other threads and maybe this one as well. It'd be a PITA, I know, but it would make sense to me, is all I'm saying. Freeways being Free in Wisconsin was a fun concept while it lasted, but as many on here have said, roads were overbuilt (and I agree with the fact that roundabouts and signs do not the budget crisis make. It is truly US 10s to Marshfield and Wis 26's), crucial projects put on the back burner, and the like. Maybe looking into a Toll for just, say, 41/94 from Milwaukee to Pleasant Prairie, 39/90/94 from Janesville to the Dells (or an iteration of that)...doesn't have to be all of it, just the crucial parts that need the fixing and needed it last century (hyperbolically speaking)

That's All I've got for now, It's good to be back!

[peterj920]

The reroute of US 45 in Fond Du Lac was done so the local streets could be turned back to the City of Fond Du Lac.  It's doubtful anyone closely follows the route within the area anyways. 

[SEWIGuy]

The reroute of US 45 in Fond Du Lac was done so the local streets could be turned back to the City of Fond Du Lac.  It's doubtful anyone closely follows the route within the area anyways. 

That is undoubtedly why they made the routing decision they did.  I thought they should have just routed WI-76 down US-45 to end at WI-23 and just had US-45 duplex with I-41 down to US-151, but they made the decision to make it most convenient for people who live along the route.

[mgk920]

Although not 'high speed' in any sense of the word (it was only to be 'restored conventional speed'), the proposed restoration of common-carrier rail passenger service to Madison back in the early 00s had expensive mess written all over it.  $800M just to do the infrastructure?    That's twice what the Marquette Interchange cost to rebuild.  Restoring service to the Fox Valley (FdL/Oshkosh/Appleton/Green Bay) would have been much more popular, IMHO, in that it is in just the right geographic direction and distance from Chicago and is the largest total market anywhere in the 'Lower 48' USA that currently does not have such service.  And at about $175M for the infrastructure (*one fifth* of the cost!), that, to me, was a 'no brainer'.

BTW, from everything that I've read on it, CNW's pre May, 1971 Green Bay/Fox Valley service was popular and operated at a profit 'above the rail', such that Amtrak wanted to take it over at their startup.  Hesitation on the part of the state legislature (remember, this was the time of the Apollo Moon landings and the rise of jet-powered airliners and the interstate highway system, such that rails were thought of as being 'quaint' and 'old fashioned') to chip in to cover part of the cost of rebuilding CNW's then deteriorating track ultimately forced Amtrak to walk away.   

Mike

[colinstu]

Umm.. the Marquette rebuild was $810 million? And that was after several downgrades that were made to its design?

[mgk920]

Umm.. the Marquette rebuild was $810 million? And that was after several downgrades that were made to its design?

Thinking back, the 'half' number was what Doyle raided from the Transportation Fund that one year, money that WisDOT was saving up to rebuild the Marquette.   A massive amount of money.  Why so much?  Part of the Madison line plan was to dig several lengthy sections of that roadbed on either side of Waterloo, WI out of the swamps and replace them with bridging.

Brainfart.   

Mike

[mgk920]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

thanks for sharing!

I saw a ???-ZW? plate last week on the roads, I can tell the end is near!

I hope they stick with embossed letters and don't go with flat plates.

From WisDOT:
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/041317-dmv-7digit-plates.aspx

The photo gallery in it shows an image of a car with 'ABC-1234', shot on what looks to me like a street in or near the UW campus in Madison.

Mike

A couple of more items in today's (Saturday, 2017-04-15) Appleton Post-Crescent

- This new format will allow over 100M number combinations.  With about 3.5M cars currently registered with standard issue plate numbers in Wisconsin, I can easily see the pool of available numbers in this format lasting until at least the late 21st century.

- WisDOT has no plans to systematically replace any existing plates.  The state's spokesguy said that if anyone's plates become worn out and unreadable, they can take them to any WisDOT licensing office to have them replaced.  This will also help make the new number pool last a looooong time.

- He also said that the state purposely decided not to jumble the letters and numbers to expand the six-digit pool in that keeping the letters and numbers grouped separately on either sides of a dash makes the plate numbers easier to read and remember.

Also, a couple of days ago, I saw a local vehicle with the plate 'APR 1974' (no dash).  This is a personalized plate number that I've seen a few times before in recent years.  That number fits nicely on the plate and, I would assume, it will be skipped when the standard issue numbers get that far.

Mike

[Milwaukee, WY]

The new number format standard issue Wisconsin license plates will be on the road within the next week or two.  Their design is unchanged.

http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Wisconsin-to-start-issuing-seven-character-license-plates-419381884.html (note, there is an auto-play feed in that link).



Mike

thanks for sharing!

I saw a ???-ZW? plate last week on the roads, I can tell the end is near!

I hope they stick with embossed letters and don't go with flat plates.

From WisDOT:
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/041317-dmv-7digit-plates.aspx

The photo gallery in it shows an image of a car with 'ABC-1234', shot on what looks to me like a street in or near the UW campus in Madison.

Mike

A couple of more items in today's (Saturday, 2017-04-15) Appleton Post-Crescent

- This new format will allow over 100M number combinations.  With about 3.5M cars currently registered with standard issue plate numbers in Wisconsin, I can easily see the pool of available numbers in this format lasting until at least the late 21st century.

- WisDOT has no plans to systematically replace any existing plates.  The state's spokesguy said that if anyone's plates become worn out and unreadable, they can take them to any WisDOT licensing office to have them replaced.  This will also help make the new number pool last a looooong time.

- He also said that the state purposely decided not to jumble the letters and numbers to expand the six-digit pool in that keeping the letters and numbers grouped separately on either sides of a dash makes the plate numbers easier to read and remember.

Also, a couple of days ago, I saw a local vehicle with the plate 'APR 1974' (no dash).  This is a personalized plate number that I've seen a few times before in recent years.  That number fits nicely on the plate and, I would assume, it will be skipped when the standard issue numbers get that far.

Mike

Kind of unfortunate they aren't taking the opportunity to update the plate artwork. I know that probably would take an act of the legislature, but it would be fun to have a design competition and allow the public to weigh in. Good for civic pride and all that...

[GeekJedi]

For your consideration...

http://www.jsonline.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/04/17/poole-wisconsin-should-act-now-interstate-tolling/100561372/

[SSOWorld]

Update on the US 151 BGS replacements - Various Exit BGSs have been replaced further northeast to Dodgeville.  Updated so far:

* Exit 1 (WIS 11) - none
* Exit 2 and 3 (Badger Rd/Eagle Pt Rd) - none
* Exit 5 (CTH HHH/H) - Swapped H and HHH - which one had the TO banner was previously the opposite from the one the ramp junctioned with.  The swapped corrected the problem.
* Exit 8 (US61/WIS35/CTH HH) - NB removed Lancaster as a control city leaving only Dickeyville. Neither SB sign nor the NB advance sign were replaced. (NOTE: Great River Road is still shown on SB signs - this would ideally removed and paired with the "Scenic Byway" shields on unisigns to match northbound and Exit 1's updates from 2015.)
* Exit 19 (CTH D/Bus 151 Platteville) - Signs were replaced with CTH D being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.  (BR 151 is still shown NB only).
* Exit 18 (WIS 80/81) - Control City updates: SB removed Lancaster and replaced with Cuba City, NB removed Darlington and replaced with Cuba City - still have PLatteville (obviously).
* Exit 21 (CTH XX/Bus 151 Platteville) - Signs were replaced with CTH XX being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.   (BR 151 is still shown SB only). Contractors did not replace the sign prior to the SB ramp yet.
* Exit 26 (WIS 126/CTH G) - Rewey added as secondary CC SB (already was such NB).   Contractors did not replace the sign prior to the SB ramp yet.  WIS 126 is now a wide shield on replaced signs.
* Exit 37 (CTH O/Bus 151 Mineral Point) -  Signs were replaced with CTH O being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.  (BR 151 is still shown NB only). Contractors did not replace the SB signs.
* Exit 40 (WIS 23/WIS 39/Bus 151 Mineral Point) -  Signs were replaced with WIS 23/WIS 39 being featured routes and US 151 shield now a wide one.  Darlington (SB) and Hollandale (NB) were replaced with Linden (a town on WIS 39 west of MP)  (BR 151 is still shown SB only). Contractors did not replace the NB 1 Mile Advance sign yet
** Pandervais Historic Site was returned to a brown sign from a blue one (as a "logo") in both directions - "Historic Downtown Mineral Point" was added SB only.  SWAG says the NB side might be at exit 37(For the layman - SWAG == Scientific wild-ass guess )
* Exit 44 (WIS 23) - No apparent replacements yet.  Speculations (based on Exit 47 below) point to Spring Green (NB secondary) being removed and The House on the Rock (before project on green BG co-signed with brown BG Governor Dodge State Park) - now being on a brown background.  Signs on the SB overhead bridge have not been touched yet.
* Exit 47 (US 18 West) - Prairie du Chein was removed from advanced sign going WB.  A second advance sign at "1/8 mile" was pulled completely.  The treatment for HOTR took place here (as noted in Exit 44).  Signs on the SB overhead bridge have not been touched yet.
So far this is the extent of the work - some other notes:
* Exit overview signs (Platteville, Mineral Point) were replaced with order of route ID and wide US 151 shields in both directions
* Blue Ad signs were all replaced or in progress of being replaced in affected areas.
All of the signs are narrower - leaving very little space on each side of the widest line.  The signs are also way cleaner than their predecessors which were put together quite sloppy.

[tchafe1978]

Update on the US 151 BGS replacements - Various Exit BGSs have been replaced further northeast to Dodgeville.  Updated so far:

* Exit 1 (WIS 11) - none
* Exit 2 and 3 (Badger Rd/Eagle Pt Rd) - none
* Exit 5 (CTH HHH/H) - Swapped H and HHH - which one had the TO banner was previously the opposite from the one the ramp junctioned with.  The swapped corrected the problem.
* Exit 8 (US61/WIS35/CTH HH) - NB removed Lancaster as a control city leaving only Dickeyville. Neither SB sign nor the NB advance sign were replaced. (NOTE: Great River Road is still shown on SB signs - this would ideally removed and paired with the "Scenic Byway" shields on unisigns to match northbound and Exit 1's updates from 2015.)
* Exit 19 (CTH D/Bus 151 Platteville) - Signs were replaced with CTH D being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.  (BR 151 is still shown NB only).
* Exit 18 (WIS 80/81) - Control City updates: SB removed Lancaster and replaced with Cuba City, NB removed Darlington and replaced with Cuba City - still have PLatteville (obviously).
* Exit 21 (CTH XX/Bus 151 Platteville) - Signs were replaced with CTH XX being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.   (BR 151 is still shown SB only). Contractors did not replace the sign prior to the SB ramp yet.
* Exit 26 (WIS 126/CTH G) - Rewey added as secondary CC SB (already was such NB).   Contractors did not replace the sign prior to the SB ramp yet.  WIS 126 is now a wide shield on replaced signs.
* Exit 37 (CTH O/Bus 151 Mineral Point) -  Signs were replaced with CTH O being featured route and US 151 shield now a wide one.  (BR 151 is still shown NB only). Contractors did not replace the SB signs.
* Exit 40 (WIS 23/WIS 39/Bus 151 Mineral Point) -  Signs were replaced with WIS 23/WIS 39 being featured routes and US 151 shield now a wide one.  Darlington (SB) and Hollandale (NB) were replaced with Linden (a town on WIS 39 west of MP)  (BR 151 is still shown SB only). Contractors did not replace the NB 1 Mile Advance sign yet
** Pandervais Historic Site was returned to a brown sign from a blue one (as a "logo") in both directions - "Historic Downtown Mineral Point" was added SB only.  SWAG says the NB side might be at exit 37(For the layman - SWAG == Scientific wild-ass guess )
* Exit 44 (WIS 23) - No apparent replacements yet.  Speculations (based on Exit 47 below) point to Spring Green (NB secondary) being removed and The House on the Rock (before project on green BG co-signed with brown BG Governor Dodge State Park) - now being on a brown background.  Signs on the SB overhead bridge have not been touched yet.
* Exit 47 (US 18 West) - Prairie du Chein was removed from advanced sign going WB.  A second advance sign at "1/8 mile" was pulled completely.  The treatment for HOTR took place here (as noted in Exit 44).  Signs on the SB overhead bridge have not been touched yet.
So far this is the extent of the work - some other notes:
* Exit overview signs (Platteville, Mineral Point) were replaced with order of route ID and wide US 151 shields in both directions
* Blue Ad signs were all replaced or in progress of being replaced in affected areas.
All of the signs are narrower - leaving very little space on each side of the widest line.  The signs are also way cleaner than their predecessors which were put together quite sloppy.

I can agree with eliminating Lancaster and Darlington from the exit 19 signs. Cuba City makes much more sense. Same goes for eliminating Hollandale at exit 40. I probably would've left Darlington, though, as taking 23 south from Mineral Point is a common route to Darlington. Or at least have a supplemental sign saying Darlington exit 40.

At exit 26 I would have left Rewey off the southbound sign, because if you're heading south on 151 and then heading to Rewey, you would've already taken cty A. I suppose I can understand wanting consistency for both directions however.

Speaking of consistency, I wish they would sign Bus 151 from both directions at Platteville and Mineral Point. I've know people coming from the south and were headed to Wal-Mart in Platteville and were told to exit at XX. So they exited at XX exit 21, and proceeded to turn right at the end of the ramp because they assumed they were to follow XX to get to walmart, and ended up in Belmont before turning around. These people may not have been the brightest crayons in the box, but signing should be made mostly idiot proof. Putting Bus 151 on both directions signage would help.

I'm also not a fan of the wide shields for 151 and 126. Nowhere else are they signed with wide shields, so why start now?

LGL56VL

[DaBigE]

I'm also not a fan of the wide shields for 151 and 126. Nowhere else are they signed with wide shields, so why start now?

LGL56VL

Wide 151 shields also appear on a select few signs around the interchange with the interstate on the NE side of Madison. However, the spec shows "square" shields.

As for 126... that's how 3-digits shields are technically spec'd for BGSs.

[peterj920]

I'm also not a fan of the wide shields for 151 and 126. Nowhere else are they signed with wide shields, so why start now?

LGL56VL

Wide 151 shields also appear on a select few signs around the interchange with the interstate on the NE side of Madison. However, the spec shows "square" shields.

As for 126... that's how 3-digits shields are technically spec'd for BGSs.

New wide US 151 shields on I-43 appeared last year.  Have yet to see one for US 141.  The BGS on I-43 will be replaced so it will be interesting to see if they go wide or narrow. 

[colinstu]

What's wrong with wide shields? Heck... what's a 3-digit non-wide shield look like anyway?

[tchafe1978]

OK, so they were the first wide 126 and 151 shields I had seen. For a look at a non-wide 151 or 126 shield, just take a ride along one of the highways and you'll see them posted all along the routes.

[dzlsabe]

In Kenosha the other rainy day, figured out that the Edens Spur & Tri state are basically just a "wormhole" to the Brat Stop. On the way back see "I-41 ends". Why did it start? Eight lanes of magnificent concrete and I-94 was insufficient? BTW, the added sign clutter around Hwy 50 is hillarryous. 249221