Wisconsin notes

[Molandfreak]

The Wis 29/County VV Interchange opened in Hobart/Howard today. Next up is removing County U at Wis 29 forcing motorists to use the Wis 32/Wis 156 Interchange to get to Wis 156. Most Wis 156 traffic was using County U/Old 29 as a short cut.

Wis 29 will now be freeway from Birch Rd in Shawano County to I-41. Will the speed limit be raised to 70 mph between the Shawano Co line and County FF where it's currently 70 mph?

Wisconsin of all places has a new freeway?

The way things are going, WI-29 will probably be an I-x41 or I-x94 soon enough.  🤣

'Sconnie doesn't mess around with 3di's.  They haven't tried to add any since 1968.

That doesn't necessarily mean that they *won't* if there's enough public demand for one. Two 3DI options were considered for I-41.

But I don't see there being very much public demand unless the freeway reaches Wausau at some point.

[SEWIGuy]

Hypothetically, they could just make it an extension of I-43. It would be weird, but entirely doable.

[The Ghostbuster]

Google Maps has partially updated this location: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5758865,-88.1693039,823m/data=!3m1!1e3. As for making the STH 29 corridor an Interstate, I say "fugetaboutit"!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Wisconsin of all places has a new freeway?

What's so surprising about this? They've only been building freeways en masse for the last 20+ years.

[thspfc]

I found it interesting that WI-29 between Green Bay and Wausau actually averages significantly less traffic than US-10 between Appleton and Stevens Point. Obviously WI-29 is a more Interstate-worthy corridor because of its connections to Eau Claire and MSP (though neither of them will be Interstates anytime soon, if ever).

[SEWIGuy]

I found it interesting that WI-29 between Green Bay and Wausau actually averages significantly less traffic than US-10 between Appleton and Stevens Point. Obviously WI-29 is a more Interstate-worthy corridor because of its connections to Eau Claire and MSP (though neither of them will be Interstates anytime soon, if ever).

A lot of people from the Milwaukee area use US-41, US-45, US-10 to get to I-39.  It's about 25 miles shorter than I-94 to I-39 from downtown.  Furthermore, if you are going north from the Fox Valley, you are taking that route as well. 

About the only traffic on WI-29, outside of local traffic, is Green Bay to Wausau and beyond...and that's just not a lot.

[Big John]

Wis 29 will now be freeway from Birch Rd in Shawano County to I-41. Will the speed limit be raised to 70 mph between the Shawano Co line and County FF where it's currently 70 mph?

You mean currently 65.

[JREwing78]

It only makes sense to re-designate Hwy 29 as an Interstate if the entire expressway between I-94 and I-41 is upgraded to freeway. There's not a compelling safety reason to do so right now. Give it 20-30 years, and traffic levels may build up high enough to justify a freeway conversion - and at that point it may be worth discussing an Interstate designation. But right now? There's no compelling need.

[SEWIGuy]

Wis 29 will now be freeway from Birch Rd in Shawano County to I-41. Will the speed limit be raised to 70 mph between the Shawano Co line and County FF where it's currently 70 mph?

You mean currently 65.

I'm 99% sure that it's 70 mph between I-41 and FF.

[thspfc]

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5558841,-88.1196411,3a,39.6y,124.48h,91.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEsoILNErHXPV0YLY73zjMw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5644796,-88.1397251,3a,20.6y,300.19h,90.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNMslvKPWXnh-MQdJDpt0rg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It's 65 west of FF and 70 east of FF.

[invincor]

Over on the west end, the speed limit is 65 for the first few eastbound miles off of I-94, then it increases to 70mph about halfway to Chippewa Falls as it enters a stretch where there's no cross-traffic intersections. 

On another topic, what would you all think if Wisconsin added some colors to the state highway shields on 4-lane expressways within the state, just to differentiate them a bit from standard 2-lane highways?   

[Molandfreak]

Over on the west end, the speed limit is 65 for the first few eastbound miles off of I-94, then it increases to 70mph about halfway to Chippewa Falls as it enters a stretch where there's no cross-traffic intersections. 

On another topic, what would you all think if Wisconsin added some colors to the state highway shields on 4-lane expressways within the state, just to differentiate them a bit from standard 2-lane highways?

I've wondered this myself, like I know the FHWA owns the trademark to the interstate shield, but if WisDOT decided to mark WIS 29 with a red, white, and blue shield, would they get sued for it? Texas has a separate shield for state toll roads, for example, even though it's not even close to resembling an Interstate shield. I think WisDOT would have a pretty compelling case, given that if any other state tried to retrofit their shields with red, white, and blue, it would look nothing like an Interstate shield, and the WIS highway shield was designed decades before the Interstate shield was.

[SEWIGuy]

It only makes sense to re-designate Hwy 29 as an Interstate if the entire expressway between I-94 and I-41 is upgraded to freeway. There's not a compelling safety reason to do so right now. Give it 20-30 years, and traffic levels may build up high enough to justify a freeway conversion - and at that point it may be worth discussing an Interstate designation. But right now? There's no compelling need.

20-30 years?  I am saying at least 50.

WIDOT has a lot of work in front of it to upgrade its current interstate corridors.  Wausau and Green Bay are growing, but not to the extent that they are going to need a full e/w interstate connection.

[mgk920]

It only makes sense to re-designate Hwy 29 as an Interstate if the entire expressway between I-94 and I-41 is upgraded to freeway. There's not a compelling safety reason to do so right now. Give it 20-30 years, and traffic levels may build up high enough to justify a freeway conversion - and at that point it may be worth discussing an Interstate designation. But right now? There's no compelling need.

20-30 years?  I am saying at least 50.

WIDOT has a lot of work in front of it to upgrade its current interstate corridors.  Wausau and Green Bay are growing, but not to the extent that they are going to need a full e/w interstate connection.

I'm thinking that US 10 east of I-39 will need work BIG TIME before then, too.  With the NIMBYs having gotten through to the previous effort a few years ago. I can envision the current routing in the city of Stevens Point getting the 'TXDOT' treatment in the next few decades.  The rest of US 10 eastward to I-41 won't be all that difficult to properly upgrade.

Mike

[The Ghostbuster]

There are plenty of existing four-lane highways across the state that are planned to eventually be converted to freeway standards, but the process will undoubtably take decades to plan, fund, design, and construct them.

[dvferyance]

There are plenty of existing four-lane highways across the state that are planned to eventually be converted to freeway standards, but the process will undoubtably take decades to plan, fund, design, and construct them.

Hwy 18/151 from Verona to Dodgeville was one of them like 20 years ago and still to this day next to nothing has been done.

[thspfc]

Over on the west end, the speed limit is 65 for the first few eastbound miles off of I-94, then it increases to 70mph about halfway to Chippewa Falls as it enters a stretch where there's no cross-traffic intersections. 

On another topic, what would you all think if Wisconsin added some colors to the state highway shields on 4-lane expressways within the state, just to differentiate them a bit from standard 2-lane highways?

Not sure how that would work. What routes would get this different shield? What's the distance cutoff? How is "expressway"  defined?

[peterj920]

The last effort WISDOT made to upgrade an expressway to freeway is US 45 (Old 110) between Winchester and Winneconne.

There have been plenty of new interchanges that were/are being built such as US 53/County V by Haugen, US 53/63 north by Trego, US 18/151 and County HHH by Ridgeway, and the Wis 29 County FF and County VV interchanges to name a few.

The biggest priority for a new interchange should be US 12/County K at the end of The Beltline by Middleton. There are a lot of rush hour backups on US 12 at that intersection.

[skluth]

There are plenty of existing four-lane highways across the state that are planned to eventually be converted to freeway standards, but the process will undoubtably take decades to plan, fund, design, and construct them.

Hwy 18/151 from Verona to Dodgeville was wone of them like 20 years ago and still to this day next to nothing has been done.

Other than the obvious need for a non-stop driving experience between Williamsburg Way and getting on/off the Beltline, what absolutely needs to be done. I believe they're currently doing some work around Blue Mounds. All of 2B has been completed in the proposals in the last freeway conversion study I could find; I don't know the timeline for completing the rest. I did drive from Madison to Dubuque in 2016 and thought the expressway was more than adequate once beyond Verona. I saw no reason to rush the freeway conversion beyond what the budget could accommodate, though I would start from Verona and put each segment on a three-year build program (12 years construction in total for all remaining build segments) if I were in charge just to get it done. I'm just not sure it all needs to be done.

[dvferyance]

There are plenty of existing four-lane highways across the state that are planned to eventually be converted to freeway standards, but the process will undoubtably take decades to plan, fund, design, and construct them.

Hwy 18/151 from Verona to Dodgeville was wone of them like 20 years ago and still to this day next to nothing has been done.

Other than the obvious need for a non-stop driving experience between Williamsburg Way and getting on/off the Beltline, what absolutely needs to be done. I believe they're currently doing some work around Blue Mounds. All of 2B has been completed in the proposals in the last freeway conversion study I could find; I don't know the timeline for completing the rest. I did drive from Madison to Dubuque in 2016 and thought the expressway was more than adequate once beyond Verona. I saw no reason to rush the freeway conversion beyond what the budget could accommodate, though I would start from Verona and put each segment on a three-year build program (12 years construction in total for all remaining build segments) if I were in charge just to get it done. I'm just not sure it all needs to be done.

It should be converted to a freeway out to Mt Horeb as that city continues to grow. I would also like to see an interchange built at Hwy F at Blue Mounds. After that any further upgrades can wait. I think an interchange at Blue Mounds was always needed more than the one at Ridgeway which did get built.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Noticed on Friday that Madison has done away with the 45 MPH section of John Nolen Drive on the isthmus and lowered it to 35 in line with the remainder of the route and the section of US 151 it ties into at the north end.

[hobsini2]

Noticed on Friday that Madison has done away with the 45 MPH section of John Nolen Drive on the isthmus and lowered it to 35 in line with the remainder of the route and the section of US 151 it ties into at the north end.

Pity. That was the quickest way Downtown from the Beltline.

[SEWIGuy]

Probably still is. I doubt the traffic has actually slowed that much.

[mgk920]

Remember that despite what the signs say, traffic will usually (always?) move that the speeds at which the drivers collectively feel the most comfortable when the cops are away.  That is, unless the City of Madison P.D. wants to gain a reputation of enforcing 'tollgate' speed traps (complete with all of the 'unPC' trappings that go along with it).

Mike

[gr8daynegb]

Hypothetically, they could just make it an extension of I-43. It would be weird, but entirely doable.

If WI-29 was an interstate between Green Bay and Wausau I'd guess(won't happen) my guess the potential route changed are:
#1- Be a 3di from either I-41 or I-39(like I-139)
#2- If was able to upgrade 29 to interstate standards to I-94 being labeled I-96

I'd be more for extending I-39 east towards Green Bay(this is assuming I-39 doesn't extend northward) to connect with I-41 in Green Bay.  Still would be odd, but not as odd as if I-43 was extended that distance.