WisDOT plans viewing

[on_wisconsin]

The plans for the December letting came out about a week ago, this month there is a number of bridge replacements and a few I-94 N-S project sets. Otherwise its your average letting with good statewide project distribution.

Dec plans: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2012/12December_11/

There is also large January pre-let plan set for the upcoming Zoo Interchange project: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/01January_8/20130108009plan.pdf

[on_wisconsin]

WisDOT released the January plans this past week and I say this month and its quite funbag of sorts. The amount of plans posted is small, a whopping total of 8. The main feature is a N-S project plan set that has the Southeast DOT office up their ol'tricks again. So lets get started: Here is the sign will SET THE STANDARDS when it comes to future MUTCDs.



LOOK AT THIS! Who needs south, north, etc when you can just tell someone to 'go Chicago for 5 blocks down Highway 41 and turn left' I mean think of the possibilities!
'In 1492, Columbus headed Beloit to reach the New World'
Now that has some ring to it!


THE SINKING INTERSTATE!!!!!!!!

Anyway here are the links:
January letting: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/01January_8/
N-S project plan set mentioned above: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/01January_8/20130108008plan.pdf

[NE2]

Ignoring that this is a carbon copy of an existing sign, can't you get to I-43 north/I-94 east/US 41 north by turning left on Becher?

[mgk920]

Ignoring that this is a carbon copy of an existing sign, can't you get to I-43 north/I-94 east/US 41 north by turning left on Becher?

Also, don't forget that included in the whole US 41 interstate promotion thing is that US 41 is being moved off of that part of I-94 and onto its more logical routing in that area (I-894/(xx)/US 45 freeway).

Further, is 'Lincoln Memorial Dr' ever going to be used on BSGes in that area?  Ramps from the Lake Interchange on I-794 feed directly into LM, a very important lakefront street that runs northeastward out of downtown, sort of Milwaukee's answer to Lake Shore Drive.

Mike

[triplemultiplex]

Further, is 'Lincoln Memorial Dr' ever going to be used on BSGes in that area?  Ramps from the Lake Interchange on I-794 feed directly into LM, a very important lakefront street that runs northeastward out of downtown, sort of Milwaukee's answer to Lake Shore Drive.

We'll see what happens next year with that Lake Interchange rebuild.

[colinstu]

WisDOT released the January plans this past week and I say this month and its quite funbag of sorts. The amount of plans posted is small, a whopping total of 8. The main feature is a N-S project plan set that has the Southeast DOT office up their ol'tricks again. So lets get started: Here is the sign will SET THE STANDARDS when it comes to future MUTCDs.



LOOK AT THIS! Who needs south, north, etc when you can just tell someone to 'go Chicago for 5 blocks down Highway 41 and turn left' I mean think of the possibilities!
'In 1492, Columbus headed Beloit to reach the New World'
Now that has some ring to it!

I don't see what's wrong with using Chicago/Downtown/Madison/Beloit/etc instead of cardinal directions.

Even though it's I-94 "east" ...the road literally heads south. Of course you can't say "South" ...so "Chicago" makes hella more sense to me. If one can drive a car, one knows where Chicago is in relation to where they are. Same can be said for the rest of those place names.

[agentsteel53]

oh god, please don't tell me that "Series D compressed to C or B width as needed" is a new official font which Wisconsin is using!

[Big John]

And why is "Beloit" in a bolder font than "Chicago"?

[mgk920]

And why is "Beloit" in a bolder font than "Chicago"?

It's a more important Wisconsin city?

<DUCKS and RUNS!>



Mike

[colinstu]

Looks pretty much the same size right now (pardon the google streetview stitching errors).

Something tells me the final sign will look just like the original... not all the signs in that PDF look exactly like they should.

[on_wisconsin]

(OK. I promise no more drunken-Magery'esq sign reviews this time.)
The February plan sets came out this past week, the statewide coverage is fine with no real WTF plans. There are 16 sets total with the highlights being I-90 work in La Crosse County and WIS 26 Ft. Atkinson bypass exit tab additions.
February Letting: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/02February_12/

Some La Crosse signs from the PDF:

I am quite partial to the "La Crosse-Onalaska Exits" section at the top of this sign compared to the normal vanilla WisDOT/ MUTCD standard. (Yes the STH shields are rather misplaced but the top section makes up for it. IMHO)(ADD moment: It also vaguely reminds me of a discussion in the Road Illustrations thread last year.)

PDF Link: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/02February_12/20130212001plan.pdf

A random sign from the WIS 26 Exit Tab plans:

PDF Link: ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/02February_12/20130212002plan.pdf 

[DaBigE]

Looks like WisDOT is taking a page from CalTrans  :

From this plan: ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2012/07July_10/20120710007plan.pdf (page 213)

I saw this sign install yesterday on my trip to Mayfair. Apparently the design changed (for the better ) between the letting and what was actually installed, as that is not what it looks like in the field. The bottom border on the original Bluemound Rd sign was removed, and only one arrow was used on the side, (centered vertically on the panel).

[J N Winkler]

WisDOT March 2013 letting plans are now available:

ftp://ftp.dot.wi.gov/dtsd/hcci/plansandproposals/2013/03March_12/

I count about 33 pattern-accurate sign panel detail sheets in total.  Of especial interest are the signs for a brand-new dumbbell roundabout interchange on STH 35 at Radio Rd./Chapman Dr. south of Hudson.  Overhead lane assignment signs will be used on the roundabout approaches.  This project is call 36 (WisDOT project number 72000271) in the present letting.

Several of the drawings are formatted differently, with filled letters instead of the usual keylines, and appear to have been produced without recourse to WisDOT's signing CAD bolt-on.  The projects with these unusual drawings all seem to originate from the Southeast Region.

[DaBigE]

Several of the drawings are formatted differently, with filled letters instead of the usual keylines, and appear to have been produced without recourse to WisDOT's signing CAD bolt-on.  The projects with these unusual drawings all seem to originate from the Southeast Region.

The SE is the only region that has its own sign group outside of the Central Office in Madison. For some reason, SE virtually always fills their letters in. It's one way of telling where the plates were designed. Both groups use the same MicroStation V7 MDL for creating their plates.

[on_wisconsin]

Just a nitpick:

south of Hudson. Just barely outside River Falls city limits .

marginally on topic: I really like how WIS 35 (between WIS 29 East and I-94) is continuing its gradual but steady march towards being a full freeway. It seems like every year or so another grade separation is made.  Now the state just needs to get on the ball and upgrade the super-2 around River Falls with the ROW preserved when it was built. 
See here for my idea on the US 65 corridor south of River Falls.

[mgk920]

Just a nitpick:

south of Hudson. Just barely outside River Falls city limits .

marginally on topic: I really like how WIS 35 (between WIS 29 East and I-94) is continuing its gradual but steady march towards being a full freeway. It seems like every year or so another grade separation is made.  Now the state just needs to get on the ball and upgrade the super-2 around River Falls with the ROW preserved when it was built. 
See here for my idea on the US 65 corridor south of River Falls.

A minor aside, could we someday see an 'I-994' here?





Mike

[SEWIGuy]

WIDOT doesn't seem to have a lot of use for 3dis. 

[Molandfreak]

WIDOT doesn't seem to have a lot of use for 3dis.

What else can they have? Aside from a Beltline Highway interstate, which I still really would like to see.

Had Illinois gone with I-53 instead of I-39 (like they should have), Wisconsin may have been forced to have a 3di on their independent segment of 39, which wouldn't have been the end of the world for them.

They also were considering I-594 and I-643 for what will become I-41, which actually does deserve a 2di.

WIS 441 also effectively acts as I-441. In fact, if they don't re designate that, I would be very surprised and maybe even write them a letter.

[Big John]

WIS 441 also effectively acts as I-441. In fact, if they don't re designate that, I would be very surprised and maybe even write them a letter.

It won't be done prior to reconstructing the south part which is currently substandard.

Then there is WI 172 between US 41 and I-43 which acts like a 3DI

[Molandfreak]

It won't be done prior to reconstructing the south part which is currently substandard.

I knew that; I thought they were fixing that as a part of the U.S. 41 upgrade.

Then there is WI 172 between US 41 and I-43 which acts like a 3DI

And the only reason it didn't get a 3di x43 might have been because it's a bypass that doesn't currently end at another interstate, maybe?

[on_wisconsin]

Back on topic:
Two of the sheets in question from post #67:

[mgk920]

It won't be done prior to reconstructing the south part which is currently substandard.

I knew that; I thought they were fixing that as a part of the U.S. 41 upgrade.

Then there is WI 172 between US 41 and I-43 which acts like a 3DI

And the only reason it didn't get a 3di x43 might have been because it's a bypass that doesn't currently end at another interstate, maybe?

The planned six-laning of US 10/WI 441 in Winnebago County is a separate project and is waiting on funding.  It is a real 'BIG SHOVEL' proposal, too, requiring a parallel long bridge over Little Lake Butte des Morts, several new free-flow flyover ramps at the US(I)-41 Bridgeview interchange and major highway realigning.  It is on a similar scale to what WisDOT is now doing with US(I)-41 in the Green Bay area.

Construction geek heaven, to be sure!



Mike

[colinstu]

@on_wisconsin

What's wrong with those sheets?

[on_wisconsin]

What's wrong with those sheets?

Nothing, the post was in response/ concert to the quote below.

Of especial interest are the signs for a brand-new dumbbell roundabout interchange on STH 35 at Radio Rd./Chapman Dr. south of Hudson.  Overhead lane assignment signs will be used on the roundabout approaches.  This project is call 36 (WisDOT project number 72000271) in the present letting.

Several of the drawings are formatted differently, with filled letters instead of the usual keylines, and appear to have been produced without recourse to WisDOT's signing CAD bolt-on.  The projects with these unusual drawings all seem to originate from the Southeast Region.

[SEWIGuy]

WIS 441 also effectively acts as I-441. In fact, if they don't re designate that, I would be very surprised and maybe even write them a letter.

It won't be done prior to reconstructing the south part which is currently substandard.

Then there is WI 172 between US 41 and I-43 which acts like a 3DI

WI-30 in Madison is another....but that would be pretty short.

US-12 from I-43 south to the IL line.

US-53 north of Eau Claire (???)  I have only been on that stretch once...

We will see if US-45 from US-41 to West Bend gets one...but I doubt that will happen.