Madison Area

[The Ghostbuster]

Prior to 1951 (when the Beltline opened), US 12/18 followed existing John Nolen Dr. to Olin Ave., then followed Olin to Park St., followed Park to University Ave., then followed University Ave. out of town (18 departed Park at Regent St., 151 likewise after 1937). Thus, I agree rerouting 151 down the rest of John Nolen wouldn't be a good idea (although I wouldn't mind CTH MC being rerouted off of its short segment of Olin Ave. and redirected to terminate at US 151 at the John Nolen Dr./North Shore Dr. intersection). As I said before, leave 151 on its existing alignment.

[triplemultiplex]

There's no signage for CTH MC so the point is moot.

[SEWIGuy]

There's no signage for CTH MC so the point is moot.

Did they finally remove that lone reassurance marker? It may actually have been removed awhile ago, but for years they had an old MC marker about halfway between Park and John Nolen that looked like it was installed in the 40s.

[The Ghostbuster]

I remember a lone CTH MC marker eastbound on Olin Ave. a short distance from the Olin Ave./John Nolen Dr. intersection (there was also an End CTH MC marker at about the same location westbound on Olin Ave.). Those markers have probably been gone about 30 years. I personally thought the MC designation should have continued to Park St., although when it was designated, the point where it began/ended was probably the location of the Madison city limits. There are other county highways that begin/end at a city's boundary (both ends of CTH F in Waukesha County comes to mind).

[SEWIGuy]

I remember a lone CTH MC marker eastbound on Olin Ave. a short distance from the Olin Ave./John Nolen Dr. intersection (there was also an End CTH MC marker at about the same location westbound on Olin Ave.). Those markers have probably been gone about 30 years. I personally thought the MC designation should have continued to Park St., although when it was designated, the point where it began/ended was probably the location of the Madison city limits. There are other county highways that begin/end at a city's boundary (both ends of CTH F in Waukesha County comes to mind).

30 years? Wow. I could have sworn it was more recent but you are probably correct. 

[The Ghostbuster]

I was just a kid when CTH MC was signed, but I still remember it vividly.

[dvferyance]

There's no signage for CTH MC so the point is moot.

I assumed the route was decommissioned many years ago. A few maps still mark it other than that I would never have known it ever existed.

[The Ghostbuster]

CTH MC does still exist: https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/dane.pdf. It just is unsigned like a lot of county highways are.

[peterj920]

It's easy to tell in the winter time who maintains John Nolen. When heading south John Nolen gets a lot better after Olin Ave. I'm assuming Dane County takes care of it between Olin and The Beltline. That must be the hidden County MC at work.

[SSOWorld]

It's easy to tell in the winter time who maintains John Nolen. When heading south John Nolen gets a lot better after Olin Ave. I'm assuming Dane County takes care of it between Olin and The Beltline. That must be the hidden County MC at work.

I believe this was the old Town of Madison - which is now annexed by the City and the City of Fitchburg (split between)

[peterj920]

It's easy to tell in the winter time who maintains John Nolen. When heading south John Nolen gets a lot better after Olin Ave. I'm assuming Dane County takes care of it between Olin and The Beltline. That must be the hidden County MC at work.

I believe this was the old Town of Madison - which is now annexed by the City and the City of Fitchburg (split between)

Once the Cities of Madison and Fitchburg took over, the Town of Madison street blades at Rusk Ave and Rimrock were changed (blade said County MM). Fitchburg put a sign up on Rimrock in the median right after the interchange with The Beltline.

I do notice that the John Nolen Madison project ends at Olin Ave. Couldn't they figure something out with Dane County to complete the work to The Beltline?

[triplemultiplex]

Definitely not signed.  That's my 'hood these days so I got eyes on Nolen every couple of days.

That old-ass concrete is giving up the ghost.  About twice a year, they try filling in the giant holes with cold mix, but soon enough, more chunks of concrete pop out.  The curb is littered with fist-sized rocks of concrete.  Makes one wonder how much worse they're going to let it get.

[The Ghostbuster]

If you're planning on accessing US 12/18 eastbound from Interstates 39/90 in the near future, you'll need to take an alternative route: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/exit-ramps-from-i-39-90-to-u-s-12-18-to-close-for-more-than-month/ar-AA1gi9Lk?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=6a98cd3b901349c791a2c2a65bd634f7&ei=38. I'm sure everything will open back up once the new interchange at CTH AB is completed.

[SEWIGuy]

If you're planning on accessing US 12/18 eastbound from Interstates 39/90 in the near future, you'll need to take an alternative route: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/exit-ramps-from-i-39-90-to-u-s-12-18-to-close-for-more-than-month/ar-AA1gi9Lk?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=6a98cd3b901349c791a2c2a65bd634f7&ei=38. I'm sure everything will open back up once the new interchange at CTH AB is completed.

That detour is going to be absolutely brutal during rush hour.

[triplemultiplex]

That's a silly detour. If one wants to get east on 12/18 from the south, just take the CTH N exit.  Hopefully people's navigation apps will guide them that way instead of forcing them to slog through the Stoughton Road exit.

[thspfc]

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

[The Ghostbuster]

That's the problem with having the Interstate interchanges being so widely spaced in the Madison area. If one of them is closed, unless you divert to surface streets, it's one hell of a long detour. I'd say detouring to CTH N is probably the best bet for Interstate traffic. Then again, this closing is only for three months, so patience is probably warranted.

[SEWIGuy]

That's the problem with having the Interstate interchanges being so widely spaced in the Madison area. If one of them is closed, unless you divert to surface streets, it's one hell of a long detour. I'd say detouring to CTH N is probably the best bet for Interstate traffic. Then again, this closing is only for three months, so patience is probably warranted.

Right. If you are going SB on I-39/90 and want to go EB on US-12/18, getting off at the Beltline and turning around at Stoughton Road is the shortest option both distance and time-wise.

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

I doubt it. That would take forever going through Cottage Grove. It's the exact issue that Ghostbuster is talking about.  The posted detour isn't great, but its the best option available.

If you want to go NB I-39/90 to EB-US-12/18 a County N detour makes more sense since the interstate swings to the east. My guess is that most people would already use that route even without construction though.

[triplemultiplex]

That's the problem with having the Interstate interchanges being so widely spaced in the Madison area. If one of them is closed, unless you divert to surface streets, it's one hell of a long detour. I'd say detouring to CTH N is probably the best bet for Interstate traffic. Then again, this closing is only for three months, so patience is probably warranted.

But the trade off is less congestion from merging traffic during peak periods because there are fewer interchanges.
One can see this all the time on the triplex during heavy weekends.  It clogs up at every interchange as traffic merging on tries to squeeze in causing a ripple of brake lights.

I like that 39/90 has few interchanges thru the Madison area.  It keeps a lot of local traffic off of a freeway that should primarily be for thru traffic.  Like the exact opposite of the beltline which is so interchange dense that it clogs at peak times with people only using it for a short distances.  Out east by "the interstate", that traffic uses local roads like it should, instead of mingling with heavy interstate traffic.

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

The posted detour will be to go west on the Beltline and U-turn at Stoughton Road, which depending on the time of day, it might be better to take N through Cottage Grove.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

The posted detour will be to go west on the Beltline and U-turn at Stoughton Road, which depending on the time of day, it might be better to take N through Cottage Grove.

If I recall someone saying (so don't shoot me), Wisconsin is not allowed to post state highway detours on non-state highways so that's why you get some of these more oddball/nonsensical detours.

[SEWIGuy]

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

The posted detour will be to go west on the Beltline and U-turn at Stoughton Road, which depending on the time of day, it might be better to take N through Cottage Grove.

If I recall someone saying (so don't shoot me), Wisconsin is not allowed to post state highway detours on non-state highways so that's why you get some of these more oddball/nonsensical detours.

I don't know about being "not allowed." I can say that I have definitely seen county highways as detours before. But it most certainly is rare.

But also this isn't non-sensical. Using Google Maps, the posted detour will be two minutes faster than using I-94 to County N.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

But also this isn't non-sensical. Using Google Maps, the posted detour will be two minutes faster than using I-94 to County N.

I never said this one was.

[SEWIGuy]

But also this isn't non-sensical. Using Google Maps, the posted detour will be two minutes faster than using I-94 to County N.

I never said this one was.

I mean...you said "some of these..." so it most certainly seemed to imply you were including this one.

[peterj920]

I assume the recommended detour from 39/90 SB is 94 east to CTH-N?

The posted detour will be to go west on the Beltline and U-turn at Stoughton Road, which depending on the time of day, it might be better to take N through Cottage Grove.

If I recall someone saying (so don't shoot me), Wisconsin is not allowed to post state highway detours on non-state highways so that's why you get some of these more oddball/nonsensical detours.

There was a US 10 detour in Calumet/Manitowoc counties using County PP, County K, and Co
County W. In that part of the state the county roads are built just as well as state highways especially Calumet County.

When US 10 and Wis 32/57 are detoured in that area, county roads are used almost exclusively.

[The Ghostbuster]

If anyone is coming to Madison this weekend, there are roads to avoid due to the Ironman Triathlon: https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/dane-co-cities-list-road-closures-during-ironman-triathlon/ar-AA1gp8NY?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=33c386a64ddb4a09b3c0cad183eeffed&ei=22.