US-41 Interstate Conversion

[SSOWorld]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

I think WisDOT handled the widing of the road into Illinois where ISHTA takes over as well.

It appears as if the widening to the border was carried out by ISTHA.  Their style of signage and mileposts are all over the place.

Well I knew that IDiOT didn't do it that's for sure

[GeekJedi]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

That was me. More info here:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=4899.msg2054510#msg2054510

[mvak36]

Speaking of that signing contract, when do they announce who won the bids for the two projects? Just curious.

[Henry]

The ball is in IDOT's court now, in terms of stretching 41 down into Chicagoland. And with a "desire to have the most interstates", or whatever it is, you'd *think* they'd actually do it, especially since they refused to extend us (Wisconsin) the olive branch that would have been I-55. Could be doable, from a sheer Google Maps Aerial View standpoint...I don't care how they do it, but they could if they wanted to (provided the funding were there). I kinda have to laugh at how IDOT wouldn't give us I-55, yet we gave them .9 miles of I-41...I don't know whether to take that as an in-your-face to IDOT, or as a peace offering of sorts...or what...

I'd actually like to know the logic behind IDOT's refusal to accommodate 55, yet acceptance of 41 "dipping its wick", as it were, in the precious Land of Lincoln...Like, was it strictly because of that "number of interstates" thing (tongue in cheek thinking "who's got the bigger..."), or something else. Something like maybe the following:

WisDOT - extend 55 up 94 and allow it to terminate in Green Bay, er no?
IDOT - NO. (wish i had a pic of that meme)
WisDOT - Fine then. We'll do our own thing... Rest of Wisconsin, take your pick, 47, 41, 643 or 594??
Rest of WI - Are you freakin kidding me?? 41 is 41, whether you have a different number on it. And we don't need any more Intrastates...41 or nothing.
WisDOT to IDOT - OK OK How about this? How's about we call it 41, break the grid, and the rules about numbering the same number as a state, AND give you a sliver of an interstate you can call your very own (Wisconsin's version maybe of Oceanfront Property in Arizona)
IDOT - You know you cheeseheads never quit!! Fine, get them off our back and sign 9 tenths of a mile in IL as this ridiculous 41 multiplex they want so bad...who knows, maybe we'll use it in the future....or maybe...IDEA...WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER INTERSTATE TO ADD TO THE LIST! All right WisDOT, you got your wish. Now it shall truly be an INTERstate.
(AFTER THE CALL...) Maybe now they'll shut up about that Chicago to Madison connection...

Perhaps I've had too much coffee today, I apologize for my dry sense of humor.

No, that was a very good laugh! Maybe this will open the door to extending I-41 deeper into Chicagoland, along either I-294 or the Dan Ryan, but we'll see. For now, though, it's not a bad compromise, seeing that WI wouldn't want another Intrastate to complement I-43, and hasn't IL had enough Interstates already?

[Milwaukee, WY]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

I think WisDOT handled the widing of the road into Illinois where ISHTA takes over as well.

It appears as if the widening to the border was carried out by ISTHA.  Their style of signage and mileposts are all over the place.

Well I knew that IDiOT didn't do it that's for sure

Well, WisDOT did pay for the widening. They simply used the ISTHA standards for the signage, lane markings and bridgework.

[Brandon]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

I think WisDOT handled the widing of the road into Illinois where ISHTA takes over as well.

It appears as if the widening to the border was carried out by ISTHA.  Their style of signage and mileposts are all over the place.

Well I knew that IDiOT didn't do it that's for sure

Well, WisDOT did pay for the widening. They simply used the ISTHA standards for the signage, lane markings and bridgework.

I'm not so sure about that.  ISTHA was widening the Tri-State Tollway at the same time, and just prior to WisDOT widening their most southerly section of I-94.  I-90 between the state line and Exit 3 (Rockton Road) is similar.

[SSOWorld]

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9102515,-88.8190139,9z

Google Maps has I-41, though not marked correctly (only between the "Park Place" interchange and I-43 in GB) and US-41 is not marked correctly in Mil-town or along I-94.

MapQuest Open has it all marked correctly.

Raw OSM isn't caught up yet.

[Milwaukee, WY]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

I think WisDOT handled the widing of the road into Illinois where ISHTA takes over as well.

It appears as if the widening to the border was carried out by ISTHA.  Their style of signage and mileposts are all over the place.

Well I knew that IDiOT didn't do it that's for sure

Well, WisDOT did pay for the widening. They simply used the ISTHA standards for the signage, lane markings and bridgework.

I'm not so sure about that.  ISTHA was widening the Tri-State Tollway at the same time, and just prior to WisDOT widening their most southerly section of I-94.  I-90 between the state line and Exit 3 (Rockton Road) is similar.

Okay. I stand corrected. The reconstruction within Illinois between Russell Road and the state line was actually done by IDOT. It was included as part of the widening project in Wisconsin though, and it was done in coordination with WisDOT.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/road_to_reconstruction_463121817.html

Interesting, though, as the standards that were used are clearly ISTHA (lane markings are the giveaway)...

[vtk]

MapQuest Open has it all marked correctly.

Raw OSM isn't caught up yet.

Raw OSM certainly is caught up, or MQ Open wouldn't have it; the latter is derived from the former.  I think you meant to say that the rendering for zoom levels up to 12 on openstreetmap.org is not yet caught up.

[ChiMilNet]

Someone mentioned at the Madison meet this past weekend that WisDOT included the Illinois section of I-41 in their signing plans. The commenter said that IDOT is getting I-41 whether they wanted it or not because WisDOT is paying to sign it in Illinois.

I think WisDOT handled the widing of the road into Illinois where ISHTA takes over as well.

It appears as if the widening to the border was carried out by ISTHA.  Their style of signage and mileposts are all over the place.

Well I knew that IDiOT didn't do it that's for sure

Well, WisDOT did pay for the widening. They simply used the ISTHA standards for the signage, lane markings and bridgework.

I'm not so sure about that.  ISTHA was widening the Tri-State Tollway at the same time, and just prior to WisDOT widening their most southerly section of I-94.  I-90 between the state line and Exit 3 (Rockton Road) is similar.

Okay. I stand corrected. The reconstruction within Illinois between Russell Road and the state line was actually done by IDOT. It was included as part of the widening project in Wisconsin though, and it was done in coordination with WisDOT.

http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/road_to_reconstruction_463121817.html

Interesting, though, as the standards that were used are clearly ISTHA (lane markings are the giveaway)...

One dead giveaway, though, that it is IDOT and not ISTHA is the lighting (i.e. use of davit style poles, which only IDOT uses). That is clearly an IDOT standard. The lane markings have a hint of ISTHA to them, but they are clearly done with IDOT standards, (i.e. the width of the stripes and placement of the reflectors), and not to mention the use of concrete on the shoulders (ISTHA almost always uses asphalt shoulders).

[roadman65]

Is I-894 going to remain?  I assume that I-41 will be concurrent with it all, being it cannot be on the surface streets that US 41 uses south of its concurrency with US 45 and north of its split with I-94.

I

[Big John]

Is I-894 going to remain?  I assume that I-41 will be concurrent with it all, being it cannot be on the surface streets that US 41 uses south of its concurrency with US 45 and north of its split with I-94.

I

Yes, I-894 will remain even though all of it is concurrent with I-41.

[roadman65]

That means a second three way for the state.  First I-39, I-90, and I-94 and now a I-41, I-43, and I-894 with one route being totally concurrent, and the other two wrong way.

Interesting, scenario this creates not to mention two meetings of 2 two digits in one city other than I-10 and I-17 in Phoenix.

[The Ghostbuster]

Wisconsin is now the only state with three Interstates co-designated with one another. Interstates 55/64/70 used to be co-designated before Interstate 70 was rerouted.

[FightingIrish]

Per the Zoo Interchange Facebook page, I-41 signing will begin in June.

Oh, and the Bluemound Rd (US 18 ) bridge over the Zoo Freeway is now open. Wisconsin Ave, just to the north, is being closed and ripped up.

[roadman65]

Wisconsin is now the only state with three Interstates co-designated with one another. Interstates 55/64/70 used to be co-designated before Interstate 70 was rerouted.

Until I-69 is officially on the Indy Beltway to complete the gap from Bloomington to Indy.

[hobsini2]

I was just on 41/45 in Milwaukee on Sunday. If you notice, one the construction ahead signs for the Zoo Interchange, you can see an oranged out space over a blue interstate shield. It's coming very very soon boys and girls.

[The Ghostbuster]

The sooner the better. I'm really excited about my state's newest Interstate.

[Henry]

Wisconsin is now the only state with three Interstates co-designated with one another. Interstates 55/64/70 used to be co-designated before Interstate 70 was rerouted.

Until I-69 is officially on the Indy Beltway to complete the gap from Bloomington to Indy.

WI already has that with 39/90/94.

[triplemultiplex]

Over the weekend, I saw the newly rebuilt interchange at WI 144 in Slinger.  That was the last of the super-old pre-freeway interchanges on the corridor, if I'm correct.

Crews were starting in on cable barrier installation in Dodge County.  The lane closure sure was slowing things down SB today.  People need to be told to zipper merge in that situation.

Lastly, it was my first time over the Butte des Morts causeway since it was fully opened.  Probably the first time in over a decade I've been able to sail through there.  Super nice to see that bottleneck gone.

[hobsini2]

Over the weekend, I saw the newly rebuilt interchange at WI 144 in Slinger.  That was the last of the super-old pre-freeway interchanges on the corridor, if I'm correct.

Crews were starting in on cable barrier installation in Dodge County.  The lane closure sure was slowing things down SB today.  People need to be told to zipper merge in that situation.

Lastly, it was my first time over the Butte des Morts causeway since it was fully opened.  Probably the first time in over a decade I've been able to sail through there.  Super nice to see that bottleneck gone.

My only issue with the Butte des Mortes Causeway on 41 is that the side walls are so high that you no longer can see the beautiful waterway below. I'm guessing though that had to be done to get counted toward interstate standards.

[Big John]

WisDOT reveals a I-41 sign. http://fox11online.com/2015/05/28/i-41-signs-revealed/

Hope that prototype typeface is just for that as just looks odd.

[Zeffy]

WisDOT reveals a I-41 sign. http://fox11online.com/2015/05/28/i-41-signs-revealed/

Hope that prototype typeface is just for that as just looks odd.

That looks like Series E or EM numerals when it should be D.

[DaBigE]

I'm curious what number is underneath, as the "41" looks to be a sloppily-cut patch (0:47 into the footage confirms it being a patch).

[FightingIrish]

I think that's just for ceremony. I've seen a few of the covered I-41 signs around the Milwaukee area, and they look normal. They should have just shown one of those, but I doubt there's a single roadgeek in that entire crowd.

The signs should look more like this:

http://www.wisn.com/image/view/-/30241782/medRes/1/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/ac6gyl/-/I-41-highway-jpg.jpg