The Future of US 12 in Wisconsin

[Revive 755]

There's a general lack of expressway/freeway connectivity between the communities south of Milwaukee along I-94 and communities along I-39/90.

And that's ok. Existing highways are sufficient. Not every corner of every area needs freeway/expressway grade highways.

It's not okay.  An area the size of Chicagoland, plus the decent sized cities of Kenosha and Racine should have more access.  Having only I-90 and I-94 coming in from the north and northwest is insufficient.  There should be another option into the southeastern part of the state that avoids Milwaukee.

Additionally, US 14 between I-43 and Janesville is an unpleasant overloaded road on and is unlikely to have a good safety record.  It certainly could use a good evaluation for conversion to an expressway.

Lake County IL is heavily populated and survives suffers without an E/W freeway.

FTFY.  East-west travel across Lake County, IL is rather unpleasant and much more time consuming than it should be with way too many stoplights, railroad crossings, and/or slow crawls through business districts.

[JREwing78]

There's a general lack of expressway/freeway connectivity between the communities south of Milwaukee along I-94 and communities along I-39/90.

And that's ok. Existing highways are sufficient. Not every corner of every area needs freeway/expressway grade highways.

It's not okay.  An area the size of Chicagoland, plus the decent sized cities of Kenosha and Racine should have more access.  Having only I-90 and I-94 coming in from the north and northwest is insufficient.  There should be another option into the southeastern part of the state that avoids Milwaukee.

Additionally, US 14 between I-43 and Janesville is an unpleasant overloaded road on and is unlikely to have a good safety record.  It certainly could use a good evaluation for conversion to an expressway.

A 4-laned US-14 east of Janesville would solve most of the problem. Besides serving as a 2nd expressway/freeway link to Milwaukee, it would address the existing heavy traffic on this stretch. The intersection with Hwy 140 has had several significant wrecks over the years, and the vast majority of the traffic at the Hwy 11 and Hwy 89 intersection is traffic following US-14.

[SEWIGuy]

If one wants to go to Milwaukee from Janesville, WI-26 to I-94 is more than sufficient.

I thought that WISDOT looked at US-14 a few years ago and decided against any expansion.  Am I wrong about that?

[GeekJedi]

I drive US-12 from near Elkhorn to Fort Atkinson several times a week. There is no way that it needs to be four-laned. Put in a couple of truck passing lanes and call it a day. Traffic flows pretty smoothly and there isn't a ton of traffic. I would consider putting in roundabouts at ES, A, and WI-20 though. Those intersections can be dangerous due to bad sight lines and geometry.

[thspfc]

The relationship between US-12 and US-14 is interesting, as US-14 shoulders Chicagoland-Madison traffic as well, though mostly to and from McHenry and Kane counties, as opposed to Lake and Cook for US-12. Over the next few years I would expect US-14's traffic volumes between Woodstock and Janesville to not grow as much as they have in the past, as the orange barrels slowly recede from the never-ending work zone on I-39/90 south of Madison.

[hobsini2]

There's a general lack of expressway/freeway connectivity between the communities south of Milwaukee along I-94 and communities along I-39/90.

And that's ok. Existing highways are sufficient. Not every corner of every area needs freeway/expressway grade highways. Lake County IL is heavily populated and survives without an E/W freeway.

WisDOT is going to have a lot of expense maintaining all the new freeway/expressway grade highways built in the last three decades. They need to focus on rebuilding and improving their interstates before anything.

Survives is the key word. Lake County IL desperately needs a true east-west expressway between US 12 and I-94 at the very least. That's a big reason why the IL 120 corridor was being looked at as that type of candidate.

[US 12 fan]

It looks like there the intersection of Hwy 12 and 188 is going to get taken care of in 2026. I understand why but is there a good option among the suggestions? I don't think a U-Turn would work. A J-Turn might but it's too close to the Hwy 78 intersection. Realistically it's probably going to be the roundabout or traffic lights.

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/us12-wis188intersection/default.aspx

[SEWIGuy]

Yeah my guess is that they are going to want to slow traffic down there so a circle or lights make the most sense.

[The Ghostbuster]

I'd go for the roundabout alternative. I think the STH-188 intersection is too close to the STH-78 intersection (which is signaled) for traffic signals to 188. Although this isn't being proposed, maybe the 12/78 intersection should also be converted to a roundabout. I still hope that someday, a Sauk City bypass is constructed to supplement the west side one that was completed in the 1940's.

[triplemultiplex]

I guess I'll take a roundybout on US 12 over another goddamn traffic light.  Especially at WI 188 where you're supposed to start slowing down anyway.

A bypass of Sauk City is a tough sell at this point.  It's going to be very expensive with a new river crossing and tons of right of way.  It is a situation where we could save a lot of dollars in the future if a preferred alternative was identified now so a corridor can be preserved ahead of inevitable development.  Sauk City/Prairie du Sac are situated at a convenient distance from a growing part of of metro Madison while laying outside of Dane County where I'm sure folks will take advantage of different rules to sprawl the shit out of that area in the next decade.  So the sooner one can preserve r/w for a future bypass, the better.  Even if actual construction doesn't start until the 2030's.

[US 12 fan]

Yeah, I think there should be a roundabout there and at Highway 78 South to clean up any potential traffic jams at those areas if they are not going to do a Sauk City bypass. They should also do something at the County Y intersection because the way that's designed. I know there had been some talk about making it an overpass or underpass at that intersection. 

[US 12 fan]

It looks like they are finally starting work on resurfacing the US 12 freeway and making structure rehabilitation at bridges and culverts on it. That road has to be one of the worst driving surfaces among major highways in the state.

https://projects.511wi.gov/12walworth/full-project-overview/

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe the stubs at the two terminuses of the US 12 freeway should be converted into roundabouts, since it looks like no new roadway will ever be built on either end.

[SEWIGuy]

The relationship between US-12 and US-14 is interesting, as US-14 shoulders Chicagoland-Madison traffic as well, though mostly to and from McHenry and Kane counties, as opposed to Lake and Cook for US-12. Over the next few years I would expect US-14's traffic volumes between Woodstock and Janesville to not grow as much as they have in the past, as the orange barrels slowly recede from the never-ending work zone on I-39/90 south of Madison.

Really neither highway carries much Madison to Chicago traffic unless people are just looking for an alternative.  US-12 more than US-14.  But both mostly carry local or regional traffic.

[US 12 fan]

Apparently there is going to be a meeting for this study:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/sw/madisonbeltline/default.aspx

[The Ghostbuster]

Well, it has been 7 years since the last PIMs on the Beltline study. Hopefully, we will get some good updates. The PEL study still won't be complete until next year, though.

[US 12 fan]

I did not notice this story until I was randomly googling things. The story is a few months old but if this is going to happen, do not expect a Sauk City bypass to happen because the preferred route for it was mapped out at the former rail bridge.

https://www.wkow.com/news/dane-sauk-counties-announce-plan-for-great-sauk-state-trail-bridge-over-wisconsin-river/article_c8215a9a-2c61-11ec-9870-03642ad3480d.html

[triplemultiplex]

I did not notice this story until I was randomly googling things. The story is a few months old but if this is going to happen, do not expect a Sauk City bypass to happen because the preferred route for it was mapped out at the former rail bridge.

https://www.wkow.com/news/dane-sauk-counties-announce-plan-for-great-sauk-state-trail-bridge-over-wisconsin-river/article_c8215a9a-2c61-11ec-9870-03642ad3480d.html

Interesting potential complication.  Though I doubt construction is imminent.  It says Dane County set aside $4 million for this bridge and I can say for sure it's gonna cost a helluva lot more than that to span the lower Wisconsin, even if they're somehow able to salvage the remaining pieces of railroad bridge.

Best case scenario is if they can roll that bike trail into a bypass project so it shares the bridge with US 12, much like the new Stillwater Bridge.  That would end up being far more economical than spending a couple dozen million dollars for a dedicated bike bridge.

Though that old preferred alternative from Sauk City's planning entity doesn't necessarily preclude there being a bike/ped bridge on the old railroad grade.  The future bypass could quite easily bridge over the bike path, especially if they can't salvage the remaining truss spans over the east channel of the river.  It's a bike trail after all, you only need like 10 feet of overhead clearance.

In the interim, there's already a nice, wide bike/ped facility on the existing US 12 bridge.  The goal here really should be turning that old RR line between Sauk City and Mazomanie into a bike trail and connecting that to the existing crossing.  That connection could probably be made for $4 million.

Recently, they finished turning the rail line through the old Ammo Plant into a bike trail and that's already connected through the Sauks.  They are getting deliciously close to a dedicated bike facility between Madison and Devil's Lake even without a separate Wisconsin River bridge.  Dane County has a more important gap between Springfield and CTH Y in that trail along US 12.  They could easily fill that gap for the same price as a Wisconsin River bridge, which they don't exactly need because the existing US 12 bridge has got you covered.

[thspfc]

Recently, they finished turning the rail line through the old Ammo Plant into a bike trail and that's already connected through the Sauks.  They are getting deliciously close to a dedicated bike facility between Madison and Devil's Lake even without a separate Wisconsin River bridge.  Dane County has a more important gap between Springfield and CTH Y in that trail along US 12.  They could easily fill that gap for the same price as a Wisconsin River bridge, which they don't exactly need because the existing US 12 bridge has got you covered.

If those gaps are filled, it would mean you could bike from Madison to La Crosse with the only road stretch being between Baraboo and Reedsburg.

[The Ghostbuster]

While unlikely anytime soon, I suspect a US 12 Sauk City Bypass could still be constructed someday. I'd also like to see a bypass of Fort Atkinson (along the alignment they were planning before the study was suspended in 2012), as well as the Whitewater Bypass being expanded into a 4-lane freeway. Finally, the long-proposed US 12 realignment between Whitewater and Elkhorn should ultimately be constructed, even if it is only built as a two-lane highway with at-grade intersections.

[GeekJedi]

While unlikely anytime soon, I suspect a US 12 Sauk City Bypass could still be constructed someday. I'd also like to see a bypass of Fort Atkinson (along the alignment they were planning before the study was suspended in 2012), as well as the Whitewater Bypass being expanded into a 4-lane freeway. Finally, the long-proposed US 12 realignment between Whitewater and Elkhorn should ultimately be constructed, even if it is only built as a two-lane highway with at-grade intersections.

I just don't see the need for any changes to US-12 east of Madison. There just isn't a whole lot of traffic on the route. I travel regularly to Fort from both Mukwonago (via CTH J) and Elkhorn, and very rarely has there been a ton of traffic. The upgrades to I-90 have made it a good alternative to US-12.

[SEWIGuy]

While unlikely anytime soon, I suspect a US 12 Sauk City Bypass could still be constructed someday. I'd also like to see a bypass of Fort Atkinson (along the alignment they were planning before the study was suspended in 2012), as well as the Whitewater Bypass being expanded into a 4-lane freeway. Finally, the long-proposed US 12 realignment between Whitewater and Elkhorn should ultimately be constructed, even if it is only built as a two-lane highway with at-grade intersections.

I just don't see the need for any changes to US-12 east of Madison. There just isn't a whole lot of traffic on the route. I travel regularly to Fort from both Mukwonago (via CTH J) and Elkhorn, and very rarely has there been a ton of traffic. The upgrades to I-90 have made it a good alternative to US-12.

Right. There was a big push for the Whitewater to Elkhorn corner cut a decade ago and it didn't really go anywhere. The Fort Atkinson bypass is dead and I believe the preferred alternative hasn't even been officially mapped. It's mostly local or regional traffic anyway.

The only changes I see is further development east from the County N interchange between Madison and Cambridge.

[US 12 fan]

The only changes I see is further development east from the County N interchange between Madison and Cambridge.
[/quote]

Realistically, that would probably be up to Highway 73 as far as development. Not necessarily a freeway but maybe four lanes. Considering they're going to start work on the County AB intersection this fall, I have to believe they are thinking about it.

[US 12 fan]

It looks like the US 12/18 and County AB project is going to start the day after Labor Day. This is a project that is needed although I am not a big fan of the design.

https://projects.511wi.gov/us1218-countyab/

[triplemultiplex]

I thought they were still going with that goofy offset location for a diamond interchange; like the plan was to connect it to future arterial streets going each way or something.  This makes it seem like they're going with a diamond at the location of the existing intersection.  Which is good.
But wish they had a more official map rather than this OSM baloney I currently see on the project site.