US-41 Interstate Conversion

[on_wisconsin]

The (endless) numbering debate aside, how is the actual construction going? Is dirt being turned on the WIS-29 and I-43 interchanges yet?

[rickmastfan67]

Rumor through an IDOT employee has it IDOT will be signing I-41 for the short overlap with I-94, though there is the off chance there could be a push to extend the I-41 designation in the future.

If that is true, then why didn't they go with an I-65, I-57, or I-55 designation? If nothing has to immediately be signed through Chicago (and it definitely does not), it makes no sense at all to use a new number.

Exactly.  First, where would you extend it?

Have it replace I-294 in it's entirety.

[mgk920]

The (endless) numbering debate aside, how is the actual construction going? Is dirt being turned on the WIS-29 and I-43 interchanges yet?

US 41(I-xx)/WI 29 (Shawano Interchange) - *BIG TIME*

See the traffic cam images at http://www.511wi.gov/Web/Cameras.aspx?countyfilter=Brown&page=1 for what it looks like.

I-43/US 41(I-xx)/141 (Howard Interchange) - not yet, it's a separate project.

Upgrades in the Oshkosh to Neenah area are also well under way and some sections are complete.

See: http://www.511wi.gov/Web/Cameras.aspx?countyfilter=Winnebago&page=1

---------

As for the numbering debate, keep in mind that unlike with, for example, I-69 and I-99, no number was specified in the highway bill for US 41's 'promotion'.  Congress left this one for AASHTO and the FHWA to decide.

Mike

[hbelkins]

We can easily leave it to the FHWA to decide.  What's the record of them giving in to wishes? (I-99 anyone? )

FHWA had no choice with I-99. That was written into legislation passed by Congress.

[SSOWorld]

We can easily leave it to the FHWA to decide.  What's the record of them giving in to wishes? (I-99 anyone? )

FHWA had no choice with I-99. That was written into legislation passed by Congress.

Then let us hope, they don't do it here.

[Molandfreak]

Any word yet of when the FHWA is going to make up their mind?

[Rover_0]

Any word yet of when the FHWA is going to make up their mind?

It should be made up already. I thought the number was going to be I-41.

[mgk920]

Any word yet of when the FHWA is going to make up their mind?

It should be made up already. I thought the number was going to be I-41.

That was AASHTO, not the FHWA.  IIRC, it is the FHWA who holds the trademark rights to the snazzy shield design.

Mike

[bulldog1979]

IIRC, it is the FHWA who holds the trademark rights to the snazzy shield design.

Nope, AASHTO holds the trademark. Trademark 0835635 was filed on February 21, 1966, and registered by the USPTO on September 19, 1967, to "American Association of State Highway Officials Unincorporated Association D.C. 917 National Press Bldg. Washington D.C. 20004" and last listed as owned by "American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Inc. Corporation Assignee Of D.C. Suite 249 444 N. Capitol St., N.W. Washington D.C. 20001"

[Fox 11 News]

The FHA told the state that it's OK with I-41, but final federal approval isn't done because an environmental report is still needed. And, the state wants Congress to grandfather in the weight limits before it will go forward with the interstate designation.

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/feds-ok-interstate-41-number

[SSOWorld]

The FHA told the state that it's OK with I-41, but final federal approval isn't done because an environmental report is still needed. And, the state wants Congress to grandfather in the weight limits before it will go forward with the interstate designation.

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/feds-ok-interstate-41-number

NOOOOO!!!!!!

[triplemultiplex]

The FHA told the state that it's OK with I-41, but final federal approval isn't done because an environmental report is still needed.
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/feds-ok-interstate-41-number

Hooray!!!
A rare victory for the interstate grid.

And, the state wants Congress to grandfather in the weight limits before it will go forward with the interstate designation.

Congress? Aw man, that could take a while.  And all for a couple of logging trucks that are only going to be using a fraction of the corridor.  While the industry that needs those logs is declining under pressure of foreign competition.

[mgk920]

The next question is "Will WisDOT do what MNDOT did with several of the US highways that were supplanted by interstates within their jurisdiction (ie, US 10, US 12, US 52, etc) and do the 'FOR US (xx)/FOLLOW I-(xx)' thing with US 41 over that distance?", this to keep things simple.



As for logging trucks, I'm been seeing a LOT of pulpwood, both logs and chips, passing through downtown Appleton on CN's facilities in recent years and it seems like that traffic volume is increasing.  Perhaps that could be even more business for them.

Mike

[GeekJedi]

I drove up to Neenah today and was disappointed to see that there weren't any "Future I-41" signs up yet!! 

So with moving US-41 to follow I-94 -> I-894 -> US-45 in Milwaukee, will we finally see WI-341 posted?  I would think they'd want to number the Stadium Freeway stub unless they plan on turning it over to the county or something.  I guess they could bring the WI-175 designation all the way down as well...

[mgk920]

I drove up to Neenah today and was disappointed to see that there weren't any "Future I-41" signs up yet!! 

So with moving US-41 to follow I-94 -> I-894 -> US-45 in Milwaukee, will we finally see WI-341 posted?  I would think they'd want to number the Stadium Freeway stub unless they plan on turning it over to the county or something.  I guess they could bring the WI-175 designation all the way down as well...

I've often suggested extending WI 175 southward to replace US 41 on the streets to WisDOT.  Maybe it can be extended all the way down Miller Park Way and 43rd St back to I(41)/43/894 at Loomis Rd.



Mike

[hobsini2]

I drove up to Neenah today and was disappointed to see that there weren't any "Future I-41" signs up yet!! 

So with moving US-41 to follow I-94 -> I-894 -> US-45 in Milwaukee, will we finally see WI-341 posted?  I would think they'd want to number the Stadium Freeway stub unless they plan on turning it over to the county or something.  I guess they could bring the WI-175 designation all the way down as well...

I've often suggested extending WI 175 southward to replace US 41 on the streets to WisDOT.  Maybe it can be extended all the way down Miller Park Way and 43rd St back to I(41)/43/894 at Loomis Rd.



Mike

Or if WisDOT is feeling REALLY generous, extend Wis 175 along the entire US 41 city street route from 10 years ago to include 27th St (now Wis 241) to eliminate another number. Just a thought.

[mgk920]

I drove up to Neenah today and was disappointed to see that there weren't any "Future I-41" signs up yet!! 

So with moving US-41 to follow I-94 -> I-894 -> US-45 in Milwaukee, will we finally see WI-341 posted?  I would think they'd want to number the Stadium Freeway stub unless they plan on turning it over to the county or something.  I guess they could bring the WI-175 designation all the way down as well...

I've often suggested extending WI 175 southward to replace US 41 on the streets to WisDOT.  Maybe it can be extended all the way down Miller Park Way and 43rd St back to I(41)/43/894 at Loomis Rd.



Mike

Or if WisDOT is feeling REALLY generous, extend Wis 175 along the entire US 41 city street route from 10 years ago to include 27th St (now Wis 241) to eliminate another number. Just a thought.

A big chunk of what was the US 41 section of 27th St in the city was rebuilt as a tree-lined boulevard, turned over to the city, renamed as 'Layton Boulevard' (yes, a name duplication of an already existing major street in the city - Layton Ave ) and no longer has the characteristics of a state highway.  Northbound, WI 241 ends at Forest Home Ave (WI 24), where 27th St becomes Layton Bd.

See:
http://goo.gl/maps/LuvsX



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

I drove up to Neenah today and was disappointed to see that there weren't any "Future I-41" signs up yet!! 

So with moving US-41 to follow I-94 -> I-894 -> US-45 in Milwaukee, will we finally see WI-341 posted?  I would think they'd want to number the Stadium Freeway stub unless they plan on turning it over to the county or something.  I guess they could bring the WI-175 designation all the way down as well...

I've often suggested extending WI 175 southward to replace US 41 on the streets to WisDOT.  Maybe it can be extended all the way down Miller Park Way and 43rd St back to I(41)/43/894 at Loomis Rd.



Mike

Or if WisDOT is feeling REALLY generous, extend Wis 175 along the entire US 41 city street route from 10 years ago to include 27th St (now Wis 241) to eliminate another number. Just a thought.

A big chunk of what was the US 41 section of 27th St in the city was rebuilt as a tree-lined boulevard, turned over to the city, renamed as 'Layton Boulevard' (yes, a name duplication of an already existing major street in the city - Layton Ave ) and no longer has the characteristics of a state highway.  Northbound, WI 241 ends at Forest Home Ave (WI 24), where 27th St becomes Layton Bd.

Layton Boulevard has been known by that name for years.  It may have shared a 27th Street designation or something similar, but it is by no means a recent name.  Unfortunately I know this because I got lost in the late 80s when I was supposed to go somewhere on Layton Boulevard and had it mixed up with Layton Avenue.

[Rover_0]

I might be in the minority here when I say this, and this does go against my usual methods, but I think Wisconsin and Illinois DOT should route US-41 entirely along (supposed) I-41 and sign it solely as I-41. If I'm not mistaken, I-41's south end will be at the point where US-41 joins up with I-94 in Illinois. That way, US-41 already looks like it becomes I-41 there, so why not just avoid any possible number confusion and/or concurrent signage and make I-41 and US-41 all and one the same? That way, the route is either I-41 if up to Interstate standards or US-41 otherwise and you follow the number.

Now, I'm not sure if this is already being done, but I've had the impression that US-41 and I-41 will take slightly different routes somewhere along the line.

This also gives me an idea for the Fictional Highways thread.

[mgk920]

I might be in the minority here when I say this, and this does go against my usual methods, but I think Wisconsin and Illinois DOT should route US-41 entirely along (supposed) I-41 and sign it solely as I-41. If I'm not mistaken, I-41's south end will be at the point where US-41 joins up with I-94 in Illinois. That way, US-41 already looks like it becomes I-41 there, so why not just avoid any possible number confusion and/or concurrent signage and make I-41 and US-41 all and one the same? That way, the route is either I-41 if up to Interstate standards or US-41 otherwise and you follow the number.

Now, I'm not sure if this is already being done, but I've had the impression that US-41 and I-41 will take slightly different routes somewhere along the line.

This also gives me an idea for the Fictional Highways thread.

US 41 is being rerouted off of the streets and I-94 north of the Mitchell Interchange (I-(41)/43/94/894) and onto the same routing as the 'I-41' will take in Milwaukee County.  The two will be concurrent on I-41's entire length.

As I said above, I'd like to see WisDOT do the MnDOT thing here and post signs saying "For US 41/Follow I-41" - especially since, unlike with I-49 in Missouri, *NONE* of the signs and BGSes along the way, even the newest ones installed during 2012, have space reserved for an additional route shield.

Mike

[Brandon]

I might be in the minority here when I say this, and this does go against my usual methods, but I think Wisconsin and Illinois DOT should route US-41 entirely along (supposed) I-41 and sign it solely as I-41. If I'm not mistaken, I-41's south end will be at the point where US-41 joins up with I-94 in Illinois. That way, US-41 already looks like it becomes I-41 there, so why not just avoid any possible number confusion and/or concurrent signage and make I-41 and US-41 all and one the same? That way, the route is either I-41 if up to Interstate standards or US-41 otherwise and you follow the number.

Now, I'm not sure if this is already being done, but I've had the impression that US-41 and I-41 will take slightly different routes somewhere along the line.

This also gives me an idea for the Fictional Highways thread.

US 41 is being rerouted off of the streets and I-94 north of the Mitchell Interchange (I-(41)/43/94/894) and onto the same routing as the 'I-41' will take in Milwaukee County.  The two will be concurrent on I-41's entire length.

As I said above, I'd like to see WisDOT do the MnDOT thing here and post signs saying "For US 41/Follow I-41" - especially since, unlike with I-49 in Missouri, *NONE* of the signs and BGSes along the way, even the newest ones installed during 2012, have space reserved for an additional route shield.

Mike

Having them (I-41 and US-41) be on the same route won't be too big a problem for most Wisconsinites.  They refer to numbered routes as highways anyway, and as "Highway 41" and so forth.  Even WisDOT does this practice.  I can see WisDOT using the text as "Hwy 41" as they do for "Hwy 94" and "Hwy 151".

[english si]

I might be in the minority here when I say this

Actually, I think that most people here think that what WIDOT (and ILDOT) are doing is pretty sensible - they might have preferred a different number, but they can see that the problems with I-41/US41 are being dealt with.

Then again I have to wonder whether IL wanted I-41 to cross into their state just to aid them on the '2dis in the state' competition...

[triplemultiplex]

I've often suggested extending WI 175 southward to replace US 41 on the streets to WisDOT.  Maybe it can be extended all the way down Miller Park Way and 43rd St back to I(41)/43/894 at Loomis Rd.

43rd Street ain't good enough for a state highway south of Lincoln Ave.  There's that seriously dilapidated railroad overpass that looks like it's liable to collapse under the weight of the next train.  Lot of exposed rebar and even stalactites dangling from that sucka!  Besides, the only non-freeway state highway in Milwaukee anyone refers to by number is "Highway A-hunnerd" so it'd be kind of superfluous.

Then again I have to wonder whether IL wanted I-41 to cross into their state just to aid them on the '2dis in the state' competition...

Heh.  That's funny because in reality, Illinois didn't want anything to do with our new interstate.

[Big John]

2013 construction schedule announced:  http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/about-the-project/2013-construction-schedule

[Molandfreak]

2013 construction schedule announced:  http://www.us41wisconsin.gov/overview/about-the-project/2013-construction-schedule

If they're also doing these upgrades north of I-43, why don't they just push for I-41 all the way to Abrams?