Wisconsin notes

[paulthemapguy]

^^You guys bring up a really good point.  Yeah, plenty of people from US12/18 are cutting north on I-39 to reach I-94 east.  Those trips warrant a third lane on I-39/90 between the two interchanges.  You might idealize that third lane as an auxiliary lane for the EB I-94 exit.  And of course you'd design for the reverse trip as well on I-39/90 SB.

[skluth]

^^You guys bring up a really good point.  Yeah, plenty of people from US12/18 are cutting north on I-39 to reach I-94 east.  Those trips warrant a third lane on I-39/90 between the two interchanges.  You might idealize that third lane as an auxiliary lane for the EB I-94 exit.  And of course you'd design for the reverse trip as well on I-39/90 SB.

I agree with all this. Traffic also uses the beltline to I-39/90 to get to the US 151 exit (like I used to when traveling to Green Bay). The interstate needs to be rebuilt four lanes each way from the beltline to the US 151 exit with a stack or turbine at the Badger and C/D lanes at East Washington.

Edit: Just looked at G Maps. I haven't been up that way in a few years. I see they've already upgraded the part between I-94 and US 151/East Wash. Doesn't change the rest of it though.

[SSOWorld]

The C/D lanes were at E Washington for over a decade.  The 8 lanes for at least 5 years.  Honestly about the rest, good luck 8-laning the beltline on this governor's budget.

[DaBigE]

^^You guys bring up a really good point.  Yeah, plenty of people from US12/18 are cutting north on I-39 to reach I-94 east.  Those trips warrant a third lane on I-39/90 between the two interchanges.  You might idealize that third lane as an auxiliary lane for the EB I-94 exit.  And of course you'd design for the reverse trip as well on I-39/90 SB.

I agree with all this. Traffic also uses the beltline to I-39/90 to get to the US 151 exit (like I used to when traveling to Green Bay). The interstate needs to be rebuilt four lanes each way from the beltline to the US 151 exit with a stack or turbine at the Badger and C/D lanes at East Washington.

Edit: Just looked at G Maps. I haven't been up that way in a few years. I see they've already upgraded the part between I-94 and US 151/East Wash. Doesn't change the rest of it though.

And at least part of the cloverleaf of the Interstate @ E Washington already needs a redo. Thanks to the substantial growth in the AmFam business park just to the north, in addition to the growth in the city of Sun Prairie, the ramps to/from SB 151 to the interstate are a cluster in the AM and PM peaks.

[triplemultiplex]

The East Town interchange would benefit greatly from better ramps between south and northeast.  Hard to do without going to town on the whole thing; at least that's what I've found in my fictional sketching.

For the Beltline Interchange, now is the time to build it right the first time and save money in the future.
Pay now or pay a shit ton more in the coming years.

[mgk920]

I did a very quick drive to the Green Bay area this afternoon.  A couple of similarly quick observations:

- NB I-41 ends just past the northbound merge gore point at the I-43 Howard Interchange on US 41/141 (that's where the 'END/I-41' signs are), while the 'BEGIN/I-41' sign is on an overhead BGS that is just past the southbound US 41/141 merge gore point at Lineville Rd.

- The US 41/141 freeway has a 70 speed limit northward until the last interchange before the highways split at the Abrams Interchange.

- The missing US 141 shield error on the overhead BGSes on NB US 41/141 just north of the I-43 Howard Interchange have been fixed.

- The US 141/County 'E' intersection just north of the Abrams Interchange has been redone as a Michigan Left.

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

[DaBigE]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

And unnecessary sign replacements 

[MantyMadTown]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

Is it too late to get the money back?

[dvferyance]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

And unnecessary sign replacements 

And the answer is simply raise taxes.

[SEWIGuy]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

And unnecessary sign replacements 

And the answer is simply raise taxes.

90% of WIDOT's issues are on the revenue side. 

[GeekJedi]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

And unnecessary sign replacements 

And the answer is simply raise taxes.

Yes it is. Or add tolls. The roads won't pay for themselves.

[MantyMadTown]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2018/09/28/wisconsin-dot-knowingly-overpays-milwaukees-zoo-interchange/1443896002/

But the real problems are the roundabouts right?

And unnecessary sign replacements 

And the answer is simply raise taxes.

Yes it is. Or add tolls. The roads won't pay for themselves.

Can we toll traffic coming in from Illinois on I-90 and I-94?

[FightingIrish]

Haven't seen this one mentioned yet, but it certainly deserves attention.

Come tomorrow morning, the South 27th Street (WIS 241) interchange with I-41/94 at the Milwaukee-Racine will be no more. The plan is to convert S. 27th into a smooth segue with Frontage Road to Seven Mile Road. And the longtime interchange at the county line will be permanently removed.

Next, the northbound 41/94 lanes will move to the west a bit, leading up to an interchange with a to-be-constructed Elm Road. This will allow more separation between the old S. 27th and Seven Mile Road exits. And cede the current northbound lanes back to nature. The new Elm Road will be the new connector between 41/94 and S. 27th, and likely, the future southern terminus of WIS 241.

As for now, I imagine the de facto southern terminus of WIS 241 will be at the Ryan Rd. (WIS 100) interchange.

https://projects.511wi.gov/i94northsouth/corridor-construction-projects/27th-street-interchange/

[SSOWorld]

The reroute serves right.  The half-interchange did not make sense in the first place - even when it pulled US-41 off the freeway.

[MantyMadTown]

Haven't seen this one mentioned yet, but it certainly deserves attention.

Come tomorrow morning, the South 27th Street (WIS 241) interchange with I-41/94 at the Milwaukee-Racine will be no more. The plan is to convert S. 27th into a smooth segue with Frontage Road to Seven Mile Road. And the longtime interchange at the county line will be permanently removed.

Next, the northbound 41/94 lanes will move to the west a bit, leading up to an interchange with a to-be-constructed Elm Road. This will allow more separation between the old S. 27th and Seven Mile Road exits. And cede the current northbound lanes back to nature. The new Elm Road will be the new connector between 41/94 and S. 27th, and likely, the future southern terminus of WIS 241.

As for now, I imagine the de facto southern terminus of WIS 241 will be at the Ryan Rd. (WIS 100) interchange.

https://projects.511wi.gov/i94northsouth/corridor-construction-projects/27th-street-interchange/

Does this mean that 241 will go along Elm Rd until it connects with 94/41?

Also I wonder what new development will be built there once the new road is constructed.

[SEWIGuy]

It would be a good opportunity to decommission WI-241 and end WI-36 at I-41/43/894.

[FightingIrish]

The reroute serves right.  The half-interchange did not make sense in the first place - even when it pulled US-41 off the freeway.

The half-interchange is a remnant of the days prior to I-94, when US 41 (S. 27th St.) continued straight through to the Illinois border. It still allowed smooth access to the many businesses along the road that served travelers (though most of those businesses today consist of run-down motels.) The Elm Road exit will allow access from both directions, adequate spacing from the Seven Mile interchange and the opportunity to move the northbound lanes closer to the southbound lanes, allowing that land to be turned over to natural preserve. In addition, there will be a smooth connection between S. 27th and the west Frontage Road, leading to Seven Mile.

As for the WIS 241 routing, I would assume that would follow along Elm Road, since that will pretty much be the new 27th St. interchange. As for amenities, probably the same type of truck stops, gas stations and hotels that haven't already cluttered the other interchanges. Especially for the Foxconn interests.

[FightingIrish]

It would be a good opportunity to decommission WI-241 and end WI-36 at I-41/43/894.

Unlikely. WIS 241 is a pretty major road on the south side. Also lots of newer development there. Plus, the counties typically hold on to state route mileage until needed for other projects (such as WIS 794 replacing WIS 62, or Waukesha County dropping WIS 74 to complete the US 18 bypass). If any state route mileage leaves Milwaukee County, I would expect WIS 24 or parts of WIS 57 to go first.

[SEWIGuy]

Yeah I know it is unlikely for the reasons you state.  I just don't think urban state highways along surface streets are really necessary. 

[mgk920]

I'm going to miss that section of wide median on I-41/94.

<sniffle...>

Mike

[mgk920]

WisDOT is confident on the latest environmental review (the FHWA just signed off on it) and is planning on a spring 2019 start for four lane upgrades to the remaining two lane part of WI 23 between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan (the part west of about WI 67).  Completion is expected in 2023.

https://wtaq.com/news/articles/2018/oct/16/attention-on-dangerous-stretch-of-highway/



Mike

[The Ghostbuster]

I hope that is the case. But based on recent history on four-laning WIS-23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth, I believe some skepticism is warranted.

[msunat97]

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/2018/10/09/outagamie-officials-seek-brown-county-support-41-speed-limit/1565346002/

What does everyone think about this article?  Seems like a Band-Aid solution to this problem.

[SEWIGuy]

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/2018/10/09/outagamie-officials-seek-brown-county-support-41-speed-limit/1565346002/

What does everyone think about this article?  Seems like a Band-Aid solution to this problem.

I live in the area, and I-41 can be pretty fast and full of traffic between WI-15 and Scheuring Road.  It is definitely in need of an expansion.

That being said, 55mph is a joke.  If they want to reduce it to 65 mph between WI-15 and County J (northernmost Kaukauna exit), I would be fine with that.  I could even go for 60 mph.  But as the article states, between Kaukauna and DePere the traffic counts go down.