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Wisconsin 4 lane wish list

Started by peterj920, April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM

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peterj920

It seems like WISDOT is taking a break from expanding 2 lane highways to 4 lanes after Wis 15 and Wis 23 are completed. Here are some much needed projects that WISDOT needs to consider expanding to 4 lanes:

US 12 in the Sauk Prairie Area. US 12 is 4 lane between Madison and Wisconsin Dells except for the 2 lane stretch though Sauk City and around Prairie Du Sac. Time to close the gap.

Wis 19 between Waunakee and Sun Prairie/Wis 113 from CTH M to Wis 19. Waunakee continues to grow and does not have a 4 lane connection. Both highways have become congested and need expansion.

US 14 between Middleton and Cross Plains. The growth in Cross Plains has make US 14 congested and the highway needs expansion to accommodate the growth.

Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter. Wis 26 connects two of the largest population centers in Wisconsin (Madison and Green Bay/Appleton) and would give a high quality route between the two regions of the state.

Any other proposals within reason? The traffic counts on these highways support the need for expansion.


skluth

It's been a few years since I've driven to Green Bay.  But the current WI 26 setup north of Waupun with several passing areas worked fine from my perspective. The only improvement I'd add there is bypassing Rosendale and Sconsi's most notorious speed trap.

I'd add these four lane options:
US 51 between US 8 and Hazelhurst
US 12/18 between CTH N and Cambridge

I'd also be tempted to four-lane WI 42 between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor and US 8 between US 51 and Rhinelander. Neither are normally busy but can be bad on weekends.


dvferyance

#2
US 12 Souk City to Baraboo
US 18 Hwy N to Cambridge. (An interchange already exists at WI 73.)
US 45 US 10 to New London
US 51 US 8 to Hazlehurst
US 141 Pound to Crivitz
WI 42 Sturgeon Bay to the WI 57 split (Mentioned earlier to Egg Harbor which I don't think is possible without demolishing lots of properties. Any 4 lane north of the 57 intersection would kind of ruin the Door County countryside.)
WI 11 Just west of Monroe for a couple of miles. (It may not be vitally needed I just don't like how quickly the bypass goes from a freeway to 2 lane just west of town)
WI 83 I-94 to WI 16 (Which is probably busier than the part widened south of there back in the mid 2010's.)

3467

I would add US 61 it's low volume but in area with few 4 lanes. The terrain is an issue . But it needs rehab. Maybe more passing lanes.

tchafe1978

I've always wondered why there isn't a direct 4-lane connection between La Crosse and Eau Claire. It seems like it would be logical to connect western Wisconsin's two largest cities. The US 53 freeway north of La Crossee just kind of ends into nothing. The only question would be would it follow the current US 53, or WIS 93, with US 53 potentially rerouted onto 93. The state highway map has 93 as the red major route over 53.

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: tchafe1978 on April 02, 2022, 12:43:42 AM
I've always wondered why there isn't a direct 4-lane connection between La Crosse and Eau Claire. It seems like it would be logical to connect western Wisconsin's two largest cities. The US 53 freeway north of La Crossee just kind of ends into nothing. The only question would be would it follow the current US 53, or WIS 93, with US 53 potentially rerouted onto 93. The state highway map has 93 as the red major route over 53.

There is no four-lane connection because traffic levels don't come close to needing one. Traffic counts on 93 between US 10 and Galesville are in the 3K-5K range.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

JoePCool14

Quote from: dvferyance on April 01, 2022, 06:08:05 PM
WI 11 Just west of Monroe for a couple of miles. (It may not be vitally needed I just don't like how quickly the bypass goes from a freeway to 2 lane just west of town)

Ditto on this one. And while they're at it, remove the trail crossing and bump the speed limit on the 4-lane section to 65.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
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3467

WI 11 since Illinois will never do 20. Btw 3 to 5 was getting 4 lanes in Illinois 20 is mostly in that range.

The Ghostbuster

While it would be nice to have more 2 lane roadways be expanded to 4 lanes, I think it will be a long time before we see any more 2-to-4 lane road expansions.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter. Wis 26 connects two of the largest population centers in Wisconsin (Madison and Green Bay/Appleton) and would give a high quality route between the two regions of the state.


It is about seven miles shorter but usually not much more than a minute or two slower.  And that minute or two can be eaten away pretty quickly if traffic is slowed for any reason.  I routinely take the longer route because it is simply easier.

Four laning it would be redundant and expensive.  I would rather see adding a third lane between Oshkosh and FdL and a more free flow connection between US-151 and I-41.  And then I would actively find ways to further discourage the WI-26 routing including downgrading it to a county route.

mgk920

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 02, 2022, 03:56:03 PM
Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter. Wis 26 connects two of the largest population centers in Wisconsin (Madison and Green Bay/Appleton) and would give a high quality route between the two regions of the state.


It is about seven miles shorter but usually not much more than a minute or two slower.  And that minute or two can be eaten away pretty quickly if traffic is slowed for any reason.  I routinely take the longer route because it is simply easier.

Four laning it would be redundant and expensive.  I would rather see adding a third lane between Oshkosh and FdL and a more free flow connection between US-151 and I-41.  And then I would actively find ways to further discourage the WI-26 routing including downgrading it to a county route.

What are the latest traffic counts on US 151 v. WI 26 between Waupun and I-41?

Mike

mgk920

Would WI 54 between Waupaca and the roundabout at WI 172 be worthy of putting in the hopper for future four laning?  Ditto WI 47 from I-41 northward to WI 29?  Also US 45 from US 10 northward to Clintonville?

Mike

JREwing78



Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 02, 2022, 03:56:03 PM
Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter.


It is about seven miles shorter but usually not much more than a minute or two slower.  And that minute or two can be eaten away pretty quickly if traffic is slowed for any reason.  I routinely take the longer route because it is simply easier.

If WisDOT hadn't already built a free flowing major system interchange for the Hwy 26 interchange at US-151, I would put more value in the argument to not expand Hwy 26 further. But it was clear there was intent to eventually 4-lane that section. At the very least, build the Rosendale bypass so those poor folks get some relief from the traffic.

The last time I looked at non-pandemic traffic counts, Hwy 26 actually had more traffic towards Rosendale than US-151 towards Fond du Lac. I don't see much on the horizon that would tip the traffic counts in the other direction.

SM-G991U


JREwing78

Quote from: JoePCool14 on April 02, 2022, 08:08:20 AM
Quote from: dvferyance on April 01, 2022, 06:08:05 PM
WI 11 Just west of Monroe for a couple of miles. (It may not be vitally needed I just don't like how quickly the bypass goes from a freeway to 2 lane just west of town)

Ditto on this one. And while they're at it, remove the trail crossing and bump the speed limit on the 4-lane section to 65.
I would add 4-laning on Hwy 11/81 east through Juda to their junction just outside Brodhead, and an interchange at the junction. That stretch is plenty busy, and WisDOT already has most of the ROW already purchased. The 11/81 intersection is also notorious for nasty wrecks.

A south-to-east (2-lane) bypass of Brodhead is one of the few remaining missing pieces to make Hwy 11 non-stop between Janesville and Hwy 61/151 outside Dubuque. Traffic doesn't justify it currently, but the Brodhead to Orfordville section is the only one between Janesville and Monroe not built to current primary 2-lane highway standards.

I understand that WisDOT had a fantasy about a 4-lane Hwy 11 west of I-39/90 that would carry both Beloit and Janesville traffic west to Monroe, but that'll never happen in my lifetime. East of the split, Hwys 11 and 81 both carry decent levels of traffic but neither are dominant.

It will be hard to pull significant traffic off Hwy 81, and Hwy 11 can't justify 4-laning on it's own. I-94 to US-151 is the dominant Iowa-bound route from Milwaukee, and there's no interest in a second southern route.

SM-G991U


SEWIGuy

Quote from: JREwing78 on April 03, 2022, 07:22:22 AM


Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 02, 2022, 03:56:03 PM
Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter.


It is about seven miles shorter but usually not much more than a minute or two slower.  And that minute or two can be eaten away pretty quickly if traffic is slowed for any reason.  I routinely take the longer route because it is simply easier.

If WisDOT hadn't already built a free flowing major system interchange for the Hwy 26 interchange at US-151, I would put more value in the argument to not expand Hwy 26 further. But it was clear there was intent to eventually 4-lane that section. At the very least, build the Rosendale bypass so those poor folks get some relief from the traffic.

The last time I looked at non-pandemic traffic counts, Hwy 26 actually had more traffic towards Rosendale than US-151 towards Fond du Lac. I don't see much on the horizon that would tip the traffic counts in the other direction.

SM-G991U



According to WIDOT's traffic count map, there is more traffic on US-151 than WI-26.  (Peak numbers are about 12,000 v. 9,300)

And that's what I mean.  WIDOT has invested a lot of money into US-151.  They should do what they can to move more traffic onto that route and off of the Rosendale route.  It would be completely wasteful to expand WI-26.

Big John

Quote from: mgk920 on April 03, 2022, 03:04:54 AM
Would WI 54 between Waupaca and the roundabout at WI 172 be worthy of putting in the hopper for future four laning?
Mike
Traffic counts are too low and I-41 to US 10 is the preferred route from Green Bay to Waupaca.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: Big John on April 03, 2022, 08:41:21 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on April 03, 2022, 03:04:54 AM
Would WI 54 between Waupaca and the roundabout at WI 172 be worthy of putting in the hopper for future four laning?
Mike
Traffic counts are too low and I-41 to US 10 is the preferred route from Green Bay to Waupaca.


Agreed.  Now with US-10 being four lanes, that's the quickest way to get to Waupaca from the Green Bay area.  I have a co-worker that commutes to Green Bay from Seymour and he says even that stretch is pretty light.

skluth

Quote from: mgk920 on April 03, 2022, 02:57:04 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 02, 2022, 03:56:03 PM
Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn't want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter. Wis 26 connects two of the largest population centers in Wisconsin (Madison and Green Bay/Appleton) and would give a high quality route between the two regions of the state.


It is about seven miles shorter but usually not much more than a minute or two slower.  And that minute or two can be eaten away pretty quickly if traffic is slowed for any reason.  I routinely take the longer route because it is simply easier.

Four laning it would be redundant and expensive.  I would rather see adding a third lane between Oshkosh and FdL and a more free flow connection between US-151 and I-41.  And then I would actively find ways to further discourage the WI-26 routing including downgrading it to a county route.

What are the latest traffic counts on US 151 v. WI 26 between Waupun and I-41?

Mike
WisDOT has an interactive ArcGIS web app for traffic counts

I-39

Other than a Saul City bypass, Wisconsin is good with new four lanes. They need to save their money and maintain what they have, as well as focus on rebuilding/expanding the Interstates.

midwesternroadguy

Quote from: peterj920 on April 01, 2022, 04:20:34 PM
It seems like WISDOT is taking a break from expanding 2 lane highways to 4 lanes after Wis 15 and Wis 23 are completed. Here are some much needed projects that WISDOT needs to consider expanding to 4 lanes:

US 12 in the Sauk Prairie Area. US 12 is 4 lane between Madison and Wisconsin Dells except for the 2 lane stretch though Sauk City and around Prairie Du Sac. Time to close the gap.

Wis 19 between Waunakee and Sun Prairie/Wis 113 from CTH M to Wis 19. Waunakee continues to grow and does not have a 4 lane connection. Both highways have become congested and need expansion.

US 14 between Middleton and Cross Plains. The growth in Cross Plains has make US 14 congested and the highway needs expansion to accommodate the growth.

Wis 26 between US 151 and I-41. WISDOT doesn’t want to expand since US 151 and I-41 are close, but motorists continue to use Wis 26 because it is significantly shorter. Wis 26 connects two of the largest population centers in Wisconsin (Madison and Green Bay/Appleton) and would give a high quality route between the two regions of the state.

Any other proposals within reason? The traffic counts on these highways support the need for expansion.

US 14 Evansville to Oregon.  AADT of 13,900

US 14 Mazomanie to Middleton.  The OP suggested to Cross Plains, I would go even farther west.   AADT 10,500

Traffic volumes (and crash data?) warrant both expansions.

midwesternroadguy

Quote from: 3467 on April 02, 2022, 11:15:05 AM
WI 11 since Illinois will never do 20. Btw 3 to 5 was getting 4 lanes in Illinois 20 is mostly in that range.

I don't understand the second sentence.

3467

Oh Illinois has 4 laned roads in the 3 to 5000 range. Vpd. Iowa has too.

thspfc

My top choice would be US-51 between Tomahawk and Minocqua.

I drive the aforementioned stretch of WI-19 often, four lanes would be nice but it's not urgent.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: thspfc on April 04, 2022, 12:28:24 PM
My top choice would be US-51 between Tomahawk and Minocqua.


I would go US-12/18 between Dane County N and Cambridge, especially as Madison's suburbs grow further east.

The problem with the Tomahawk to Minoqua trip is that two lanes isn't a problem 90% of the time.

JoePCool14

Quote from: JREwing78 on April 03, 2022, 07:47:26 AM
Quote from: JoePCool14 on April 02, 2022, 08:08:20 AM
Quote from: dvferyance on April 01, 2022, 06:08:05 PM
WI 11 Just west of Monroe for a couple of miles. (It may not be vitally needed I just don't like how quickly the bypass goes from a freeway to 2 lane just west of town)

Ditto on this one. And while they're at it, remove the trail crossing and bump the speed limit on the 4-lane section to 65.
I would add 4-laning on Hwy 11/81 east through Juda to their junction just outside Brodhead, and an interchange at the junction. That stretch is plenty busy, and WisDOT already has most of the ROW already purchased. The 11/81 intersection is also notorious for nasty wrecks.

A south-to-east (2-lane) bypass of Brodhead is one of the few remaining missing pieces to make Hwy 11 non-stop between Janesville and Hwy 61/151 outside Dubuque. Traffic doesn't justify it currently, but the Brodhead to Orfordville section is the only one between Janesville and Monroe not built to current primary 2-lane highway standards.

I understand that WisDOT had a fantasy about a 4-lane Hwy 11 west of I-39/90 that would carry both Beloit and Janesville traffic west to Monroe, but that'll never happen in my lifetime. East of the split, Hwys 11 and 81 both carry decent levels of traffic but neither are dominant.

It will be hard to pull significant traffic off Hwy 81, and Hwy 11 can't justify 4-laning on it's own. I-94 to US-151 is the dominant Iowa-bound route from Milwaukee, and there's no interest in a second southern route.

I believe that about the 11/81 intersection. It's definitely an awkward one that could lend itself well to a bridge.

I also agree about a 2-lane Brodhead bypass. For some reason, that always feels like a long slog through there. 25 MPH is ridiculous, but I guess that's typical small town speed limits.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
Travel Mapping | 60+ Clinches | 260+ Traveled | 8000+ Miles Logged



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