Wisconsin notes

[The Ghostbuster]

WIS 318 has been signed at Exit 291 for a while. Now if the webmaster of Wisconsin Highways (wisconsinhighways.org) can someday find time to update the pages to include WIS 318 to his Routes 200-399 page.

[gr8daynegb]

WIS 318 has been signed at Exit 291 for a while. Now if the webmaster of Wisconsin Highways (wisconsinhighways.org) can someday find time to update the pages to include WIS 318 to his Routes 200-399 page.

Wish with many of these pages had more photo's of highways in past too(like 141 to Milwaukee, or wis 15 between Beloit to Milwaukee for example).  But at that time people didn't know the internet or interest in things like that existed.  But what people on pages like this one and Wisconsin Highways do is quite awesome

[The Ghostbuster]

I concur, gr8daynegb. Photos of those highways from those time periods would be awesome, assuming any exist.

[thspfc]

The BGSes on I-39/US-51 at CTY-WW near Wausau now have "Maine" as their control city, rather than "Brokaw". This must be a fairly recent switch.

[SEWIGuy]

The BGSes on I-39/US-51 at CTY-WW near Wausau now have "Maine" as their control city, rather than "Brokaw". This must be a fairly recent switch.

Brokaw merged into Maine last year.

https://waow.com/news/wisconsin-news/2018/10/03/wausau-area-communities-merge-a-first-in-state-history/

[mgk920]

The BGSes on I-39/US-51 at CTY-WW near Wausau now have "Maine" as their control city, rather than "Brokaw". This must be a fairly recent switch.

Brokaw merged into Maine last year.

https://waow.com/news/wisconsin-news/2018/10/03/wausau-area-communities-merge-a-first-in-state-history/

Now . . . to get 'Maine' merged into Wausau.

Yea, I know that that'll be a tall order for the foreseeable future, but you never know.



BTW, there have been mergers between incorporated munis happening throughout state history.  Essentially, this one was Brokaw throwing in the towel and Maine using that as an opportunity to (try to) cut off a future growth corridor for Wausau.  The financial mess that Brokaw was in has only been transferred to all of its surrounding former township.  Stay tuned.



Mike

[SSOWorld]

Brokaw relied heavily - if not solely on the paper mill.  When that closed back when the mills were being consolidated, that pretty much sealed its doom.  Townships around Wausau have been jockeying for position in order to preserve their borders by incorporating (Kronnenwetter did the same in 2001).  This isn't the only area that did such (See Mt. Pleasant near Racine/Kenosha)

[GeekJedi]

Drove down I-39/90 between Janesville and Beloit on Thanksgiving. A fun mix of control cities for WI-11 through the construction zone...

The first sign (which looks new) lists Orfordville as the control city. The second (temporary) sign uses Janesville and Monroe as control cities. The third (original) sign lists Janesville and Avalon.

[dvferyance]

Drove down I-39/90 between Janesville and Beloit on Thanksgiving. A fun mix of control cities for WI-11 through the construction zone...

The first sign (which looks new) lists Orfordville as the control city. The second (temporary) sign uses Janesville and Monroe as control cities. The third (original) sign lists Janesville and Avalon.

Monroe is a better choice than Orfordville. But I am surprised they would not use Janesville anymore.

[triplemultiplex]

I, too, saw the Maine thing this weekend and did a double take.  Last mumblings I heard about it, Maine was still a township so it was an open question as what Brokaw would do.
Been a long time since we've had one incorporated community absorb another incorporated community.
Usually, it's a town + village merger.  Or in the case of Wisconsin Rapids, the merger of two cities.  But that was like a hundred years ago.
Didn't Milwaukee absorb something incorporated a long time ago?  Like maybe Granville?


On a separate note, I finally found some information about US 12 over by the old ammunition plant in Sauk County.  They're going to fix those crappy S-curves next year.  I had always heard that was going to happen, but could never find a firm date until now.  Construction starts in May:
https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us12-saukcounty/default.aspx

[SEWIGuy]

I, too, saw the Maine thing this weekend and did a double take.  Last mumblings I heard about it, Maine was still a township so it was an open question as what Brokaw would do.
Been a long time since we've had one incorporated community absorb another incorporated community.
Usually, it's a town + village merger.  Or in the case of Wisconsin Rapids, the merger of two cities.  But that was like a hundred years ago.
Didn't Milwaukee absorb something incorporated a long time ago?  Like maybe Granville?

DePere and West DePere (which was briefly known as the City of Nicolet) used to be two separate cities.  They still are two separate school districts.

Maine became a village back in 2015.

[mgk920]

I, too, saw the Maine thing this weekend and did a double take.  Last mumblings I heard about it, Maine was still a township so it was an open question as what Brokaw would do.
Been a long time since we've had one incorporated community absorb another incorporated community.
Usually, it's a town + village merger.  Or in the case of Wisconsin Rapids, the merger of two cities.  But that was like a hundred years ago.
Didn't Milwaukee absorb something incorporated a long time ago?  Like maybe Granville?

DePere and West DePere (which was briefly known as the City of Nicolet) used to be two separate cities.  They still are two separate school districts.

Maine became a village back in 2015.

West Bend annexed the former Village of Barton in the 1960s (it's now a neighborhood on the city's north side).  Green Bay annexed the former Preble Township in 1964 (it's now most of the city's east side east of the East River).  Milwaukee annexed the former Granville and Lake Townships and the remaining sliver of Wauwatosa Township along Hampton Ave in the very late 1950s.

Menomonee Falls annexed Menomonee Township in the very early 1960s.

Madison has boundary agreements with Blooming Grove, Burke and Madison Townships that will see the city annexing the remaining parts of all three of them within the next 10 years or so.

Mike

[DaBigE]

I, too, saw the Maine thing this weekend and did a double take.  Last mumblings I heard about it, Maine was still a township so it was an open question as what Brokaw would do.
Been a long time since we've had one incorporated community absorb another incorporated community.
Usually, it's a town + village merger.  Or in the case of Wisconsin Rapids, the merger of two cities.  But that was like a hundred years ago.
Didn't Milwaukee absorb something incorporated a long time ago?  Like maybe Granville?

DePere and West DePere (which was briefly known as the City of Nicolet) used to be two separate cities.  They still are two separate school districts.

Maine became a village back in 2015.

West Bend annexed the former Village of Barton in the 1960s (it's now a neighborhood on the city's north side).  Green Bay annexed the former Preble Township in 1964 (it's now most of the city's east side east of the East River).  Milwaukee annexed the former Granville and Lake Townships and the remaining sliver of Wauwatosa Township along Hampton Ave in the very late 1950s.

Menomonee Falls annexed Menomonee Township in the very early 1960s.

Madison has boundary agreements with Blooming Grove, Burke and Madison Townships that will see the city annexing the remaining parts of all three of them within the next 10 years or so.

Mike

If I recall correctly, Burke is being split between Madison, Sun Prairie, and DeForest. The Sun Prairie FD has made it a practice to put the name of the townships it has coverage agreements for on the rigs whose primary response area is outside the city. This year's latest vehicle acquisition omitted the Town of Burke from the side of the truck.

[Revive 755]

From a recent trip, it looks like I-43 may end a signal for now on the east side of I-39.

I also hate the use of Exit Only on the new guide signs between Beloit and Madison where there is a not much more than a deceleration lane prior to the ramp.  Not like these are 1/2 mile or more deceleration lanes.  From a distance it makes it appear the right through lane is exiting and WisDOT forgot the advance signing.

At least for now the work zone speed limit on I-39/I-90 is back to at least 60, though there was at least one stretch with lots of barrels up to 70.

[SSOWorld]

From a recent trip, it looks like I-43 may end a signal for now on the east side of I-39.

Temporary until they connect the flyovers. 2 years.

I also hate the use of Exit Only on the new guide signs between Beloit and Madison where there is a not much more than a deceleration lane prior to the ramp.  Not like these are 1/2 mile or more deceleration lanes.  From a distance it makes it appear the right through lane is exiting and WisDOT forgot the advance signing.

I fail to see what's wrong with this.  It is a decel lane so EXIT ONLY makes sense.

At least for now the work zone speed limit on I-39/I-90 is back to at least 60, though there was at least one stretch with lots of barrels up to 70.

Inactive due to winter, it's taken as a suggestion anyway.

[gr8daynegb]

From a recent trip, it looks like I-43 may end a signal for now on the east side of I-39.

Temporary until they connect the flyovers. 2 years.

I also hate the use of Exit Only on the new guide signs between Beloit and Madison where there is a not much more than a deceleration lane prior to the ramp.  Not like these are 1/2 mile or more deceleration lanes.  From a distance it makes it appear the right through lane is exiting and WisDOT forgot the advance signing.

I fail to see what's wrong with this.  It is a decel lane so EXIT ONLY makes sense.

At least for now the work zone speed limit on I-39/I-90 is back to at least 60, though there was at least one stretch with lots of barrels up to 70.

Inactive due to winter, it's taken as a suggestion anyway.

There goes another old memory of old WI-15 by Beloit(for those old enough to remember back when)

[jakeroot]

I recently noticed that the intersection of N Hastings Way & Birch St in Eau Claire has two nearside corner signals & two far-side corner signals:

https://goo.gl/maps/xPKSSbPVvQgvyPEL8

This intersections appears to use Wisconsin's new signal layout, with the large mast arms and vertical overhead signals, but it has two nearside signals and two far-side signals on the corners as well. Basically, this has by far the most number of signal heads that I've seen at an intersection since the new style was adopted. I know nearside signals are fairly common, but not usually when also accompanied by farside 'corner signals' as well.

Is it possible that this signal was installed around the switchover time, so the signals ended up satisfying both the old and new requirements? Wisconsin has always had pretty good signal placement, but this intersection's signal placement is more comprehensive than what I remember.

Also, any other intersections in WI this many signals?

[JoePCool14]

That's interesting. StreetView indicates those signals are at least 8 years old. That intersection is more typical of what I think of what Illinois practices, also with an extra left turn signal in the median.

[SSOWorld]

Pretty much every setup.

The only change in signal design was to replace the trombone single head with the 1 per lane mast arm.  All other aspects remain unchanged.

[jakeroot]

Pretty much every setup.

The only change in signal design was to replace the trombone single head with the 1 per lane mast arm.  All other aspects remain unchanged.

I do not recall old signal setups including far-side corner signals. Two nearside signals were always the norm, but not two far-side corner signals, as seen at the Eau Claire intersection above. To be clear, I've never lived in WI (hell, I've never even visited), but I've spent a fair amount of time looking around on Street View, and the Eau Claire intersection seems to be a party of one. Surely if this is the norm, you can link to a couple identical examples?

As an example of what I mean, consider this signal in Lake Hallie -- three near-side signals, but zero far-side corner signals. Only two post-mounted median signals, and one overhead horizontal trombone-mast signal. AFAIK, far-left corner signals have only been used when there was no median to mount signals, and far right corner signals have never been common anywhere, that I can recall at least. Most new signals don't use them either (with some exceptions, of course -- many signals in Eau Claire seem to have them).

[jakeroot]

That's interesting. StreetView indicates those signals are at least 8 years old. That intersection is more typical of what I think of what Illinois practices, also with an extra left turn signal in the median.

The age is what prompted me to consider the question, since it features standards of both new installations (vertical signal per lane setups, more far-corner signals), but also features traits of the old setups (namely, near-side signals). The Eau Claire setup reminds me a lot of stuff I see in California or even Alaska.

[dvferyance]

I was on the Waukesha bypass today and saw crews out putting up new signs that included hwy 18 on them. The opening of the west bypass must be really close.

[fuller523]

Open as of 8pm tonight. The west leg from the train tracks to Madison is only a lane in each direction until they finish in the spring.

[GeekJedi]

I was on the Waukesha bypass today and saw crews out putting up new signs that included hwy 18 on them. The opening of the west bypass must be really close.

The bypass opened today. US 18 is fully signed around the Les Paul Pkwy and the new alignment.

[The Ghostbuster]

Does anyone have any pictures of the newly opened West Waukesha bypass? I saw a couple portions of it over the summer when my mother and I visited my grandmother (her mother). Any photos of the newly completed bypass would be much appreciated.