WISDOT removing cities from guide signs?

[peterj920]

At interchanges on I-43 and with the sign replacements on I-41, I'm noticing that the guide signs are containing less cities. On I-43, there were signs that referenced Milwaukee along with Manitowoc or Sheboygan going south, and those cities and Green Bay driving north.  Now, they're only listing Green Bay or Milwaukee.  On I-41 traveling south of Green Bay, both Appleton and Milwaukee were both listed, now just Milwaukee is listed.  And at the Wis 26/I-41 interchange, the guide signs currently say Oshkosh, Appleton, Green Bay heading north.  Once the signs are replaced, it's only going to say Green Bay and omit Appleton/Oshkosh.  It's odd that Appleton is the control city for I-41 in Green Bay, but from County G/Main Ave south, Milwaukee is listed as the only control city.  Would think that Appleton would be kept as the control city until I-41 reaches the Appleton Area, but that is not the case.  It may be because traffic is encouraged to use I-43 for Milwaukee from Green Bay, but does anyone know why only one city is being listed at interchanges on guide signs and other cities that were listed are now being removed?  I also find it odd that I-41 benefits Appleton more than Green Bay because I-43 is the preferred route between Green Bay and Milwaukee, yet Appleton is going to be omitted from all of the guide signs and BGS on I-41 from De Pere-southward, according to the sign plans that I reviewed. 

[mgk920]

I would contact the people on Vanderperren Way and see what they say.

I was very remiss in that they removed 'Oshkosh' from NB US 151 on its approach to the northernmost WI 26 split a few years ago, replacing it with 'Rosendale'.  Ditto on the southbound I-41 approach to WI 26 in Oshkosh - 'Waupun' was also replaced with 'Rosendale'.

Mike

[peterj920]

That was most likely done to encourage Oshkosh traffic to take US 151 to I-41 in order to get to Oshkosh.  The promotion of the detour as a better alternative to Wis 26 when it was closed is evidence of that.  But when the signs change, there won't be a guide sign that says Oshkosh off of US 151 at all, it will only say Green Bay.  Another inconsistency is along Wis 441.  Aside from the new Wis 47 interchange, Oshkosh is listed as the city on the guide signs for Wis 441 south.(I'm guessing over time the signs will be changed to Stevens Point from US 10 west, unclear east of that point).  But when Wis 441 meets with I-41, there isn't a guide sign or BGS that says Oshkosh, only Milwaukee is listed.  Farther down on US 10, Oshkosh is listed as the control city for US 45 south, but that is a lot farther than using I-41.  Another interesting interchange is Wis 23 and Wis 57.  The BGS' on Wis 23 say Kiel, but the guide signs on the off ramps omit Kiel, but list Green Bay.  I think that's very unusual to list a city on a BGS, but not use it on a guide sign on the offramp.  I also find it strange that I-41 was designated to benefit the Appleton/Fox Valley area, yet there will only be one interchange that points to Appleton anywhere south of Appleton (Wis 76), and the only reference to Appleton will be in the Green Bay area.  Fond Du Lac is going to be listed for the control city from Milwaukee to Fond Du Lac, while Green Bay is going to be listed from the Dodge County Line northward.  Oshkosh will also be listed with Green Bay from Fond Du Lac to Oshkosh, but only one interchange will reference Appleton. 

[GeekJedi]

With as many studies and surveys that WisDOT conducts, perhaps they know something that we don't regarding control cities?

[ET21]

I bet they wanted to show the largest city on the route and maybe put a sign on the side. So the main would be (I-41 South, Milwaukee), then a 1/4 mile later a sign on the side says (To Sheboygan, Manitowac, use I-41 south).

That's all I could think of

[jwags]

I bet they wanted to show the largest city on the route and maybe put a sign on the side. So the main would be (I-41 South, Milwaukee), then a 1/4 mile later a sign on the side says (To Sheboygan, Manitowac, use I-41 south).

That's all I could think of

But why would anyone use I-41 to get to those two cities in the first place?

[Stratuscaster]

Doesn't the MUTCD frown upon multiple control cities?

[jakeroot]

Doesn't the MUTCD frown upon multiple control cities?

Anymore than two is not advisable, but there's no rule as such.

[SSOWorld]

I wonder if they're taking after IDOT?  (only far-away cities on the road itself - secondary cities for cross-roads at interchanges)

I sure as hell hope not.

being an Interstate, US-41 will now have to have Milwaukee and Green Bay (Not sure how they're dealing with it at the Zoo) as the major control cities (like with I-43).  When I-39 was put in, what was previously only Stevens Point in Wausau for a control city now has Madison as the far-away city.

[roadman65]

Doesn't the MUTCD frown upon multiple control cities?

Anymore than two is not advisable, but there's no rule as such.

Then why is NJDOT, the NJTA, and other NJ road agencies removing all their three destination exit guides if it really is not a ruling?

[ET21]

I bet they wanted to show the largest city on the route and maybe put a sign on the side. So the main would be (I-41 South, Milwaukee), then a 1/4 mile later a sign on the side says (To Sheboygan, Manitowac, use I-41 south).

That's all I could think of

But why would anyone use I-41 to get to those two cities in the first place?

It was more of an example to show what WisDot could be doing, not so much as an accurate representation

[jakeroot]

Doesn't the MUTCD frown upon multiple control cities?

Anymore than two is not advisable, but there's no rule as such.

Then why is NJDOT, the NJTA, and other NJ road agencies removing all their three destination exit guides if it really is not a ruling?

The MUTCD indicates that,

No more than two destination names or street names should be displayed on any Advance Guide sign or Exit Direction sign

I don't take that as a ruling that two is the maximum, just that more than two is not recommended.

[skluth]

I would contact the people on Vanderperren Way and see what they say.

I was very remiss in that they removed 'Oshkosh' from NB US 151 on its approach to the northernmost WI 26 split a few years ago, replacing it with 'Rosendale'.  Ditto on the southbound I-41 approach to WI 26 in Oshkosh - 'Waupun' was also replaced with 'Rosendale'.

Mike

It's a warning for Wisconsin's most notorious speed trap.