I-39/I-90 study in southern Wisconsin

[JREwing78]

The answer from WisDOT is that they are required to make the interstate-to-interstate connections high-speed. Yeah, that was brought up during the PIM too.

[SSOWorld]

Required by whom? I find it ironic that if that is true, then why are many I-to-I connections - especially in less populated areas - still have cloverleaf or trumpets.

[Revive 755]

^ I think it may be one of those supposedly FHWA requirements that is being made up by either the state DOT, or the state FHWA office.  Otherwise, I-74 at I-155 in Illinois should be becoming a semi-direct T instead of remaining a trumpet, and there wouldn't (I'd hope) be an alternative under consideration for leaving the SB I-55 to EB I-72 ramp as a loop around Springfield, IL.

[triplemultiplex]

The answer from WisDOT is that they are required to make the interstate-to-interstate connections high-speed. Yeah, that was brought up during the PIM too.

High-speed?  I thought it just had to be free-flowing.  Like every loop ramp that handles interstate-interstate traffic.
See the Cascade Interchange and it's EB->NB loop ramp and the way it is barrier-separated from WI 78 as an example.

That 'requirement' is at least one form of bullcrap.

[UNDSIOUX]

As somebody who uses the I-43 and I-39/90 interchange 8 times (or more) a week, here are my observations on the design-

-I personally think the fly-over and entrance ramps from SB 39/90 to NB 43 and SB43 to NB 39/90 are OVERKILL (though I see a lot of summer tourist traffic using the current ramps in place), but I think the DOT is building these as high speed ramps to try to entice drivers from using US14 between Janesville and I-43 and to use the interstates instead.  I could see the state putting up signage north of Janesville similar to the signs east of Lake Geneva that tell traffic to "use 12 and 43 to Delavan instead of WIS 50"- such as "Elkhorn & Lake Geneva traffic- use I-39/90 to I-43 North".  There have been too many deadly accidents on US14 (at least 2 this summer I think) and I don't think the state has any definite plans to widen this stretch or improve it to meet the traffic demand (especially on weekends). 

-I understand the business' complaints about losing customers- I may be one of them.  Now, I regularly use one of the gas stations in Beloit because of the ability to get on and off the freeway very easily and the station is usually a few cents cheaper than the others along my route.  At this time, I also am able to see the prices on the signs to determine if I want to utilize that station or not as I approach my exit onto I-39/90 SB. 

Now in order to use the same station in the future, I would have to exit a couple miles a way, and go through two roundabouts (possibly 4 if the engineers get their way) all while trusting gasbuddy.com will be correct for once.  Very unlikely that I will go through this inconvience regularly to save a couple cents a gallon. 

-On the exit to WI-81 and I-43 towards Milwaukee from NB I-39/90, why is the state wasting money on the bridge where traffic exiting off at Beloit goes under the through traffic lanes onto I-43.  When traffic exits off I-39/90, mark the left lane as an exit only for Beloit/WI-81 and the right lane(s) as I-43 NB to Milwaukee.  I imagine extending the three lane ramp configuration further south to accomodate for a dedicated left-hand exit to Beloit while maintaining two lanes for I-43 Milwaukee ramp would be a LOT cheaper than building a bridge on a floodplain.

-Thank goodness DOT came to their senses and decided to drop lanes for the traffic merging from I-43 W to I-39/90 SB instead of dropping the left lane as was drawn up in the original plans.  Having the left lane end for through traffic on 39/90 SB at Colley Rd. would have just been a road rage/pissing match nightmare (especially on Sundays) and traffic counts coming in from I-43 doesn't justify a lane for itself.  Just wish they would extend that auxilliary lane from I-43 until the bridge at Colley Rd (already built to only handle three lanes of traffic).  With the current set-up, it seems like a pretty tight area to have to make two merges if you are in the right lane coming off the fly-over ramp.

[UNDSIOUX]

-On the exit to WI-81 and I-43 towards Milwaukee from NB I-39/90, why is the state wasting money on the bridge where traffic exiting off at Beloit goes under the through traffic lanes onto I-43.  When traffic exits off I-39/90, mark the left lane as an exit only for Beloit/WI-81 and the right lane(s) as I-43 NB to Milwaukee.  I imagine extending the three lane ramp configuration further south to accomodate for a dedicated left-hand exit to Beloit while maintaining two lanes for I-43 Milwaukee ramp would be a LOT cheaper than building a bridge on a floodplain.

Just thought of a better idea...  Just separate the exit for WI-81 Beloit to start after I-43 Milwaukee splits from 39/90....  The only issue I can see is having enough length to slow traffic down on the ramp before intersecting WI-81.

[mgk920]

-On the exit to WI-81 and I-43 towards Milwaukee from NB I-39/90, why is the state wasting money on the bridge where traffic exiting off at Beloit goes under the through traffic lanes onto I-43.  When traffic exits off I-39/90, mark the left lane as an exit only for Beloit/WI-81 and the right lane(s) as I-43 NB to Milwaukee.  I imagine extending the three lane ramp configuration further south to accomodate for a dedicated left-hand exit to Beloit while maintaining two lanes for I-43 Milwaukee ramp would be a LOT cheaper than building a bridge on a floodplain.

Just thought of a better idea...  Just separate the exit for WI-81 Beloit to start after I-43 Milwaukee splits from 39/90....  The only issue I can see is having enough length to slow traffic down on the ramp before intersecting WI-81.

Several of the options that were being considered included direct access between I-43 (to/from Milwaukee) and Milwaukee Rd (WI 81) at I-39/90.

Remember that before the highway upgrades that created current I-43, old WI 15 (what became I-43) was a two-lane surface road.  That 'old' road is now County 'X' to the northeast.  A big feature of the adopted plan is to restore that surface road connection (County 'X' <-> Milwaukee Rd), tying the local street system back together and eliminating a major disconnect, in a rapidly developing part of the City of Beloit.

Mike

[WarrenWallace]

Graphics from the Beloit meeting are available on the project website.

South Segment --> Maps/exhibits

http://projects.511wi.gov/web/i-39-90-project/

[WarrenWallace]

Looking at the signage link (http://projects.511wi.gov/documents/33947/b4eb167e-b48c-43ee-a947-f080845556aa), wondering why the DOT would want to sign WI-81 at the CTY X interchange on I-43 northbound.  Seems like overkill as all traffic heading north would have originated from the I-39/90 and already had their own exit for 81.  I would just sign it as 'X'.

Or am I just missing something?

[mgk920]

Looking at the signage link (http://projects.511wi.gov/documents/33947/b4eb167e-b48c-43ee-a947-f080845556aa), wondering why the DOT would want to sign WI-81 at the CTY X interchange on I-43 northbound.  Seems like overkill as all traffic heading north would have originated from the I-39/90 and already had their own exit for 81.  I would just sign it as 'X'.

Or am I just missing something?

I suspect that it is because that restored section of Milwaukee Rd out to Hart Rd, plus that short piece of Hart Rd from there north to I-43, will become WI 81.

Mike

[JREwing78]

-On the exit to WI-81 and I-43 towards Milwaukee from NB I-39/90, why is the state wasting money on the bridge where traffic exiting off at Beloit goes under the through traffic lanes onto I-43.  When traffic exits off I-39/90, mark the left lane as an exit only for Beloit/WI-81 and the right lane(s) as I-43 NB to Milwaukee.  I imagine extending the three lane ramp configuration further south to accomodate for a dedicated left-hand exit to Beloit while maintaining two lanes for I-43 Milwaukee ramp would be a LOT cheaper than building a bridge on a floodplain.

Just thought of a better idea...  Just separate the exit for WI-81 Beloit to start after I-43 Milwaukee splits from 39/90....  The only issue I can see is having enough length to slow traffic down on the ramp before intersecting WI-81.

Several of the options that were being considered included direct access between I-43 (to/from Milwaukee) and Milwaukee Rd (WI 81) at I-39/90.

Remember that before the highway upgrades that created current I-43, old WI 15 (what became I-43) was a two-lane surface road.  That 'old' road is now County 'X' to the northeast.  A big feature of the adopted plan is to restore that surface road connection (County 'X' <-> Milwaukee Rd), tying the local street system back together and eliminating a major disconnect, in a rapidly developing part of the City of Beloit.

Mike

At the PIM, they also cited cost as a concern when brainstorming other options for directly connecting Hwy 81/Milwaukee St to I-43. They would likely have to grade-separate the EBD off-ramp and WBD on-ramp to I-43 from traffic intending to exit to Hwy 81/Milwaukee St, as well as purchase additional right-of-way.

I'm also pretty sure a left-exit to Beloit would be verboten.

[JREwing78]

Janesville Gazette: 2015 could be busy for Interstate alternative route

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wToMg_WhrbkJ:www.gazettextra.com/20140813/2015_could_be_busy_for_interstate_alternative_route+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

[Jim920]

Wow, 12 lanes between US-14 and WI-26, that's going to be a tight fit!  I knew they were combining both interchanges with C/D roadways, however I didn't think the mainline would continue with 4 through lanes.  I just assumed the right most lane would become and exit only for 14/26 and have 3 through lanes.

[mgk920]

Wow, 12 lanes between US-14 and WI-26, that's going to be a tight fit!  I knew they were combining both interchanges with C/D roadways, however I didn't think the mainline would continue with 4 through lanes.  I just assumed the right most lane would become and exit only for 14/26 and have 3 through lanes.

And then when the time comes to further upgrade the WI 26 interchange to eliminate the stop-and-go lights on WI 26, along with free-flow ramps in the major turn directions (NB I-39/90 -> NB WI 26 and SB WI 26 -> SB I-39/90) . . . .



Mike

[JREwing78]

WisDOT posted an animation of the upcoming DDI at I-39/90 and Hwy 26:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L0gtmRzgd8#t=10

[JREwing78]

One of WisDOT's priorities this summer was complete reconstruction of Hwy 73 between I-39/90 in Edgerton and US-12/18 near Cambridge. I took a cruise down it this afternoon, and it's hardly recognizable from its previous narrow, rutted, frost-heaved iteration. The highway was completely regraded, realigned, widened, and rebuilt to modern standards. It (mostly) has it's initial layer of asphalt laid, with some turn lanes and intersections remaining.

According to the posted signs, they have a little under three weeks to complete the rebuild, which should be entirely possible.

[JREwing78]

Discussion about the impacts of upcoming I-39/90 construction on Edgerton:

Alternate route through Edgerton: Five-year boon or bust?
http://www.gazettextra.com/20141102/alternate_route_through_edgerton_five_year_boon_or_bust

[SEWIGuy]

Is it really realistic to think that traffic is going to double on US-51 through Edgerton during the reconstruction?  Do people usually exit the mainline interstate and get on the local highways instead?

[JREwing78]

I suspect they will when traffic backs up sufficiently on the interstate. They're not going to exit when traffic is flowing, but if traffic is at a standstill, and they see the opportunity to bail, they will. Ditto for Hwy 73 north to US-12/18.

One route that would be genuinely useful as a reliever route for I-39/90 would be US-14 between Madison and Janesville. Even without I-39/90 construction, I frequently took US-14 returning to Madison in the evening because the traffic was less maddening.

WisDOT has studies for the Oregon to Janesville segment, including the unofficial Evansville bypass of Territorial and Bullard Rds. They also appear to finally be pushing the widening of US-14 south to Hwy 92 outside Brooklyn, if the recent PIM and revived plans are any indication. Downside: that project won't be completed until AFTER the I-39/90 expansion.

[DaBigE]

There is another study gaining traction along I-39, except it's the stretch between roughly the Beltline Interchange and the I-39 split near Portage (WisDOT already has a logo out for it). They've had one PIM for it--last week--caught me a bit off-guard. Just some rough ideas right now: potential problem areas that need addressing, future interchanges/overpasses, etc. All the materials that were at the PIM are on the study's website: http://www.wisconsindot.gov/projects/swregion/399094/index.htm. Dirt would not begin to fly until 2025 at the earliest; no funding is currently appropriated other than for the study.

They also have an interactive survey that I highly recommend participating in: https://i399094.metroquest.com/
(I'm not directly working on this project, at least not in the near-term, but I do have a couple close friends/colleagues that are). The latter part of the survey (Tab 4) includes an interactive map that you can place coded pins on and describe the issue you would like to see addressed.

[WarrenWallace]

Some more info about the I-39/90 and I-43 interchange at Beloit and how WI-81 gets tied into everything here:
http://projects.511wi.gov/web/i-39-90-project/resources?p_p_id=articles_WAR_Articlesportlet_INSTANCE_dLR8&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&articleReq=2063815

There are plans now for 3 DDIs in Rock County: WI-81 at I-39/90, WI-11 West (Avalon Rd) at I-39/90, and WI-26 at I-39/90.

[mgk920]

^^
Overall, I really like it.  It makes the correct interstate-to-interstate connections while correcting the serious Milwaukee Rd street disconnect that crept in over the years as the former WI 15 progressively morphed into I-43.

One change that I would make if I was the Poo-Bah in charge is that I would have also included a crossing of I-43 in the area of Gateway Bd/Lathers Rd, this to better tie the city's street network together.  I am aware of the land topography/elevation issue there for such a crossing, though (it would have to go under I-43 and then up through a fairly deep cut on the north side of I-43).

I also note from the handout material that WisDOT is showing the restored 'Milwaukee Rd' being marked as 'WI 81', I assume to extend out to and end at the I-43/Hart Rd interchange.



Mike

[NE2]

Poo-baaing is cool.

[JREwing78]

I also note from the handout material that WisDOT is showing the restored 'Milwaukee Rd' being marked as 'WI 81', I assume to extend out to and end at the I-43/Hart Rd interchange.

That is correct.

[SSOWorld]

More death-diamonds? why?