Madison Area

[mgk920]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

Certainly unlikely at any time in the foreseeable future, but a North Beltline would definitely be useful, too.



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

No.

[The Ghostbuster]

A South Reliever connecting US 18/151 and Interstate 39/90 was looked at during the Verona Rd. Study. It would have been located about five miles south of the Beltline. It was rejected since it would neither relieve congestion from Verona Rd. nor the Beltline. The closest to a North Beltline is the long-proposed North Mendota Parkway, which probably won't ever be constructed.

[algorerhythms]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

No.

Then what is the Beltline for?

[SEWIGuy]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

No.

Then what is the Beltline for?

East to West bypass of the ithsmus

[mgk920]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

No.

Then what is the Beltline for?

East to West bypass of the ithsmus

Just imagine for a few minutes the traffic situation in the Madison area if those stupid lakes weren't in the way.



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

Local media is reporting this week that the flex lane on the Beltline has reduced travel times by 45% after one year of data.
Sounds great, but that will disappear in the next 2-3 years, just you watch.

Then if that happens it'll need to be expanded. If possible expand it by 2 additional lanes each way instead of one.

Never, ever going to happen. What Madison needs is a south to west bypass, which also probably won't happen.

Isn't that what the Beltline is supposed to be?

No.

Then what is the Beltline for?

East to West bypass of the ithsmus

Just imagine for a few minutes the traffic situation in the Madison area if those stupid lakes weren't in the way.



Mike

Ironically no one would want to live there.

[triplemultiplex]

Or they wouldn't have picked this as the spot for the capital back in the day.

Not that it's just political unfeasible to widen the Beltine east of Verona Rd, it would also have an enormous price tag and there'd be so much r/w impact it would stir up all kinds of bad times.  We're talking major wetlands impacts across the Yahara River and possibly eating into the Arboretum; it's just impractical.

I've stated this before, but the one 'widening' thing they could possibly do is turn all the interchanges from Todd to Rimrock into "Texas-style" one-way frontage roads with slip ramps between the Beltine lanes and the frontage roads.  So you're not adding lanes to the freeway itself, but using the frontage roads to try and eliminate some of the traffic that's only using the Beltine for 2 exits.  It would let one space out entrances and exits a little better.

It all would be so much more manageable if they hadn't added interchanges to Todd Dr and Rimrock back in the day.  Now those are establish and we're stuck with all these closely-spaced interchanges.  Much easier to disentangle Park and Fish Hatch without those two interchanges to worry about.  I've gamed it out.

[Revive 755]

Just imagine for a few minutes the traffic situation in the Madison area if those stupid lakes weren't in the way.

Wikipedia isn't showing those lakes being excessively deep, just put a bridge or two across them 

[triplemultiplex]

We laugh but that's kinda what they did in the 60's to build John Nolen Drive.  Straight-up filled in alongside the railroad tracks, which themselves were punched right thru open water back in the day.  The bay they cross would've been anywhere between 5 and 8 feet deep, depending on lake level.

Interesting tidbit I picked up as I read material about the city's plans to revamp the waterfront between Olin Park and the Isthmus, apparently the fill they used to create the earthen causeway for Nolen Drive was dredged right from Lake Monona nearby.  If you check out a bathymetric map of Lake Monona, this 25 foot hole is the 'borrow pit' from that construction.  Amazing to think about in modern context as the environmental rules and the general public would never let you do either thing; dredging or filling.  Especially there.  For highway construction. 

[The Ghostbuster]

And now that segment of John Nolen Drive is slated for reconstruction: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/john-nolen-drive.

[peterj920]

I'm dreading city reconstruction projects with how long University Ave is taking. The project was supposed to take 2 years and it's probably going to take 3. Almost 2 years in the reconstruction is coming along at a snails pace. The road is also getting very beat up.

[triplemultiplex]

And now that segment of John Nolen Drive is slated for reconstruction: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/john-nolen-drive.

So needed.  Chunks of concrete keep coming loose in numerous spots.  Damn thing will be gravel by the time they dig out the old pavement by the Alliant Energy Center.

[mgk920]

And now that segment of John Nolen Drive is slated for reconstruction: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/john-nolen-drive.

So needed.  Chunks of concrete keep coming loose in numerous spots.  Damn thing will be gravel by the time they dig out the old pavement by the Alliant Energy Center.

At least that is all in the City of Madison now.

Mike

[triplemultiplex]

Yeah people have begun to adjust finally to no longer having "Town of Madison" police cars visible from Fish Hatchery Rd.  In other words, less unwarranted braking in front of the old town hall.

[peterj920]

Yeah people have begun to adjust finally to no longer having "Town of Madison" police cars visible from Fish Hatchery Rd.  In other words, less unwarranted braking in front of the old town hall.

The City of Fitchburg actually revived the old town hall although it is in the City of Madison. Fitchburg received the Zimbrick dealership and the area southwest of the Rimrock Rd Interchange. Right after the switch, Fitchburg wasted no time posting a new Fitchburg sign on Rimrock Rd immediately after The Beltline.

[peterj920]

Crews are putting stakes in the ground preparing for Hwy M four lane expansion to Hwy K. What's needed is for Hwy K to be made four lanes but at least it improves a busy stretch of road north of the lake.

I also see a project to expand Hwy PD to four lanes for a couple miles west with a new entrance to Epic. I'm guessing Epic is paying for that project.

[The Ghostbuster]

I just finished the PIM survey for the US 51 Stoughton Rd. South Study: https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-thanks/?sm=DyLNhk6QRx1GbCrb9eNjF2X2iKICsNwMG_2B1BoXHkW5Bzr4bQPwRHRLVBmzf9kc3NDnEVZ_2FipzupkaGjx_2B4PF3JSaCHkI9vnrIC3w3JiND_2FE_3D. They are taking comments through August 20th. I have also looked at the presentation that was at the first PIM 8 days ago: https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/projects/by-region/sw/us51-corridor/presentationjuly23.pdf. I have a huge interest in the North and South Stoughton Rd. Corridor studies because I have been up and down that road a billion times, and the South Corridor goes by my mother's house.

[JREwing78]

I just finished the PIM survey for the US 51 Stoughton Rd. South Study: https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-thanks/?sm=DyLNhk6QRx1GbCrb9eNjF2X2iKICsNwMG_2B1BoXHkW5Bzr4bQPwRHRLVBmzf9kc3NDnEVZ_2FipzupkaGjx_2B4PF3JSaCHkI9vnrIC3w3JiND_2FE_3D.

That took me to a beer survey. Try this link for the PIM survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/US51SJuly23

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I just finished the PIM survey for the US 51 Stoughton Rd. South Study: https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-thanks/?sm=DyLNhk6QRx1GbCrb9eNjF2X2iKICsNwMG_2B1BoXHkW5Bzr4bQPwRHRLVBmzf9kc3NDnEVZ_2FipzupkaGjx_2B4PF3JSaCHkI9vnrIC3w3JiND_2FE_3D.

That took me to a beer survey. Try this link for the PIM survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/US51SJuly23

Survey Monkey, the official survey provider of beer and state/local DOTs alike.

[The Ghostbuster]

Sorry about that. When I reclick on the the link, it takes me to a site called Survey Monkey; which says: "Help those who are helping others" , and "Take a survey to raise $0.50 for organizations like the American Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, and more."  Nothing about beer appeared for me.

[JREwing78]

The honeymoon period of the Flex Lanes on the Beltline continues. Apparently a 45% decrease in travel times and 20% reduction in crashes.

https://madison.com/news/traffic/beltline-flex-lane-crashes-travel-times-dot/article_010aa734-24a5-11ee-87c3-5bc9b78873d2.html

[Plutonic Panda]

Oh, wait a minute I thought that wasn't possible because of induced demand.

[SEWIGuy]

Oh, wait a minute I thought that wasn't possible because of induced demand.

After one year?   

[The Ghostbuster]

Is one year too short of a time for "induced demand" to overwhelm a roadway? The way I've heard induced demand proponents talk about it, as soon as one new road is built, or one existing road is widened: BOOM! It becomes overwhelmed with traffic, allegedly confirming its futility.