Wisconsin notes

[hobsini2]

It always seems to be crowded when I play at that one. The people aka traffic has to come from somewhere.

[on_wisconsin]

Geeky moment:
WisDOT has a neat new(?) tool for finding the AADT of state maintained and other roads, based on Google maps:

https://trust.dot.state.wi.us/roadrunner/

My only quibble is that there are not enough data points in suburban and rural areas. (esp. intersections)

[mgk920]

I was in Milwaukee yesterday evening (Thu - 2013-06-06) for the Phillies @ Brewers game (a lackluster loss for the Brewers, BTW  Grrrrr....) and, while walking along the main walkway from the east Miller Park parking lots to the stadium, took a glance to the left from the walkway and noticed a genuine, WisDOT-issue 'WI 341' sign alive in the wild.  It is by the stop-and-go lights at the intersection between a parking lot access roadway, a couple of Miller Park Way freeway ('secret' WI 341) access ramps and Canal St just east of where that main walkway crosses over the Miller Park Way freeway.  No, I didn't have a camera handy.   

There are also a couple of mis-placed US 41 signs on the NB Miller Park Way freeway on the approach to I-94.

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

There are also a couple of mis-placed US 41 signs on the NB Miller Park Way freeway on the approach to I-94.

I know...same ones have been there since I can remember.  And I have been driving that stretch for over 20 years!

[WarrenWallace]

The WI-26 bypass of Milton is being paved.  More info here: http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2013/jun/18/work-underway-new-highway-26-lanes/

[triplemultiplex]

I recently found myself having a little vacation in the Kickapoo River area around La Farge and Ontario.  This afforded me the opportunity to see first hand the artifacts of the cancelled La Farge Dam project and it's associated highway changes.  Chris Bessert did a nice write up on the failed project's effects on WI 131.

[ur]http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/indepth/STH-131_kickapoo.html[/url]

The contrast between the relocated segment south of Rockton and the 2000's rebuild north of there is stark.  The high bridge at Rockton is also an interesting vestige.  I saw it from the river, too and it was impressive to imagine 40 or 50 feet of water above your head there.
The old alignment of WI 131 is a nice multi-use trail.  Because it's so wide, one 'lane' is paved for bikes and the other side is gravel for horses.

I hiked around the old dam site and stood at the base of the intake tower.  Cool stuff.  The history of the project is so interesting too.  It was an attempt to solve a man-made problem.  (Floods were made worse on the Kickapoo by poor farming practice and poorly sited communities.)  But doing so only created more problems.

In the end, we wound up with an awesome, large piece of public land in a part of the state where such things are small and scattered.  Nature has reclaimed all the old pastures and fields and one can get a sense of what that whole driftless region looked like prior to development by European settlers.  The only thing the Kickapoo Reserve needs now is bison.  That would be really cool.

[NE2]

Kickapoo is cool.

[triplemultiplex]

Kickapoo is cool.

Well played, sir.

[FightingIrish]

I was in Milwaukee yesterday evening (Thu - 2013-06-06) for the Phillies @ Brewers game (a lackluster loss for the Brewers, BTW  Grrrrr....) and, while walking along the main walkway from the east Miller Park parking lots to the stadium, took a glance to the left from the walkway and noticed a genuine, WisDOT-issue 'WI 341' sign alive in the wild.  It is by the stop-and-go lights at the intersection between a parking lot access roadway, a couple of Miller Park Way freeway ('secret' WI 341) access ramps and Canal St just east of where that main walkway crosses over the Miller Park Way freeway.  No, I didn't have a camera handy.   

There are also a couple of mis-placed US 41 signs on the NB Miller Park Way freeway on the approach to I-94.

Mike

You're making me want to go on a scavenger hunt! lol

If I get there and see the sign, I'll snap a few pics to upload.

[on_wisconsin]

When did WisDOT add 'driveyour94.com' as a domain URL?
i.e. http://driveyour94.com/statepatrol/index.htm or http://driveyour94.com/travel/air/aircraft-reg.htm

[Big John]

^^ Seems very odd that WisDOT would do this on their own as I-94 is not unique to Wisconsin, plus the urls lead to WisDOT sections that have nothing to do with I-94.

[Molandfreak]

Anyone know how many miles of highway are in Wisconsin's state highway system? Maybe it's 9400?

EDIT: Never mind, it's 11,000. Maybe now one of the Dakotas will register the domain name http://mightyfineon29.com/

[mahaasma]

I have a two Fort Atkinson questions, should be quick so I decided to post them here.

1)  WisDOT was studying a US-12 bypass of Fort Atkinson, but it seems like it abruptly stopped all of a sudden last year.  Does anyone know why?  Lack of funding?
Here's the message on the page: 

Note - WisDOT has stopped all work on the study of a future US 12 Bypass through the town of Koshkonong south of Fort Atkinson. The final disposition of the study will be determined at a future date by the Transportation Projects Commission. (May 3, 2012)

2) I noticed that US-12 and Business 26 actually operate on two different streets in town.  I've seen this before when streets are one-way, but never when streets are two way.  The traditional route takes US-12 on Madison Avenue to south on Main St, then following Whitewater Ave toward WW.  But now, US-12 E (and Bus-26 southbound) is signed Madison Ave to Robert St to 3rd St to Main (and Bus-26 Robert St to Janesville Ave).  But the westbound US-12 routing stays with its traditional route.  Same with the northbound Business 26.

Hope this description makes sense.  I don't know how recent this change was.  Anyone know why?

[SEWIGuy]

I have a two Fort Atkinson questions, should be quick so I decided to post them here.

1)  WisDOT was studying a US-12 bypass of Fort Atkinson, but it seems like it abruptly stopped all of a sudden last year.  Does anyone know why?  Lack of funding?
Here's the message on the page: 

Note - WisDOT has stopped all work on the study of a future US 12 Bypass through the town of Koshkonong south of Fort Atkinson. The final disposition of the study will be determined at a future date by the Transportation Projects Commission. (May 3, 2012)

2) I noticed that US-12 and Business 26 actually operate on two different streets in town.  I've seen this before when streets are one-way, but never when streets are two way.  The traditional route takes US-12 on Madison Avenue to south on Main St, then following Whitewater Ave toward WW.  But now, US-12 E (and Bus-26 southbound) is signed Madison Ave to Robert St to 3rd St to Main (and Bus-26 Robert St to Janesville Ave).  But the westbound US-12 routing stays with its traditional route.  Same with the northbound Business 26.

Hope this description makes sense.  I don't know how recent this change was.  Anyone know why?

1. The Governor stopped all work on the project for political reasons.  It will likely be picked up again, but they are far away from building it anyway.

2.  I have lived in Fort Atkinson since just after the bypass opened.  My understanding is that WI-26 was simply replaced by Bus. WI-26.  I have no idea the exact date the change was made, but I am pretty sure it is when they upgraded Robert Street and the Robert Street bridge over the Rock River in the mid 70s.

[mgk920]

On a slightly different note, I have found a genuine, albeit Sun-faded, 'INTERSTATE/WISCONSIN 43' sign alive in the wild.  It is on westbound Dousman St (US 141) just as one comes off of its Fox River bridge in downtown Green Bay.

http://goo.gl/maps/n8IAm

That's the Titletown Brewery in the background.



Mike

[Big John]

^^ and the sign is older than 1998 when the road was reconstructed so that sign somehow survived that.

[JREwing78]

Speaking of US 12, I could've sworn I saw something in the Janesville Gazette or elsewhere about Walworth County trying to get a study done to push the Elkhorn-Whitewater 4-laning forward. Of course now I can't find it....

Update: yes, but the article's 2 years old - http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/nov/17/boards-urge-dot-hurry-hwy-12-study/

Update #2: Found it! (currently in Google's cache since gazettextra's being stupid)

DOT takes over Highway 12 expansion
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:uyoCzfiwkHUJ:gazettextra.com/news/2013/jul/17/dot-takes-over-highway-12-expansion/+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

And.....

Highway 12 expansion project underway
http://news.mywalworthcounty.com/?p=5793

[mgk920]

^^
I would definitely do the 'Corner Cut' as proposed - except for the crossing of that small bit of the Kettle Moraine, which is easy to dig through random-mixed sand and gravel, the rest is entirely pool-table flat, wide-open countryside.

The existing US 12 would still remain a state highway, WI 67 and a westward extension of WI 20, and I would install a roundabout that the current US 12 turn intersection at WI 20/67, as well as study them at a couple of other intersections along the way.

And then, how long before the Whitewater-Fort Atkinson part is put back on the front burner???



Mike

[JREwing78]

I attended the PIM regarding the I-39/90 construction in Janesville tonight, and came back with some interesting information, including:

- Previously, WisDOT was going to expand into the median throughout Rock County, and maintain at least a 60-foot median width through Dane County. This apparently has changed; they are now designing for a 84-foot median throughout, with the possible exceptions of the section through Janesville, and the stretch north of the weigh station to the Beltline. The goal is to not need any kind of median barrier in the rural sections, at least until such time that another lane becomes necessary.

- They are proposing a number of intersection improvements to US-14 along the east and north sides of Janesville, and to US-51 north through Edgerton. There is no proposal to widen any section of US-14 or US-51 in conjunction with this project. They anticipate about 15% of traffic currently using I-39/90 would divert around construction via US-14 and US-51. More: http://projects.511wi.gov/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=f0e13a89-c192-46fc-aaac-3fde1a368182&groupId=33947

- They are proposing either a signalized diamond interchange at Hwy 26, or a DDI (diverging-diamond interchange). When I posed a question about considerations for a SPUI instead, the engineer indicated the longer, wider bridges would have been cost-prohibitive, and a SPUI did not perform any better than a DDI.

- Lots of complaints about the roundabouts proposed for the Hwy 59 interchange, with many citing the roundabouts at Hwy 59 and (future) Hwy 26 in Milton as evidence they are unsafe. More than one commenter indicated it would ruin business in Newville (unlikely).

The WisDOT representatives pointed out that the fact that roundabouts force traffic to slow down as a good thing, and that they updated roundabout design standards since the design of the Hwy 59/26 interchange (and that said roundabouts have since been updated).

They also mentioned both truck drivers who rolled their rigs in Milton were driving too fast through the roundabouts (they did not mention both were ethanol tankers, which are particularly prone to rolling over).

- Further complaints about the changes to Hwy 59 just east of the I-39/90 interchange in Newville involve the raised median forcing traffic to RIRO from side streets and businesses. I asked about a possible roundabout at Ellendale Rd (just south of the Hwy 59 bridge); the response was that it was outside the project scope. Traffic for businesses south (west) of Hwy 59 have a rear access road that mitigates this access issue somewhat.

- Assuming owners along the stretch approve them, most of I-39/90 between US-14 and Racine St will have sound walls. The exceptions are the stretches bordering the schools and Palmer Park.

- Even at this late date, there is still considerable discussion about the redesign of the Beltline interchange and its implementation. They hinted it may be broken off as a separate project from the widening project. Ditto to the I-43 interchange in Beloit.

- One issue I raised during the presentation was that there was no attempt to lengthen the short SBD on-ramp to I-39/90 from Hwy 59. The new ramp is straighter, but it ends hard at the bridge over the Rock River just like the current design. This may come back to bite them later, though adding an additional lane to accomodate that flow would raise costs significantly.

- The Town of Milton asked WisDOT to consider a new interchange at County M just west of Milton, but no action has taken place to incorporate that into the design. The railroad immediately south of County M would complicate matters a bit.

[SEWIGuy]

A County M interchange would be good since that is where a lot of the growth in that area is occurring.

By they way, I would guess that the WI-26 bypass of Milton is within a week or two of opening.  They are going to be opening the future NB lanes as a single lane bypass to work on the connection on the SB lanes on either side of the bypass.  The entire thing is supposed to open as a full four lane bypass this November.

They have been making steady progress on the section between Fort Atkinson and Milton.  They will have the new lanes cleared and graded by the close of the construction season.

[WarrenWallace]

I could see an interchange at M in the future.  More direct access into Milton, especially from Madison.  And would probably tie into some sort of a west Janesville bypass.

What was the reception from those in attendance to the proposal at I-39/90 and 26?

[mgk920]

I could see an interchange at M in the future.  More direct access into Milton, especially from Madison.  And would probably tie into some sort of a west Janesville bypass.

What was the reception from those in attendance to the proposal at I-39/90 and 26?

Not building an interchange is likely the best way of preventing what I call 'premature development' and that is, IMHO, the main reason for no interchange being there now.  That is why WisDOT purposely built no interchanges on the US 10 freeway between WI 76 ('old' US 45) and US 45 at Winchester here in the Appleton area - and in the ten years ( ) since that freeway opened, that tactic has worked out beautifully.

Also, I fail to see Milton Township's interest in pushing for an interchange there as IMHO, there is a near certainty that when the time comes to develop that area, it will have to be annexed into the City of Milton in order for sewer and water service to be extended to it.  As it stands right now, Milton and Janesville are only a couple of years away from bumping borders along WI 26, with the current strong development in that area and the need for one or the other city to provide those services.

That said, I'm going to have to make another daytrip into that area.



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

Interestingly, there are parts of the City of Janesville that lie within the Milton School District.

http://wisconsin.hometownlocator.com/schools/profiles,n,milton%20high,z,53563,t,pb,i,1125563.cfm

[JREwing78]

By they way, I would guess that the WI-26 bypass of Milton is within a week or two of opening.  They are going to be opening the future NB lanes as a single lane bypass to work on the connection on the SB lanes on either side of the bypass.  The entire thing is supposed to open as a full four lane bypass this November.

It's really damn close. They've had the concrete pavement in place for at least a month or two, and the asphalt shoulders and transitions are in place. All the ramps at County N and Hwy 59 are in place. All it's missing are signs, really.

They have been making steady progress on the section between Fort Atkinson and Milton.  They will have the new lanes cleared and graded by the close of the construction season.

It's crazy how much cut and fill they've done v.s. the old road. I was out that way a week or so ago, after a heavy rainstorm, and the NBD lane on the current carriageway flooded out. There was a Jefferson County deputy directing traffic around it, as it didn't quite submerge the SBD lane.

Between the recent WI-26 expansion and the pending work on I-39/90, Janesville is going to be a major roadgeek draw for a while.

[SEWIGuy]

By they way, I would guess that the WI-26 bypass of Milton is within a week or two of opening.  They are going to be opening the future NB lanes as a single lane bypass to work on the connection on the SB lanes on either side of the bypass.  The entire thing is supposed to open as a full four lane bypass this November.

It's really damn close. They've had the concrete pavement in place for at least a month or two, and the asphalt shoulders and transitions are in place. All the ramps at County N and Hwy 59 are in place. All it's missing are signs, really, and the transitions at each end.

Just found this....August 23 is the date the Milton bypass opens with just the one lane.  Three weeks from today.

http://www.hngnews.com/milton_courier/news/local/article_064795a6-f9ed-11e2-9f3e-001a4bcf6878.html