Wisconsin notes

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The last remaining state-named interstate shield that I was aware of is now gone. It was an I-90 at the WIS 82 interchange. It was replaced sometime in the last two months.

[mgk920]

WisDOT just installed big brown signs with the words "Michael G. Ellis/Memorial/Interchange" in the median of I-41 (one each way) right in front of the ramp stack in the recently rebuilt I-41/US 10/WI 441 interchange between Appleton and Neenah.  Is this the first time that they've actually identified an interchange in that manner?

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

WisDOT just installed big brown signs with the words "Michael G. Ellis/Memorial/Interchange" in the median of I-41 (one each way) right in front of the ramp stack in the recently rebuilt I-41/US 10/WI 441 interchange between Appleton and Neenah.  Is this the first time that they've actually identified an interchange in that manner?

Mike

Yeah I just saw that Friday. I do not recall others signed like this but I think most of the other interchanges are "nicknames"  rather than formal names.

I can't think of a more depressing way to be memorialized though.

[The Ghostbuster]

Who was Michael G. Ellis? Was he a former politician who served the Appleton area?

[SEWIGuy]

Who was Michael G. Ellis? Was he a former politician who served the Appleton area?

https://www.kesslerfh.com/notices/SenatorMichaelG-Ellis

[mgk920]

Who was Michael G. Ellis? Was he a former politician who served the Appleton area?

https://www.kesslerfh.com/notices/SenatorMichaelG-Ellis

Yea, he was a late long-time state Senator from Neenah, his district also included much of Appleton.  He was well known for being a bit of an outspoken curmudgeon at times, too.



BTW, there is also a sign on an overhead gantry on the bridge on the WB approach to that interchange.

Mike

[peterj920]

Mike Ellis fought hard to have Wis 441 built as a freeway. Wis 441 was originally a multi-county project and was supposed to simply be a 4 lane expressway with intersections. The Little Lake Butte Des Mortes Bridge was originally a Winnebago County project and was signed as County Q when opened. 

Ellis lead the charge for the state to takeover the Tri-County project and upgrade the route to freeway.

Can you imagine the traffic issues if Wis 441 was not built as a freeway?

[The Ghostbuster]

The traffic would use US/Interstate 41 and surface streets if WIS 441 did not exist. US 10 might still be on its pre-existing alignment through Appleton, although I'm not sure about whether or not US 10 would be four-lanes all the way west to Stevens Points. It probably would, but the route would likely be closer to old US 10 between Fremont and Appleton.

[peterj920]

The traffic would use US/Interstate 41 and surface streets if WIS 441 did not exist. US 10 might still be on its pre-existing alignment through Appleton, although I'm not sure about whether or not US 10 would be four-lanes all the way west to Stevens Points. It probably would, but the route would likely be closer to old US 10 between Fremont and Appleton.

A 4 lane highway was going to be built along the Wis 441 corridor. It was going to be an expressway with a county road designation. The ROW was purchased in the 3 counties for the project. It's evident with the intersections that were once present with US 41 when the original bridge opened as County Q. I'm asking to imagine a roadway with intersections instead of interchanges.

[SEWIGuy]

The traffic would use US/Interstate 41 and surface streets if WIS 441 did not exist. US 10 might still be on its pre-existing alignment through Appleton, although I'm not sure about whether or not US 10 would be four-lanes all the way west to Stevens Points. It probably would, but the route would likely be closer to old US 10 between Fremont and Appleton.

A 4 lane highway was going to be built along the Wis 441 corridor. It was going to be an expressway with a county road designation. The ROW was purchased in the 3 counties for the project. It's evident with the intersections that were once present with US 41 when the original bridge opened as County Q. I'm asking to imagine a roadway with intersections instead of interchanges.

It would have been a crowded street, but would have largely been fine.  WI-441 isn't *that* busy even during rush hour.  Would have been smarter to use that $$ to expand I-41 instead.  Just another example of how WIDOT has spent too much on alternate corridors instead of increasing the capacity on those where it is needed.

[thspfc]

There's orange barrels on 39/90 northbound through the Badger interchange (WI-30/I-94 east). Is the redesign going to come, at long last?

[mgk920]

The traffic would use US/Interstate 41 and surface streets if WIS 441 did not exist. US 10 might still be on its pre-existing alignment through Appleton, although I'm not sure about whether or not US 10 would be four-lanes all the way west to Stevens Points. It probably would, but the route would likely be closer to old US 10 between Fremont and Appleton.

A 4 lane highway was going to be built along the Wis 441 corridor. It was going to be an expressway with a county road designation. The ROW was purchased in the 3 counties for the project. It's evident with the intersections that were once present with US 41 when the original bridge opened as County Q. I'm asking to imagine a roadway with intersections instead of interchanges.

It would have been a crowded street, but would have largely been fine.  WI-441 isn't *that* busy even during rush hour.  Would have been smarter to use that $$ to expand I-41 instead.  Just another example of how WIDOT has spent too much on alternate corridors instead of increasing the capacity on those where it is needed.

Well, seeing as the Winnebago County part of WI 441 is currently being upgraded to six lanes....

Also, without WI 441, the southeast Appleton area would be far less developed than it is now (that area, including the City of Menasha, was *TOUGH* to get to before WI 441 and that bridge opened!), while the north-south part of the US/I-41 corridor would likely now be eight lanes - that's where all of that SE Appleton area development would have gone.

Mike

[The Ghostbuster]

I doubt it, thspfc. I've heard nothing about reconfigurating the interchange ramps at the Badger Interchange, either now or in the future. If such an improvement were ever proposed, I would strongly support it. I believe the Badger Interchange should be reconfigured to have only right-hand entrance and exit ramps. The ramps could probably remain one lane wide, as there probably isn't enough traffic to warrant two-lane ramps.

[gr8daynegb]

The traffic would use US/Interstate 41 and surface streets if WIS 441 did not exist. US 10 might still be on its pre-existing alignment through Appleton, although I'm not sure about whether or not US 10 would be four-lanes all the way west to Stevens Points. It probably would, but the route would likely be closer to old US 10 between Fremont and Appleton.

A 4 lane highway was going to be built along the Wis 441 corridor. It was going to be an expressway with a county road designation. The ROW was purchased in the 3 counties for the project. It's evident with the intersections that were once present with US 41 when the original bridge opened as County Q. I'm asking to imagine a roadway with intersections instead of interchanges.

It would have been a crowded street, but would have largely been fine.  WI-441 isn't *that* busy even during rush hour.  Would have been smarter to use that $$ to expand I-41 instead.  Just another example of how WIDOT has spent too much on alternate corridors instead of increasing the capacity on those where it is needed.

Well, seeing as the Winnebago County part of WI 441 is currently being upgraded to six lanes....

Also, without WI 441, the southeast Appleton area would be far less developed than it is now (that area, including the City of Menasha, was *TOUGH* to get to before WI 441 and that bridge opened!), while the north-south part of the US/I-41 corridor would likely now be eight lanes - that's where all of that SE Appleton area development would have gone.

Mike

And potential I-441 redesignation talks for highway also support area would be less developed, or that much more a pain to drive through.

[DaBigE]

There's orange barrels on 39/90 northbound through the Badger interchange (WI-30/I-94 east). Is the redesign going to come, at long last?

I HIGHLY doubt it. A big project like that would have had a lot of press. The barrels are likely for some routine maintenance.

[The Ghostbuster]

I just checked the Wisconsin DOT website, and it looks like the Interstate 43 reconstruction project from Silver Spring Drive to STH-60 is back in business. However, the Interstate 94 reconstruction and expansion project is still "on hold." I think the latter should have been the priority.

[SEWIGuy]

I just checked the Wisconsin DOT website, and it looks like the Interstate 43 reconstruction project from Silver Spring Drive to STH-60 is back in business. However, the Interstate 94 reconstruction and expansion project is still "on hold." I think the latter should have been the priority.

I think you are right if judged by simply need.  But I think the former might be easier politically. 

[FightingIrish]

I just checked the Wisconsin DOT website, and it looks like the Interstate 43 reconstruction project from Silver Spring Drive to STH-60 is back in business. However, the Interstate 94 reconstruction and expansion project is still "on hold." I think the latter should have been the priority.

Where does it say that? I checked the 511 site and there's no mention of any of that. Besides, the I-94 project south of Milwaukee is going full steam, and is a very high priority. I see crews working on it every day.

[The Ghostbuster]

Try here for the Interstate 43 project: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/se/43crdr/default.aspx. As for the Interstate 94 project, I was referring to the one in the city between 70th St. and 16th St. along the East-West Freeway, not the ongoing one between the Mitchell Interchange and the Illinois border.

[SEWIGuy]

Try here for the Interstate 43 project: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/se/43crdr/default.aspx.

It's on hold.

[peterj920]

With the new budget Interstate 43 was approved as the only new Majors Project. On the major projects portion. Should be complete by 2024. On the Majors page the project is updated. The rest of the pages are not. See the majors timetable to see for yourself below.

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/projects/6yr-hwy-impr/maj-hwy/majorlist.pdf

[DaBigE]

Automated traffic enforcement coming?

MILWAUKEE – A proposed state bill would let Milwaukee become the first Wisconsin municipality to employ automated traffic enforcement, a controversial measure that is currently illegal in Wisconsin and has found middling results in other American cities that employ it. The bipartisan bill, first read in the Assembly on Aug. 12 and in the state Senate on Sept. 5, would allot the city a trial period of five years to place cameras at signaled intersections and other roadways to automatically enforce speed-limit and red-light violations by sending vehicle owners citations in the mail.

Full Article

[SSOWorld]

Desperate for $$ since you can't raise gas taxes?  First wheel taxes, now this.

[JoePCool14]

As an Illinoisan, I'm very sorry that the dreaded cameras may be migrating north. Especially for speed limit enforcement, that sounds awful.

[DaBigE]

As an Illinoisan, I'm very sorry that the dreaded cameras may be migrating north. Especially for speed limit enforcement, that sounds awful.

Unfortunately, I think WisDOT's hands are kinda tied, especially with projects like the I-94 and I-39 corridors. They either take forever and include breakdown/enforcement lanes as part of the staging or they forgo the extra widths in order to fast-track the staging. The latter means there is no safe place to pull someone over for miles at a time. Speeds are crazy through those construction corridors because A) most drivers are selfish assholes who don't give a damn about anything/one outside of their steel cage, and B) they know the section is nearly impossible to enforce. As much as I don't like the idea of automated enforcement, outside of pace cars and rolling roadblocks, what else can they do to slow people down? Adding extra LEOs only creates a whole new set of PR problems, not to mention the State Patrol cannot legally get any larger.