US-41 Interstate Conversion

[mgk920]

How many miles of signage have I-41 shields? Right now the most I can see are in Milwaukee County.

From what I am aware of, its entire mainline has had its reassurance signs changed.

Mike

[Mrt90]

Nothing on the Illinois side of the border yet.

[mikeov1985]

How many miles of signage have I-41 shields? Right now the most I can see are in Milwaukee County.

From what I am aware of, its entire mainline has had its reassurance signs changed.

Mike

There are a few reassurance signs in the Appleton area that have not yet been updated.  I expect those will be updated as the construction finishes.

[mgk920]

How many miles of signage have I-41 shields? Right now the most I can see are in Milwaukee County.

From what I am aware of, its entire mainline has had its reassurance signs changed.

Mike

There are a few reassurance signs in the Appleton area that have not yet been updated.  I expect those will be updated as the construction finishes.

Well, the obvious exception of the Appleton and Green Bay area construction zones.

Mike

[oscar]

Quick and urgent question: About when was US 41 converted to freeway between Appleton and I-43 in Green Bay?  I'll be there tomorrow, and need to decide how much of US 41 I need to travel to count I-41 as clinched (by my rules). I have traveled US 41 between WI 441 and I-43, but don't remember whether it was freeway back whenever I traveled it (probably some time after 2000). I should've consulted my old road atlases, but forgot to do so before I left home this morning.

If need be, I'll take US 41 all the way up to I-43, but that would add about an hour to my trip. I know I'm missing big chunks of US 41 around Appleton and points south, so I'm going at least that far no matter what.

[peterj920]

Quick and urgent question: About when was US 41 converted to freeway between Appleton and I-43 in Green Bay?  I'll be there tomorrow, and need to decide how much of US 41 I need to travel to count I-41 as clinched (by my rules). I have traveled US 41 between WI 441 and I-43, but don't remember whether it was freeway back whenever I traveled it (probably some time after 2000). I should've consulted my old road atlases, but forgot to do so before I left home this morning.

If need be, I'll take US 41 all the way up to I-43, but that would add about an hour to my trip. I know I'm missing big chunks of US 41 around Appleton and points south, so I'm going at least that far no matter what.

The first reassurance sign on I-41 is the exit after I-43, which is Hwy M/Lineville Rd.  The I-41 North/I-43 South ramp is closed due to construction, but I think the designation is ending at Lineville Rd because that is where the expansion project ends and that interchange leads to the fastest growing area in the Green Bay Metro Area.  There's no End signs yet, they are probably waiting for the construction to end before posting.

[Big John]

oscar, the last segment of US 41 between Appleton and Green Bay between County J and County F was converted to freeway in 2000.

[peterj920]

Yesterday, I went to the Brewer game and I-43 was congested around North Ave, so I decided to exit onto North Ave and take the Stadium Freeway down.  Most of the US 41 signs are still posted, but there are a couple of random WIS 175 signs, in no particular order.  Also, the Alternate I-41 signs on I-43 are still covered.  Looks like the sign crews aren't in a hurry to change the old US 41 signs over so US 41 might be signed on 2 different routes for a while.

[mgk920]

Quick and urgent question: About when was US 41 converted to freeway between Appleton and I-43 in Green Bay?  I'll be there tomorrow, and need to decide how much of US 41 I need to travel to count I-41 as clinched (by my rules). I have traveled US 41 between WI 441 and I-43, but don't remember whether it was freeway back whenever I traveled it (probably some time after 2000). I should've consulted my old road atlases, but forgot to do so before I left home this morning.

If need be, I'll take US 41 all the way up to I-43, but that would add about an hour to my trip. I know I'm missing big chunks of US 41 around Appleton and points south, so I'm going at least that far no matter what.

Wanna meet up somewhere for an impromptu mini-meet?  I don't have to be in to work until 1630.

BTW, yes, the last crossroad on what is now I-41 was severed in 2000.  The one last severed south of Oshkosh was in about 1997.

Mike

[oscar]

Quick and urgent question: About when was US 41 converted to freeway between Appleton and I-43 in Green Bay?  I'll be there tomorrow, and need to decide how much of US 41 I need to travel to count I-41 as clinched (by my rules). I have traveled US 41 between WI 441 and I-43, but don't remember whether it was freeway back whenever I traveled it (probably some time after 2000). I should've consulted my old road atlases, but forgot to do so before I left home this morning.

If need be, I'll take US 41 all the way up to I-43, but that would add about an hour to my trip. I know I'm missing big chunks of US 41 around Appleton and points south, so I'm going at least that far no matter what.

Wanna meet up somewhere for an impromptu mini-meet?  I don't have to be in to work until 1630.

BTW, yes, the last crossroad on what is now I-41 was severed in 2000.  The one last severed south of Oshkosh was in about 1997.

Thanks, but no thanks, on the mini-meet idea -- I'm shooting across Wisconsin today, and won't have any time to relax until I reach Saskatchewan next week.

But thanks to you, and Big John. on confirming that for my purposes I need not go far north of Appleton. Checking my notes, I covered US 41 from there to Green Bay (and beyond) in 2007, after it became a freeway, which for me counts as a "clinch in advance" of that part of I-41.

[peterj920]

Quick and urgent question: About when was US 41 converted to freeway between Appleton and I-43 in Green Bay?  I'll be there tomorrow, and need to decide how much of US 41 I need to travel to count I-41 as clinched (by my rules). I have traveled US 41 between WI 441 and I-43, but don't remember whether it was freeway back whenever I traveled it (probably some time after 2000). I should've consulted my old road atlases, but forgot to do so before I left home this morning.

If need be, I'll take US 41 all the way up to I-43, but that would add about an hour to my trip. I know I'm missing big chunks of US 41 around Appleton and points south, so I'm going at least that far no matter what.

Wanna meet up somewhere for an impromptu mini-meet?  I don't have to be in to work until 1630.

BTW, yes, the last crossroad on what is now I-41 was severed in 2000.  The one last severed south of Oshkosh was in about 1997.

Thanks, but no thanks, on the mini-meet idea -- I'm shooting across Wisconsin today, and won't have any time to relax until I reach Saskatchewan next week.

But thanks to you, and Big John. on confirming that for my purposes I need not go far north of Appleton. Checking my notes, I covered US 41 from there to Green Bay (and beyond) in 2007, after it became a freeway, which for me counts as a "clinch in advance" of that part of I-41.

If you drive on I-41 now in Green Bay, it looks dramatically different than it did on 2007.  There's a new directional T interchange at Wis 29 and the I-43 interchange is also under construction and being built as that type of interchange also.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[oscar]

If you drive on I-41 now in Green Bay, it looks dramatically different than it did on 2007.  There's a new directional T interchange at Wis 29 and the I-43 interchange is also under construction and being built as that type of interchange also.

I decided to stop short of Green Bay today (I'm now heading into Minnesota), but that kind of improvement still leaves me clinching I-41. I can get fussy at times, but not that fussy!

One major observation from my tour today:  US 41 signage in Milwaukee is confusing, though I assume it will soon be updated. Heading north from Illinois, the signs tell you US 41 follows I-94 passing downtown Milwaukee, then WI 175 (much of it non-freeway) to US 45.  Heading south on US 45, most but not all the signage tells you US 41 follows US 45 to I-894, then continuing on I-894 to I-94. The US 41 signage on the latter routing is new and often paired with I-41 signs, so I assume that is the new routing,

[SSOWorld]

If you drive on I-41 now in Green Bay, it looks dramatically different than it did on 2007.  There's a new directional T interchange at Wis 29 and the I-43 interchange is also under construction and being built as that type of interchange also.

I decided to stop short of Green Bay today (I'm now heading into Minnesota), but that kind of improvement still leaves me clinching I-41. I can get fussy at times, but not that fussy!

One major observation from my tour today:  US 41 signage in Milwaukee is confusing, though I assume it will soon be updated. Heading north from Illinois, the signs tell you US 41 follows I-94 passing downtown Milwaukee, then WI 175 (much of it non-freeway) to US 45.  Heading south on US 45, most but not all the signage tells you US 41 follows US 45 to I-894, then continuing on I-894 to I-94. The US 41 signage on the latter routing is new and often paired with I-41 signs, so I assume that is the new routing,

Correct.  Also a lot of signing has been skipped due to construction (the Zoo interchange for example has a covered I-41 on a BGS approaching it southbound on said route)

[mgk920]

If you drive on I-41 now in Green Bay, it looks dramatically different than it did on 2007.  There's a new directional T interchange at Wis 29 and the I-43 interchange is also under construction and being built as that type of interchange also.

I decided to stop short of Green Bay today (I'm now heading into Minnesota), but that kind of improvement still leaves me clinching I-41. I can get fussy at times, but not that fussy!

One major observation from my tour today:  US 41 signage in Milwaukee is confusing, though I assume it will soon be updated. Heading north from Illinois, the signs tell you US 41 follows I-94 passing downtown Milwaukee, then WI 175 (much of it non-freeway) to US 45.  Heading south on US 45, most but not all the signage tells you US 41 follows US 45 to I-894, then continuing on I-894 to I-94. The US 41 signage on the latter routing is new and often paired with I-41 signs, so I assume that is the new routing,

Did you take I-41/US 45/US 10 continuation?  That part of US 10 is one of my favorite drives in the state.

And yes, US 41 is being moved off of the I-94 routing through downtown to be paired with I-41 through the metro area.

Mike

[FightingIrish]

I think they're doing the signing in phases. First is the right shoulder reassurance signs, which are now along the entire route. Next, in whatever order deemed fitting, is center median signage along the route, signage on intersecting routes, construction detour routes, and whatever else. This must be how they're phasing in the route changes.

[hobsini2]

I drove on I-94 and 894 last night from Chicago. The first I-41/I-94/US 41 signs I saw was right at Wis 165. They did have the US 41 plaques replaced with I-41 plaques on the BGS at Wis 50. The reassurance signs were all done after each exit from Wis 165 to Rawson Ave. No signage as of yet on the exit ramps to 894. Only a couple of I-41/I-43/I-894/US 41 reassurance markers on 894. US 45 north of Watertown Plank Rd though did have I-41/US 41/US 45 after each exit up to where I got off at Silver Spring.

[Revive 755]

Still no I-41 signs in Illinois as of today on US 41 or mainline I-94.  In Wisconsin, at least at WI 165 and WI 50 it appears all the I-41 signs have been placed, including some of the alternate route and trailblazing signs.  I wonder if IDOT is making Wisconsin hold off on the signing until the construction on US 41 that starts at the I-94 merge is completed?

[FightingIrish]

Still no I-41 signs in Illinois as of today on US 41 or mainline I-94.  In Wisconsin, at least at WI 165 and WI 50 it appears all the I-41 signs have been placed, including some of the alternate route and trailblazing signs.  I wonder if IDOT is making Wisconsin hold off on the signing until the construction on US 41 that starts at the I-94 merge is completed?

It seems as if WisDOT is signing in stages. So far, most of the signing has been reassurance sheild assemblies along the shoulders. Eventually, BGS assemblies, intersections and whatever else will be changed.

In a semi-related note, it appears that most of the reassurance signs of old US 41 in Milwaukee (Appleton/Lisbon/Stadium) have been switched over to WIS 175. An overhead BGS northbound on Lisbon Ave before the beginning of Appleton Ave is now sans-US 41 shield. Intersecting streets still show US 41 on approaches.

[Mrt90]

Still no I-41 signs in Illinois as of today on US 41 or mainline I-94.  In Wisconsin, at least at WI 165 and WI 50 it appears all the I-41 signs have been placed, including some of the alternate route and trailblazing signs.  I wonder if IDOT is making Wisconsin hold off on the signing until the construction on US 41 that starts at the I-94 merge is completed?

The Illinois signs are the ones I've been looking forward to most, but I have been disappointed daily since the I41 signs began going up everywhere else.  I really want to see how they handle the start/end of US41/I41.  They turned that whole 41/94/Russell Road area into a big mess going north, so this may just add to the confusion.

[Lyon Wonder]

IMO, WIS-175 should be extended along WIS-341 too with it's terminus at WIS-59 since the removal of US 41 and extension of WIS-175 makes WIS-341 pointless.

[peterj920]

IMO, WIS-175 should be extended along WIS-341 too with it's terminus at WIS-59 since the removal of US 41 and extension of WIS-175 makes WIS-341 pointless.

According to DOT documents, they plan on changing Miller Park Way from Wis 341 to Wis 175. 

[GeekJedi]

According to DOT documents, they plan on changing Miller Park Way from Wis 341 to Wis 175. 

Sweet! The first set of plans showed 341 staying put. Glad that common sense prevailed (just like the last minute change to the 70MPH zones).

[peterj920]

According to the plans, there are supposed to be markers placed on Wis 59 at the southern terminus and it looks like on I-94 the signage will remain Miller Park Way, so it will be sparely marked.  On another note, I see that someone is disappointed with the signage at the southern terminus of I-41.  On the northern end, the only sign at that end is a long reassurance sign with I-41/US 41/US 141/L.M.Circle Tour after the Lineville Rd interchange.  There is supposed to be an overhead sign that says "Begin I-41", but as of now it is just a blank green sign.  I submitted pictures to interstate-guide and the pictures are posted if anyone wants to see what the northern terminus looks like now. 

[dalemidex]

Has anyone noticed that (at least several of) the southbound signs on 41 telling how many miles to the next cities have Milwaukee covered?  For example as you head south from Lomira it used to say  "Allenton  8" on the first line and then "Milwaukee 36" on the second line.  Now the Milwaukee line is covered up.  Sign after sign is this way.   (Note that I'm not positive that particular sign was 36 to Milwaukee, but you get the point.)  This is found on sign after sign.

If I'm not mistaken the standard in Wisconsin is to measure mileage from the center of the city, not the moment you hit the outer edge of city limits.  It's true that the new I-41 routing (following the 894 bypass) no longer passes through the downtown Marquette Interchange.  However it still seems like a poor decision.

(a) I-41 still passes through Milwaukee.  Between the initial stretch on the northwest side, the area which includes the Zoo Interchange, and the miles around the Mitchell Interchange and the airport, I-41 runs for close to ten miles within the Milwaukee civil boundaries.

(b) Prior to US-41 being routed with 94 from the Stadium Interchange east, the highway never came within 2 miles of "downtown".  So those signs on US-41 saying how many miles to Milwaukee were either not measured to downtown Milwaukee, or were referring to a distance to downtown Milwaukee which required leaving US-41.

(c) Many interstates don't pass close to the core of the city, yet there's no issue listing the number of miles to that city.

Anybody  else notice this, or know if they've boarded over Milwaukee mileage on the entire southbound stretch?  I just don't see why this is a good idea.

[SSOWorld]

Quite a few years that has been true, Explain it I can't, Agree with you I do.