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Wisconsin notes

Started by mgk920, May 30, 2012, 02:33:31 AM

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mgk920

Quote from: peterj920 on September 19, 2015, 02:54:59 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on September 19, 2015, 01:18:15 AM
Quote from: peterj920 on September 18, 2015, 07:36:40 AM
There's a customs station that can handle small flights.  20 passengers is the maximum an incoming international flight can have.  Cargo planes can land also.  Gulfstream has a big facility at the airport and they wanted the designation so it would be easier for their jets to be serviced.  More information in this Post-Crescent Article:

http://www.postcrescent.com/story/money/companies/buzz/2015/09/01/buzz-international-airport-really/71536342/

I do see a lot of foreign-registered aircraft parked outside of the Gulfstream facilities on a regular basis.

Mike

Before the international airport designation, they had to stop at another airport before going to Appleton.  With the customs station opening, they can fly direct and Gulfstream was helping push for the international airport status.

Can I safely assume that that also means that, let's say, an average Canadian flying his little Cessna to EAA, can clear Customs there instead of somewhere else?

Mike


peterj920

Quote from: mgk920 on September 19, 2015, 11:26:50 AM
Quote from: peterj920 on September 19, 2015, 02:54:59 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on September 19, 2015, 01:18:15 AM
Quote from: peterj920 on September 18, 2015, 07:36:40 AM
There's a customs station that can handle small flights.  20 passengers is the maximum an incoming international flight can have.  Cargo planes can land also.  Gulfstream has a big facility at the airport and they wanted the designation so it would be easier for their jets to be serviced.  More information in this Post-Crescent Article:

http://www.postcrescent.com/story/money/companies/buzz/2015/09/01/buzz-international-airport-really/71536342/

I do see a lot of foreign-registered aircraft parked outside of the Gulfstream facilities on a regular basis.

Mike

Before the international airport designation, they had to stop at another airport before going to Appleton.  With the customs station opening, they can fly direct and Gulfstream was helping push for the international airport status.

Can I safely assume that that also means that, let's say, an average Canadian flying his little Cessna to EAA, can clear Customs there instead of somewhere else?

Mike

It's perfect for those small planes.  Austin Straubel in Green Bay has been an international airport since 1988 and those small international planes may have flown in there before the EAA. 

peterj920

WISDOT has announced the 5 projects that it will delay due to budget cuts.  They are: Verona Rd, I-39/90, WIS 15, WIS 23, and US 10/WIS 441.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/dot-puts-breaks-on-5-major-road-project-in-budget-crunch-b99586812z1-329959171.html

SSOWorld

I'm not surprised that the projects around Milwaukee to Chicago survived.  The Racine County portion of that project had been delayed already so the Zoo could be expedited.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

Roadguy

Quote from: peterj920 on September 29, 2015, 09:01:28 PM
WISDOT has announced the 5 projects that it will delay due to budget cuts.  They are: Verona Rd, I-39/90, WIS 15, WIS 23, and US 10/WIS 441.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/dot-puts-breaks-on-5-major-road-project-in-budget-crunch-b99586812z1-329959171.html

The most significant note out of the article is the following acknowledgement: "The five projects will face two-year delays, said DOT spokeswoman Peg Schmitt. But that time frame assumes lawmakers will inject more money into roads in the future."

I find it doubtful in 2 years (the next budget) lawmakers will inject more money into transportation.  Seems like they should be laying out schedules based on the current funding levels and not be assuming more money will be allocated.  The reason for the assumption is definitely political.

What is amazing is that less than 2 years ago many of these projects were on the "advanceable list" with staff/consultants being told to be prepared for earlier than expected lettings and now they have made the delayed list.

peterj920

There are some major projects that will be completed soon that should help alleviate the budget crunch.  The Hoan Bridge is a $172 million project that should end this year, I-41 in Green Bay is supposed to end next year and that is a near $1 billion project.  The Zoo Interchange is also supposed to end in 2017.   Those are 3 very expensive projects that are supposed to end within 2 years, that may be why the delays are estimated to last 2 years, when those projects are finished.

colinstu

Zoo ending in 2017? Huh? I thought that wouldn't be done until 2019 or even later. Last I saw the plans, parts of the mainline will be the last part.. At 2018-19.

DaBigE

Quote from: colinstu on September 30, 2015, 07:42:30 AM
Zoo ending in 2017? Huh? I thought that wouldn't be done until 2019 or even later. Last I saw the plans, parts of the mainline will be the last part.. At 2018-19.

Depends on when you last looked at the plans. A couple iterations ago, the DOT had originally planned to extend the project much further down each of the Zoo's approaches. Much of it got scaled back to save money before the project when under construction, then scaled back/delayed more to save additional money. Had it not been for the original cuts to the project by the previous administration, it would have been done by now, and we probably would have saved millions of dollars by not having to build emergency bridges.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

colinstu

Where did it get scaled back? Each end of the legs looks like they're fully being worked on now (or will be). I think I heard the North Ave interchange reconstruction was being pushed back but not cancelled.

peterj920

The core of the interchange will be complete in 2017, and the vast majority of the spending should be complete on the project.  I have a PDF of the north leg, and according to the schedule the only parts of the project that will remain are the southbound lanes of I-41/US 45 between Burleigh St and Swan Blvd.  I'm assuming that the project will stay on schedule since there wasn't any announcement on the project being delayed.
http://projects.511wi.gov/zoo-interchange-project/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/Zoo_IC_north-leg.pdf

As for the US 10/Wis 441 project, it looks like the part of the project between Racine St and US 10 east is being delayed, and the I-41/US 10/Wis 441 interchange and Little Lake Butte Des Mortes bridge won't be delayed, since major work is already taking place that area is by far the biggest priority and the most vital part of the project.  An updated schedule is below:

http://projects.511wi.gov/wis441/wp-content/uploads/sites/107/New-WIS-441-timeline.jpg

Living in the Green Bay area, I will be relieved when the I-41 project is complete.  There has been non-stop construction since 2008 and it will be great to see everything finished!  Along with I-41, the 2 year project of rehabbing Wis 172 caused bigger traffic problems than I-41 since it's the busiest Fox River crossing, and there were very few alternate routes.  It would take 20 minutes to go from I-41 to the bridge in De Pere during rush hour when that project was being constructed.  As long as the Leo Frigo Bridge holds up and doesn't dip, the Green Bay Area won't need any major road work for a long, long time. 

peterj920

I also looked at the 6 year highway improvement plans, and they are also updated as of 9-20-15.  There's parts of it that I do not understand at all.  I-43 is set to be resurfaced from US 10 to the South Manitowoc County Line next year, and the stretch from Wis 60 to the North County Line in Ozaukee County isn't supposed to be worked on until 2019-2021, despite the fact that I-43 in Ozaukee County is A LOT rougher!   I-43 in Manitowoc County was resurfaced in 2001 and the original pavement was placed in the early 80s, and the stretch in Ozaukee County still has the original pavement and it was placed in the 1970s (It has been diamond ground but was done many years ago).  I don't understand how a stretch of road that isn't that rough gets resurfaced twice in 15 years while a rougher stretch of road gets no attention in the same time frame, aside from shoulder repairs and bridge maintenance. 

The Ghostbuster

It sucks that Wisconsin highway projects are being delayed, but then again, money doesn't grow on trees. What to do? What to do?

noelbotevera

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on September 30, 2015, 04:19:32 PM
It sucks that Wisconsin highway projects are being delayed, but then again, money doesn't grow on trees. What to do? What to do?
Call Texas. They blow their money to work on highway projects.
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name

(Recently hacked. A human operates this account now!)

SEWIGuy

Quote from: noelbotevera on September 30, 2015, 04:23:46 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on September 30, 2015, 04:19:32 PM
It sucks that Wisconsin highway projects are being delayed, but then again, money doesn't grow on trees. What to do? What to do?
Call Texas. They blow their money to work on highway projects.


So you're saying Wisconsin should drill for oil???

noelbotevera

Quote from: SEWIGuy on September 30, 2015, 07:33:24 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on September 30, 2015, 04:23:46 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on September 30, 2015, 04:19:32 PM
It sucks that Wisconsin highway projects are being delayed, but then again, money doesn't grow on trees. What to do? What to do?
Call Texas. They blow their money to work on highway projects.


So you're saying Wisconsin should drill for oil???
No, they drill for cheese (sorry for being a stereotype).
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name

(Recently hacked. A human operates this account now!)

discochris

So this was odd. We were on WI-13, northbound from Ashland to Bayfield, and one of the signs for 13 was on a US highway shield. Someone screwed that one up...

DaBigE

Quote from: discochris on October 05, 2015, 12:06:24 AM
So this was odd. We were on WI-13, northbound from Ashland to Bayfield, and one of the signs for 13 was on a US highway shield. Someone screwed that one up...

Definitely not unheard of in Wisconsin. This "Wis" 33 trailblazer has been hanging around West Bend for as long as I can remember. Construction contractors are notorious for screwing up the route shields and slapping a highway ID on anything that's usable in their inventory for temporary signage.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

GeekJedi

There are a few new "WI-45" trailblazers in the Milwaukee area. ;-)
"Wisconsin - The Concurrency State!"

SSOWorld

Quote from: GeekJedi on October 05, 2015, 01:14:16 PM
There are a few new "WI-45" trailblazers in the Milwaukee area. ;-)
Well, Someone needs to contact that contractor - and fire them. :P
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

merrycilantro

There's a "Wis 28" sign on a US Shield in Sheboygan too. Easter Eggs, complements of WisDOT lol.

peterj920

#820

Roadguy

Just for delaying these four projects the inflation costs are estimated at $160 million:
1.) I-39/90 from the Illinois state line to Madison
2.) Highway 151/Verona Road in Madison
3.) Highway 10/441 in the Fox Valley
4.) Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth (granted this one is not moving due to the lawsuit whether or not there was money for it)

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/cost-of-delaying-road-projects-pegged-at-160-million-b99590739z1-330778161.html

This does not include the WIS 15 (Hortonville Bypass) delay or other 3R project delays as well.

JREwing78

Political cowardice all the way around. The state can't raise fuel taxes sufficiently to pay for the state's transportation needs because the GOP leadership is terrified of being kicked out of office. Killing off the automatic mechanism that kept fuel taxes tied to inflation (something Democrats were just as eager to do) removed the one solution they had to not have to deal with the problem.

And yet people simply grumble when Big Oil catches a sniffle and jacks prices 50 cents or a buck for "market conditions".

Morons.

The Ghostbuster

To those noting signing errors of Wisconsin Highways, I remember once when the entire length of Stoughton Road from WIS 30 to US 12/18 had WIS 51 signs along the corridor. They were soon changed to the proper US 51 signs.

TheHighwayMan3561

There used to be at least one WIS 61 shield on westbound I-90 leaving La Crosse for Minnesota.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running



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