Wisconsin notes

[JREwing78]

OK so I have a new theory about US-10's exit numbers, and it is probably a bad one.

The US-10 / WI-13 exit just outside of Marshfield is Exit 187.  Obviously the mileage is less than that if you follow US-10 westbound to the Minnesota line.  However, if you follow WI-13 southbound along its historical routing to the IL line, it is almost exactly 187 miles.

My guess is that is just an odd coincidence...but still.

The geographic center of Wisconsin is about 12 miles due south of the Marshfield US-10/Hwy 13 intersection, in Pittsville.
https://goo.gl/maps/FzNyuRaqkfDNTHNSA

[SSOWorld]

I-90's mileposting also is way off. I-39 pulls off at 78 miles north of the IL State line - at exit 108.

What is the distance from the Minnesota state line, where the numbering starts?

Oops - wrong direction 😳

[SEWIGuy]

So about those US-10 exit numbers. I actually emailed WIDOT about this last week. I got a response today. I am not going to quote it directly but they went back and looked at planning documents from the late 80s for when US-10 first was planned to be a freeway/expressway in the "eastern part of the state."

And the long and short of it is, they really don't know! It could be a simple miscalculation by the original planners. But since then they have used the exit numbers that correspond to this initial exits, which is why everything is off by about 50 miles. So the mystery continues...

[dvferyance]

OK so I have a new theory about US-10's exit numbers, and it is probably a bad one.

The US-10 / WI-13 exit just outside of Marshfield is Exit 187.  Obviously the mileage is less than that if you follow US-10 westbound to the Minnesota line.  However, if you follow WI-13 southbound along its historical routing to the IL line, it is almost exactly 187 miles.

My guess is that is just an odd coincidence...but still.

If you go by the milage from the Minnesota border it should be Exit 146 so it's off by 41 miles.

[peterj920]

More US 10 news. Passing lanes are going to be constructed between Reedsville and Cato. On the project website there's also a map of highways for potential passing lanes.

Eventhough 4 lane expansion is mostly over, it does look like WISDOT is committed to adding passing lanes to improve 2 lane roads..

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/ne/us10pass/default.aspx

[on_wisconsin]

https://twitter.com/WisDOTnorthwest/status/1626635428206870538

Looks like the bottom bit of the sign in the background got nicked up as well...

[peterj920]

Construction season is almost here: I'm looking forward to the repair/resurfacing of US 18/US 151 between Mt. Horeb and Fitchburg. The Verona Bypass has become extremely rough.

Any Wisconsin projects you're looking forward to this season?

[The Ghostbuster]

The three projects I'm most interested in are still in the study phase, with construction far into the future: the US 51 Stoughton Road Corridor Studies (North: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/northstudy.aspx) (South: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/southstudy.aspx); the US 12/14/18/151 Madison Beltline Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx); and the Interstate 39/90/94 Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/399094/default.aspx). I hate how many years it takes to propose, fund, design, and then construct road projects.

fixing broken hyperlinks --sso

[peterj920]

The three projects I'm most interested in are still in the study phase, with construction far into the future: the US 51 Stoughton Road Corridor Studies (North: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/northstudy.aspx) (South: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/southstudy.aspx); the US 12/14/18/151 Madison Beltline Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx); and the Interstate 39/90/94 Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/399094/default.aspx). I hate how many years it takes to propose, fund, design, and then construct road projects.

Other than US 51/Stoughton Rd which is basically a freeway conversion, the other 2 projects don't really have any plans.

fixing broken hyperlinks --sso

[Big John]

Any Wisconsin projects you're looking forward to this season?

I-43 N/S freeway: https://projects.511wi.gov/43north-south/

[JoePCool14]

I'm looking forward to WI-50 in and around Kenosha being completed. The intersection with WI-31 is a bit messy at the moment.

I'm also interested to see whether any construction will take place on any roads out near Platteville. Not that I'm out there very often, but I'm hoping for a resurfacing or two, and maybe even a potential new roundabout at WI-80/WI-81.

I'm also looking forward to the I-43 improvements north of Milwaukee.

[The Ghostbuster]

I take that back! One near-future project I am very interested in is the Interstate 94 East-West Corridor Study: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/se/94stadiumint/default.aspx. I am very happy that the freeway is going to be reconstructed as an 8-lane freeway. I just hope it isn't delayed longer, since the city has made it clear that they oppose freeway expansion within the city of Milwaukee.

[gbgoose]

I'm interested in the continued progress if the WI-15 Hortonville bypass this year. from Greenville to New London

I'm also interested in getting closer to the long overdue I-41 expansion from NW Appleton to De Pere.  The amount of crashes within this section of the interstate is insane.

[mgk920]

I'm interested in the continued progress if the WI-15 Hortonville bypass this year. from Greenville to New London

I'm also interested in getting closer to the long overdue I-41 expansion from NW Appleton to De Pere.  The amount of crashes within this section of the interstate is insane.

Probably some minor preliminary work on the I-41 project, mainly here and there utility relocations and ROW clearance works.  I'm also very much looking forward (state motto!) to this one when it gets going for real.



Mike

[thspfc]

The three projects I'm most interested in are still in the study phase, with construction far into the future: the US 51 Stoughton Road Corridor Studies (North: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/northstudy.aspx) (South: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/southstudy.aspx); the US 12/14/18/151 Madison Beltline Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx); and the Interstate 39/90/94 Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/399094/default.aspx). I hate how many years it takes to propose, fund, design, and then construct road projects.

I think the realistic best-case scenario for Stoughton Rd is a split interchange with Texas-style frontage roads at Pflaum and Buckeye. Which would be pretty nice. Free-flow with the Beltline will never happen.

fixing broken hyperlinks --sso

[mgk920]

The three projects I'm most interested in are still in the study phase, with construction far into the future: the US 51 Stoughton Road Corridor Studies (North: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/northstudy.aspx) (South: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/southstudy.aspx); the US 12/14/18/151 Madison Beltline Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx); and the Interstate 39/90/94 Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/399094/default.aspx). I hate how many years it takes to propose, fund, design, and then construct road projects.

I think the realistic best-case scenario for Stoughton Rd is a split interchange with Texas-style frontage roads at Pflaum and Buckeye. Which would be pretty nice. Free-flow with the Beltline will never happen.

fixing broken hyperlinks --sso

I do remember seeing some mention  a couple of decades ago of Stoughton Rd being referred to as the 'East Beltline'.  I can really see that had the I-system never been set up (maybe the creation of the I-system simply set big-time upgrades to the US 51 corridor back by a half century or so).  As it is, a locally useful re-engineering of the Beltline/Stoughton Rd interchange will be an interesting animal to address and follow.

Mike

[triplemultiplex]

Free-flow with the Beltline will never happen.

Highly likely to become a DDI some day, however.

[The Ghostbuster]

Stoughton Rd. was known as the East Madison Beltline when it first opened around 1950, although that name died out decades ago (probably soon after the road's completion).

[peterj920]

The three projects I'm most interested in are still in the study phase, with construction far into the future: the US 51 Stoughton Road Corridor Studies (North: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/northstudy.aspx) (South: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/southstudy.aspx); the US 12/14/18/151 Madison Beltline Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx); and the Interstate 39/90/94 Study (https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/399094/default.aspx). I hate how many years it takes to propose, fund, design, and then construct road projects.

I think the realistic best-case scenario for Stoughton Rd is a split interchange with Texas-style frontage roads at Pflaum and Buckeye. Which would be pretty nice. Free-flow with the Beltline will never happen.

fixing broken hyperlinks --sso

One of the proposals is for free flow ramps from The Beltline west to US 51 north including a flyover from The Beltline Eastbound to US 51/Stoughton Rd north. US 51 thru traffic would still have signals at The Beltline and Broadway.

[triplemultiplex]

One of the proposals is for free flow ramps from The Beltline west to US 51 north including a flyover from The Beltline Eastbound to US 51/Stoughton Rd north. US 51 thru traffic would still have signals at The Beltline and Broadway.

Just like how there's a WisDOT plan for free-flow ramps at Verona Rd.  As to if or when either comes to fruition, that's an open question.  My bet is they settle for a DDI at the Beltline & Stoughton.  Especially with Broadway right there.

[SEWIGuy]

I just spent some time reading this study done by the City of Madison on Stoughton Road. In the end, they recommend WIDOT's second alternative, which is depressing Stoughton Road and building more bridges to connect both sides which they think would eliminate a lot of the congestion by separating regional from local traffic.  This includes some of the free flow movements at the Beltline and re-positions the intersection with Broadway further north.

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/stoughtonrevitalization.pdf

[Molandfreak]

Why would anyone expect movements from Stoughton Road to the Beltline to be free-flowing? There's a reason why they're partially in the works for Verona Road: because they would complete US 151 so that it is consistently free-flowing from Dubuque to Madison. Traffic lights are consistent with the type of roadway US 51 is in that area.

[The Ghostbuster]

The segment of Stoughton Rd. between US 12/18 and STH 30 is the segment I am most interested in, since my mother lives not too far away from that segment of US 51.

[SEWIGuy]

Why would anyone expect movements from Stoughton Road to the Beltline to be free-flowing? There's a reason why they're partially in the works for Verona Road: because they would complete US 151 so that it is consistently free-flowing from Dubuque to Madison. Traffic lights are consistent with the type of roadway US 51 is in that area.

Because the traffic backs up onto the Beltline due to the lights both there at at Broadway. I don't think it's going to happen mind you, but I completely understand why they would be an option.

[JREwing78]

Why would anyone expect movements from Stoughton Road to the Beltline to be free-flowing? There's a reason why they're partially in the works for Verona Road: because they would complete US 151 so that it is consistently free-flowing from Dubuque to Madison. Traffic lights are consistent with the type of roadway US 51 is in that area.

Because the traffic backs up onto the Beltline due to the lights both there at at Broadway. I don't think it's going to happen mind you, but I completely understand why they would be an option.

Stoughton Rd carries freeway levels of traffic, with some sections approaching WisDOT standards for a 6-lane freeway. It's also the only highway access for much of the east side of the Madison metro (I-39/90 only interchanges at freeways within Madison city limits).

Also, EB Beltline to NB Stoughton Rd traffic is already at the point they have to have THREE left turn lanes. That movement is literally BEGGING to be uncorked. WisDOT is a little tight on space, but they can braid the Monona Rd ramps with the Stoughton Rd ramps and accommodate the heavy EB to NB and SB to WB movements. That would relieve the rest of the Stoughton Rd interchange for the time being.