Wisconsin notes

[GeekJedi]

The eastbound sign on Interstate 94 east of the Badger Interchange still lists Milwaukee as being 72 miles away, just like it always has: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1031698,-89.2592304,3a,75y,104.01h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1syk7JAWJsXpZvypO7kx1ipQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D0%26panoid%3Dyk7JAWJsXpZvypO7kx1ipQ%26yaw%3D104.00574316403225!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu. This guide sign on Interstate 94 west of the CTH N interchange has always given the distance to Madison as 9 miles away: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.108609,-89.2228353,3a,75y,272.2h,94.24t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNlqXeFHx39ReXyspWSyKgw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-4.240339292831123%26panoid%3DNlqXeFHx39ReXyspWSyKgw%26yaw%3D272.2011656006654!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu. Maybe in the future, those signs will change, although I doubt it.

Here in Mukwonago, they still show the mileage to Mukwonago as 1 mile when you turn north on 83 from the 43 exit ramp. The village limits are actually 1/2 mile south of the exit. In fact you can see the (also wrongly placed) green city sign a block down from the "1 mile" sign. In fact, 1 mile would put you almost out of town on the north side!

[hobsini2]

The eastbound sign on Interstate 94 east of the Badger Interchange still lists Milwaukee as being 72 miles away, just like it always has: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1031698,-89.2592304,3a,75y,104.01h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1syk7JAWJsXpZvypO7kx1ipQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D0%26panoid%3Dyk7JAWJsXpZvypO7kx1ipQ%26yaw%3D104.00574316403225!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu. This guide sign on Interstate 94 west of the CTH N interchange has always given the distance to Madison as 9 miles away: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.108609,-89.2228353,3a,75y,272.2h,94.24t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNlqXeFHx39ReXyspWSyKgw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-4.240339292831123%26panoid%3DNlqXeFHx39ReXyspWSyKgw%26yaw%3D272.2011656006654!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu. Maybe in the future, those signs will change, although I doubt it.

Here in Mukwonago, they still show the mileage to Mukwonago as 1 mile when you turn north on 83 from the 43 exit ramp. The village limits are actually 1/2 mile south of the exit. In fact you can see the (also wrongly placed) green city sign a block down from the "1 mile" sign. In fact, 1 mile would put you almost out of town on the north side!

I'm pretty sure the distance is to Downtown Milwaukee and Downtown Madison. Some states do that instead of when you hit the city limits since city limits change frequently.

[Molandfreak]

It's supposed to be the distance to the CBD, not the corporate limits. A sign indicating the distance to the corporate limits of Kronenwetter wouldn't be very helpful, for instance.

[Big John]

I see WISDOT has concepts for the Mason St Bridge posted that will be the framework for alternatives. One is "as is" being elevated from Ashland to Monroe, another is just a bridge over the Fox River, and the 3rd with a bridge over Ashland, the railroad and at grade on the east side of the river..

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/projects/by-region/ne/masonbrstudy/concept.pdf

I sure hope the new bridge stays the same length. Just improve the interchanges and add bike/ped access. Why create new at grade intersections that will cause more traffic delays and accidents? It's the only bridge downtown over the rail line and that can avoid most boat openings because of the higher clearance. Don't mess up what's already working well and make it worse.

another public meeting is being held on Wednesday September 25 from 5-7 pm at the Neville Public Museum.

I went to that meeting, synopsis of what was presented, there are still 4 alternative plans, which I can separate into 2 near plans. Also any plans for at-grade intersections call for traffic signals instead of roundabouts. All plans retain a grade separation over the CN railroad.

part 1:
E2 - Near replication of what there now except for 3 notable changes: First is for a wider, barrier separated sidewalk where the current sidewalk is. Second is the 3rd-lane add-on for westbound traffis would be ay the Quincy St on-ramp and the Jefferson St. on-ramp ewould havs a standard. Third and most important is the eastbound Ashland on-ramp would have the 3rd-lane addon and the Broadway on-ramp would have a standard taper.

H3 - Replication of E2 just west of Broadway to the current east end. Would put cul-de-sacs at Chestnut Ave, Ashland Ave ramps would be removed and an at-grade signalized intersection would be built at Ashland Ave.

The other 2 are similar to each but significantly different from the first 2.

H1 - Removal of all ramps and the bridge would start east of Ashland of an overpass over Broadway then continue until an overpass over Adams St., then touchdown near Jefferson St. Would include signalized intersections at Ashland and Monroe, cul-de-sacs at Chestnut, retaining the cul-de-sac on Jefferson south of Mason, but adding a RIRO on the north side of Jefferson causing a 2-way conversion on Jefferson; than a pair of RIROs at Madison St, also calling fot a 2-way conversion on Madison. The other major aspect is that the whole bridge would be narrowed to 2 lanes each way for the whole length, then wide pedestrian/bicycle facilities would be added to both sides for the whole length.

H2, similar to H1 except it would touchdown just before Adams St, then add a signalized intersection at Adams. I had a concern that it would cause too high of a vertical grade, but the other part would lower the bridge over the river by 10-15 feet to maintain an acceptable grade.

The final accepted alternative would be decided in 2028 and construction would start in 2032.

There is a separate rehabilitation project for the bascule section set for 2026/2027, but some of the alternatives are incompatible with it.

[mgk920]

I'd love to see the WisDOT drawings are writeups of these options.  I do remember a local TV news item from its opening back in the mid 1970s being the bridge's lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, only that 'afterthought' sidewalk on its north edge between Broadway and Jefferson St.

Mike