North Parkway/Beltline in Madison?

[WISFreeways]

Well it looks like we have a very congested expressway here  ! But they need to redirect traffic to where? My plan:  an extension of the Verona bypass, but if theres too many NIMBYs, then they'll have to convert the existing expressway into a freeway. But then we've gone nowhere 

[wandering drive]

This article from today's Wisconsin State Journal highlights the coming improvements to the Fish Hatchery Rd. and Park St./US 14 interchanges and the reasons for them. The Fish hatchery Rd interchange really can be difficult and dangerous, especially at rush hour, with all the weaving. Not a lot of room to manuever. The loop ramps at both interchanges are all also rather tight, with 30-40 mph limits on them. I can't wait for the improvments to the Verona Rd. interchange (where US 18 and 151 branch off towards Dodgeville), that is always backed up, no matter the time of day.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_097e5d76-cdc6-557e-ad8e-b20cf511febc.html

Thanks for the link!
They already closed the SB Fish Hatchery to EB Beltline loop a couple days ago. One down, two to go.  Can't say I'm too happy about another light in an area that has horrendous timing sequences, but I feel safer already.

[tchafe1978]

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_19bdb266-586d-11df-b1f6-001cc4c002e0.html

Looks like the North Mendota Parkway may yet happen.....someday.

[SEWIGuy]

Well it looks like we have a very congested expressway here  ! But they need to redirect traffic to where? My plan:  an extension of the Verona bypass, but if theres too many NIMBYs, then they'll have to convert the existing expressway into a freeway. But then we've gone nowhere 

Where would you route any extention of the Verona bypass?  The easiest and best route for US-18/151 between Verona and the Beltline is the Verona Road corridor.  Any other route means clearing a ROW that currently has hundreds of homes.

The only other alternative that is even remotely feasible is somehow routing US-18/151 eastward to the US-14 freeway around Oregon, but even that would be remarkably expensive.

[tchafe1978]

There was a proposal at one time for a southern bypass in the County M corridor from the Verona bypass to I-90, but it never made it pass the proposal stage. This was back when they first started studying options for the Beltline/Verona Rd. (18/151) interchange. That proposal didn't make much sense. The Beltline handles its traffic well, the issue is the Beltline/Verona Rd. interchange and the stoplights along Verona Rd. The interchange will start seeing work in 2013 I believe.

[tchafe1978]

Here's an update on the Beltline/Verona Rd. interchange project. They'll be holding the final public hearing, and construction to convert the interchange into a SPUI, along with other improvements, will begin in 2013.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_13e3c066-d666-11df-8002-001cc4c03286.html

[SEWIGuy]

The area residents "do not like" that it will destroy green space near the interchange?  You can't be serious...the green space is patch of grass and weeds of just few dozen square feet.  I think the Beltline's problems go beyond just the Verona Road interchange.  The whole stretch needs to be three lanes at least, and a viable northern alternative needs to be developed.

[JREwing78]

They're continuing to piecemeal together fixes as time passes. It wasn't very long ago that the Beltline still had a railroad track crossing at-grade, for example. And the exits at Fish Hatchery and Park St. are much improved now that you're not weaving exiting traffic with entering traffic in such a short space.

The parts of the neighborhood that the full Verona Road interchange will eliminate aren't exactly vital parts. It's not cutting the neighborhood in two; it's removing old apartment buildings and scruffy business storefronts that are there for the Beltline frontage.

I'm not sold on the need for a full freeway around the northern side of Madison, at least from the standpoint of eliminating Beltline traffic. The traffic going through Madison bound elsewhere pales in comparison to traffic choosing Madison as a destination.

[SEWIGuy]

Oh I don't think full freeway around the north side is necessary.  But many people who live on the far west side do not take the Beltline when heading into town from the north.  Most often they get off at Highway V to WI-113 to Highway P to US-12.  If they improved that stretch by widening, taking out the turns, bypassing Dane and giving it a common route number, it would serve that purpose quite nicely.

[Cheesehead77]

Regarding a north parkway, I haven't seen anything recently.  I will say that they've done some work on CTH-K and CTH-M, to remove sharp curves and widen the road.  Perhaps this is their idea of a north route??

The funny thing about a north route is, both 113 and 19 have been improved west of the interstate and Madison, then they dump you into downtown Waunakee, where you gotta slog through to a curvy, two-lane rural road to get to the US-12 expressway.  Definitely needs improving.
Post Merge: October 26, 2010, 12:52:06 PM
The only viable, long-term solution to the Verona Rd interchange issue is to demolish the entire Nakoma/Allied area to allow for a proper high-speed interchange and freeway corridor.  The irony is that this would create more green space than the area has had in the last 50 years.

[mgk920]

The only viable, long-term solution to the Verona Rd interchange issue is to demolish the entire Nakoma/Allied area to allow for a proper high-speed interchange and freeway corridor.  The irony is that this would create more green space than the area has had in the last 50 years.

They wouldn't even have to do that unless they would want 'free flow' movements between US 18/151 to the southwest and the Beltline to the west.  The current 'freeway' plans would depress the freeway in the median of a 'surface' Verona Rd boulevard where the surface boulevard would actually carry only light to moderate volumes of local traffic and be a true asset to that part of town.

Why the neighbors are opposed to even that, I have no idea.



Mike

[SSOWorld]

The only viable, long-term solution to the Verona Rd interchange issue is to demolish the entire Nakoma/Allied area to allow for a proper high-speed interchange and freeway corridor.  The irony is that this would create more green space than the area has had in the last 50 years.

They wouldn't even have to do that unless they would want 'free flow' movements between US 18/151 to the southwest and the Beltline to the west.  The current 'freeway' plans would depress the freeway in the median of a 'surface' Verona Rd boulevard where the surface boulevard would actually carry only light to moderate volumes of local traffic and be a true asset to that part of town.

Why the neighbors are opposed to even that, I have no idea.



Mike

NIMBYisms I bet.

[Cheesehead77]

Why the neighbors are opposed to even that, I have no idea.



Mike

No kidding.  It's mostly rental/ lease property in that area.