Wisconsin notes

[peterj920]

Liking the new bridges over I-39/90, hopefully they don't change the street names/numbers since it's etched into the bridge forever now 

Can always take the street name parapet section out and replace it if that would happen.

[peterj920]

Yesterday on a drive to Wausau via US 10, I noticed a weird oddity.  Despite being a full freeway from Neenah to Fremont, the speed limit on US 10 was never increased from 65 to 70 mph, and to my knowledge almost every other freeway statewide, regardless of Interstate status, was upgraded.  So why is the freeway section of US 10 stuck with an expressway speed limit?

US 51 north of Wausau is also still 65.  US 41/141 was until Friday when it was raised to 70.  They were just waiting for the I-41 project to be completed.  US 45 between US 10 and I-41 could also be raised.  Oddly enough, sections of Wis 29 and Wis 57 in Green Bay that are less than 5 miles saw an increase to 70.

[20160805]

Yesterday on a drive to Wausau via US 10, I noticed a weird oddity.  Despite being a full freeway from Neenah to Fremont, the speed limit on US 10 was never increased from 65 to 70 mph, and to my knowledge almost every other freeway statewide, regardless of Interstate status, was upgraded.  So why is the freeway section of US 10 stuck with an expressway speed limit?

US 51 north of Wausau is also still 65.  US 41/141 was until Friday when it was raised to 70.  They were just waiting for the I-41 project to be completed.  US 45 between US 10 and I-41 could also be raised.  Oddly enough, sections of Wis 29 and Wis 57 in Green Bay that are less than 5 miles saw an increase to 70.

Glad they finally raised 41/141 - forgot about that one, and it always seemed weird to me too.

[mgk920]

Someone just reported to me that WisDOT is rerouting US 45 off of the city streets in the Fond du Lac area.  Can anyone confirm this?



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

Someone just reported to me that WisDOT is rerouting US 45 off of the city streets in the Fond du Lac area.  Can anyone confirm this?



Mike

I can't confirm it, but does this have to do with the US-151 bypass improvements that is removing its exit ramps from the US-45 interchange?  Drivers will have to access US-45 by a new interchange at County V with a frontage road taking traffic to US-45.  Traffic from NB US-151 to SB US-45 is going to have to exit at County V, go through a circle, cross back over the highway, through two more circles to get to US-45.

http://projects.511wi.gov/us151bypass/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/voverview.pdf

So if they do remove US-45 from the city, do you make traffic go through that maze, or do you keep US-45 on I-41 south of US-151?  Perhaps exiting at the current County B and heading east a couple miles to meet up with US-45 in Eden.

The other question is on the north side.  Do they just route US-45 with I-41 up in Oshkosh and replace US-45 from Oshkosh to Fond du Lac with a WI-76 extension?  Otherwise I can't figure out a good way to get US-45 over to I-41.

[mgk920]

Someone just reported to me that WisDOT is rerouting US 45 off of the city streets in the Fond du Lac area.  Can anyone confirm this?



Mike

I can't confirm it, but does this have to do with the US-151 bypass improvements that is removing its exit ramps from the US-45 interchange?  Drivers will have to access US-45 by a new interchange at County V with a frontage road taking traffic to US-45.  Traffic from NB US-151 to SB US-45 is going to have to exit at County V, go through a circle, cross back over the highway, through two more circles to get to US-45.

http://projects.511wi.gov/us151bypass/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/voverview.pdf

So if they do remove US-45 from the city, do you make traffic go through that maze, or do you keep US-45 on I-41 south of US-151?  Perhaps exiting at the current County B and heading east a couple miles to meet up with US-45 in Eden.

The other question is on the north side.  Do they just route US-45 with I-41 up in Oshkosh and replace US-45 from Oshkosh to Fond du Lac with a WI-76 extension?  Otherwise I can't figure out a good way to get US-45 over to I-41.

I'm scratching my head here, too, unless the ultimate plan is to put US 45 on I-41 all the way from metro Milwaukee to Oshkosh and give the US 45 West Bend Spur an odd 3DI number.

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

I can confirm that US-45 will be transferred to the city between WI-23 and US-151.  I am checking to see if, from the north, it will be routed eastbound on WI-23 to US-151...or westbound on WI-23 to I-41 to US-151.  The eastbound routing is shorter.

[mgk920]

I can confirm that US-45 will be transferred to the city between WI-23 and US-151.  I am checking to see if, from the north, it will be routed eastbound on WI-23 to US-151...or westbound on WI-23 to I-41 to US-151.  The eastbound routing is shorter.

My source told me that he saw a newly installed 'North/US 45/Ahead' BGS on NB I-41 at US 151.

BTW, I like the layout that is shown in the .pdf file that is linked in SEWIguy's previous reply.



Mike

[hobsini2]

My guess is that they would route 45 on 41 until either Wis 23 or Hwy OO if not all the way to north of Oshkosh.

[SEWIGuy]

I can confirm it will be routed along WI-23, I-41 and US-151.

I would put it on I-41 from Oshkosh to US-151 and extend WI-76 south from Oshkosh to WI-23.  Small steps I guess.

[peterj920]

There goes the only 4 way intersection that I know of where a local street has the absolute right of way over a US highway.  (S Park Ave and US 45)  If a US highway has to stop for a local street and the local street traffic doesn't have to stop, that would probably be part of the reason why US 45 is being rerouted. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.771656,-88.438813,3a,60y,272.48h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKF4GM0Ela9VcI2yU8QdoQQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[JMAN_WiS&S]

-US 12 (Clairemont Ave) In Eau Claire/Altoona has now fully completed it's switch to the Protected Only/Protected-Permissive 4Flashing Left Yellow Arrows. Cameron St, Menomonie St, Stein Blvd & University Dr now have "Left turn yield on flashing yellow arrow" signs and I have seen Cameron, Menomonie, and University Dr Flashing. Havent seen stein flashing yet. This is odd since Both University Dr & Stein blvd have the WB US 12 Approaches with Dual Turn Lanes. So there are two lanes of traffic facing a FYA to cross 3 lanes plus a right turn lane going 45-50 mph. Didnt think that was preferred.

But all of the intersections from Cameron St to BUS 53/Hastings Way are Protected Only for certain approaches during high traffic periods. Now all intersections on Clairemont Ave have FYA signals except:
-New Alpine Dr(Has original 5 stacks)
-Otter Rd(Has 5 stacks but were upgraded to reflected yellow border, not sure why no FYA)
-US12/US53 (Protected Only Due to SPUI)[Right Turn Lane FYA though!]
-10th St (5 Stack) [Right turn FYA!]
-3rd st (5 stack)
-AA (Newly installed Trombone Setup 5 stack)
All the signals between WI 312 & Vine St are Protected/permissive all the time, never protected only.

[DaBigE]

I can confirm that US-45 will be transferred to the city between WI-23 and US-151.  I am checking to see if, from the north, it will be routed eastbound on WI-23 to US-151...or westbound on WI-23 to I-41 to US-151.  The eastbound routing is shorter.

My source told me that he saw a newly installed 'North/US 45/Ahead' BGS on NB I-41 at US 151.

BTW, I like the layout that is shown in the .pdf file that is linked in SEWIguy's previous reply.



Mike

IIRC, I saw a 'South USH 45 Ahead sign on SB IH-41' BGS in the median on my way back from the UP a few hours ago...don't remember exactly where it was though. SB IH-41 exit mileage signs were also updated, featuring a USH 45 shield along side the USH 151.

When we were heading up to the UP on Wednesday morning, sign crews from Fond du Lac & Winnebago counties were busy installing new signs on a few overpass roadways. Felt bad for them, as it was pouring rain as I went by.

[GeekJedi]

I was just up there today, and heading Northbound US-45 is co-signed with US-151 and WI-23 on the BGS's and with I-41/US-41 NB reassurance markers between 151 and 23.

Southbound signage isn't complete yet. So far, just the reassurance markers are done, no changes to the BGS's yet.

[The Ghostbuster]

Are they ever going to add exit numbers to the US 151 Fond du Lac Bypass? They numbered all of the other US 151 exits statewide, but did not give the Fond du Lac Bypass numbers. I know it will eventually be a full freeway from CTH-D to WIS-23, but I like my exits numbered.

[SSOWorld]

WI has been really skimpy on mile markers and exit tabs.  They limit to expressway or better.

[peterj920]

WI has been really skimpy on mile markers and exit tabs.  They limit to expressway or better.

Wisconsin seems to be slowly adding more exits and mile markers to certain roads.  Wis 26, Wis 64, and US 10 are highways that didn't have exit numbers 10 years ago and now have them.  For some reason, US 53 doesn't have exit numbers with the US 2 and Wis 13 exits near Superior.

[The Ghostbuster]

This summer, while driving to Northern Minnesota on vacation, I saw new exit numbers on US 53 at WI 70 (Exit 165), and at the US 63 south junction (Exit 168). Maybe they'll also number the US 2 interchange (222), and the WI 13/County Z interchange (227) in the future as well.

[dvferyance]

Now I hear that the DOT is going ahead with yet another roundabout in Racine County that nobody there wants. Yet again this irresponsible spending is why much needed projects are not getting done. Time for Walker to make a chance in the Secretary of Transportation in office. Gothlieb has been horrible.

[GeekJedi]

Now I hear that the DOT is going ahead with yet another roundabout in Racine County that I don't want. Yet again my opinion is that irresponsible spending is why much needed projects are not getting done, though I don't have data to back that up. Time for Walker to make a chance in the Secretary of Transportation in office. Gothlieb has been horrible.

Fixed that for you. Don't overlay your opinion as "fact".

[DaBigE]

Now I hear that the DOT is going ahead with yet another roundabout in Racine County that I don't want. Yet again my opinion is that irresponsible spending is why much needed projects are not getting done, though I don't have data to back that up. Time for Walker to make a chance in the Secretary of Transportation in office. Gothlieb has been horrible.

Fixed that for you. Don't overlay your opinion as "fact".

There were several people welcoming this roundabout in the online newspaper article I was reading regarding this intersection.

[jakeroot]

Now I hear that the DOT is going ahead with yet another roundabout in Racine County that I don't want. Yet again my opinion is that irresponsible spending is why much needed projects are not getting done, though I don't have data to back that up. Time for Walker to make a chance in the Secretary of Transportation in office. Gothlieb has been horrible.

Fixed that for you. Don't overlay your opinion as "fact".

There were several people welcoming this roundabout in the online newspaper article I was reading regarding this intersection.

I think it's been made blatantly clear in the past that dvferyance believes that roundabouts are 100% responsible for Wisconsin's budget deficit.

[The Ghostbuster]

I'm on a ride and I want to get off
But they won't slow down the round-about

Song: The Reflex
Artist: Duran Duran
Album: Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Year: 1984

[Mrt90]

Now I hear that the DOT is going ahead with yet another roundabout in Racine County that I don't want. Yet again my opinion is that irresponsible spending is why much needed projects are not getting done, though I don't have data to back that up. Time for Walker to make a chance in the Secretary of Transportation in office. Gothlieb has been horrible.

Fixed that for you. Don't overlay your opinion as "fact".

There were several people welcoming this roundabout in the online newspaper article I was reading regarding this intersection.

What intersection are you guys referring to? 

I live in Kenosha County, and every roundabout in Kenosha and Racine Counties that I've seen is an improvement over the previous intersection.

[tchafe1978]

State's first diverging diamond interchange opens in Rock County

http://www.channel3000.com/news/states-first-diverging-diamond-interchange-opens-in-rock-county/42235042