Highway 11 bypass project takes a hit
Photo
The Highway 11 bypass sees moderate traffic at the intersection with Highway 11 west of Janesville.
The yard signs in the neighborhood around Janesville Town Hall indicate a clear difference of opinion on whether to recall or stand with the state's governor.
But a string of yellow yard signs show there's a strong consensus among neighbors who don't want the state to build a new highway to connect the Highway 11 bypass with Highway 14.
That was evident Monday as residents filled their town hall for a presentation by Neighbors United, a grassroots group formed in the last month to oppose a state Department of Transportation study that includes two options for a new highway.
Immediately after the presentation, the Janesville Town Board unanimously approved a resolution opposing construction of any new highway in the township.
Neighbors United spokesman Michael Everhart said the state's planned expansion of Interstate 90/39 from four lanes to six is driving what has become an accelerated discussion of a connection from the Highway 11 bypass to Highway 14.
State officials have said the connection is necessary to alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 51 through Janesville. They've also said the connection would handle detoured traffic from the Interstate.
At issue, Everhart said, is whether the state is interested in the bypass connection as a relief valve for the Interstate, or whether it seriously believes that traffic counts warrant a new highway on Janesville's west side.
If it's the latter, Everhart said, the project would be classified as a "major" project for the state and require approval from the Legislature, governor and the state's Transportation Projects Commission, which already has a backlog of major projects through 2019.
State Rep. Evan Wynn, R-Whitewater, said he is awaiting a clear answer on the state's position.
"They keep talking about this as a project that stands on its own merits, but about every 20 seconds they get around to how it will help bleed some of the traffic off the Interstate," said Wynn, who represents residents in the township.
State Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, said it's important that the bypass connection be classified as it should be, and that's as a project judged on its own merit and not connected to any other construction project.
Wynn suggested that state officials might be trying to get the bypass connection built with funding tied to the Interstate expansion. That way, he said, the project could be fast-tracked and not have to go through the typical legislative pipeline that other major highway projects must endure.
Even if that's the case, Everhart and others wonder what problem the construction of the connection would solve if it were built on the same timeline as the Interstate expansion.
Everhart said the project is a "want rather than a need," one based on 2003 traffic counts that the state projected out to 2035.
Those numbers, he said, have been flat and have not increased as the state expected, primarily because of the loss of General Motors on Janesville's south side, the general economic downturn and the lack of houses that were expected to be built on the city's west side.
The connection, which would cost between $50 million and $180 million, would rip up a minimum of 215 acres of farmland and force the removal of up to 11 homes, he said.
So far, Neighbors United has collected more than 1,100 signatures on petitions opposing a new highway. The group also is circulating a form letter that asks Gov. Scott Walker to stop the project.
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES
For years, the state has been studying the Highway 11/14 corridor in Rock and Walworth counties. Generally, the studies have broken into eastern and western sections, with Interstate 90/39 as the dividing line.
State officials have said that projected traffic increases and safety concerns support a connection between the bypass and Highway 14 in Janesville Township.
The state has five alternatives for the western project:
-- Do nothing, other than routine maintenance on existing highways.
-- Make improvements that could include intersection, signal or other access modifications.
-- Widen Highway 14 west of Highway 51 from two lanes to four lanes, and widen Highway 14 east of Highway 51 and through Janesville from four lanes to six lanes. This alternative is referred to in state transportation documents as W3.
-- Relocate part of Highway 14 at a point between Britt and Burdick roads, angling it southeast along property lines to join Highway 11. This alternative is referred to as W4.
-- Relocate part of Highway 14 at a point east of Burdick Road, running it straight south to Highway 11. This alternative is referred to as W5.
The latter two alternatives would be built as two-lane highways. They would, however, include enough right-of-way so the road could be expanded to four lanes.
Construction costs for the western proposal are preliminary and vary depending on the alternative. They range from zero for doing nothing to $180 million for the four-lane version of either W4 or W5.
Initially, however, the state has said that either W4 or W5 would be built as a two-lane highway at a cost of about $50 million.
Expanding Highway 14 would cost about $50 million.
May 10, 2012 at 10:32 a.m.
Suggest removal
JREwing78: I'm confused. From studies and traffic counts, if the bypass is built to Hwy 14, what direction will the majority of the traffic go on Hwy 14, east or west?
May 9, 2012 at 10:57 p.m.
Suggest removal
Here's an idea....put the whole bypass underground (think GIANT tunnel!!) no urban blight, lots of farmland saved, no noise, ect. AND LOTS of tax money still spent unwisely!!!!!
May 9, 2012 at 7:18 p.m.
Suggest removal
kivsquest writes: "Where is the state getting the money from to buy the land, houses and built this new road?"
Response: Fuel taxes & registration fees. Everyone who drives a motor vehicle pays into the fund. This is also how the existing roads get taken care of.
kivsquest writes: "What is wrong with fixing the existing roads?"
Response: Nothing, except when there is too much traffic on them for the design of the road, causing it to become unsafe. I travel US-14 daily through the Town of Janesville, and I can attest that it is frequently choked with traffic, particularly east of County E to US-51. You get long platoons of cars lining up behind slower traffic who can't safely pass.
lovemycountry writes: "Surely then, you can back up that statement with traffic counts, trends, and business and population roadway needs ?"
Response: This is why WisDOT does studies. See http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/sw... and http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/sw.... You may not agree with its results, but the demonstrated need is there, with or without I-39/90 under construction.
tikiman1 writes: "People can just as easily go over to 184/County H & take that over to 14. It was already rebuilt for the most part & is an existing road. Give it a little maintenance & the problem is solved."
Response: Sure, except to go from US-14 to the western end of the WIS 11 bypass via County H takes you 3 miles out of your way v.s. the proposed bypass. Plus, there's a stop at County A which backs up, another at Mineral Point Rd, and another at WIS 11.
Maybe if County H was rerouted to favor Janesville-bound traffic, it would work better. Then again, you might as well build the bypass instead.
chelleandlou writes: "Based on the number of times I have used the Highway 11 bypass I have not once seen steady traffic from Highway 51 at most maybe one or two vehicles. When I think about the dozens of acres of precious land used to build it it makes me sick."
Response: The bypass was not built to be a standalone road. It was designed to eventually connect to US-14. The reason there's little traffic on it now is that the proper connections to US-14, both east and west of Janesville, haven't been built yet. Once it is, through traffic not bound for Janesville will use it and justify its existence.
Complete the bypass, and then widening existing US-14 east through Janesville won't have to be done for some time to come. Trust me, widening US-14 on its existing path will be far more disruptive than building the bypass.
May 9, 2012 at 4:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
Where is the state getting the money from to buy the land, houses and built this new road? They will be taking away peoples property, houses and fertile land. When you take away fertile land you take food off the table for children. What is wrong with fixing the existing roads?
May 9, 2012 at 4:03 p.m.
Suggest removal
Hwy H, (184) is overloaded with heavy loaded trucks, semi-trucks, cement trucks... It is not bulit to accomodate this usage, the road is quite narrow in spots and un-passable almost in entirety. Cannot handle additional use plus it's now bicycle season and Hwy. H must be on the Bike Trail, so it seems.
May 9, 2012 at 11:16 a.m.
Suggest removal
You realize, I hope, that if everybody used the state highways,
they would be a nightmare.
The only reason they are better for you now
is because of the interstate system.
May 9, 2012 at 9:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
I have never liked using the interstate system in Wisconsin. If there is a crash, the lanes are closed for hours. Using the state highway system is better IMO. I always take Hwy 14 from Janesville to Madison. People need to slow down and not be in such a hurry. A HUGE expense and waste of resources and property just so people can get there faster.
May 9, 2012 at 8:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
And once again these idiots push aside our unsafe bridges throughout our state.
Let's fix our current infrastructure now, before it is too late. Funny there is never money available for that, but ideas like this are no $$$ problem.
Oh, and while this money is being appropriated, let's be sure they put in enough extra to expand that pedestrian walkway over I-90 to ten person wide !! :-)
May 9, 2012 at 5:49 a.m.
Suggest removal
People can just as easily go over to 184/County H & take that over to 14. It was already rebuilt for the most part & is an existing road. Give it a little maintenance & the problem is solved.
May 9, 2012 at 4:43 a.m.
Suggest removal
The environmental impact is too significant. The bypass is unwarranted and unnecessary. Rather than building more roads the state needs to take care of the ones we have. The more they build the more it will cost to maintain, plow, patrol, etc. The interstate already goes around Janesville and there are other alternatives as well. Based on the number of times I have used the Highway 11 bypass I have not once seen steady traffic from Highway 51 at most maybe one or two vehicles. When I think about the dozens of acres of precious land used to build it it makes me sick. Not only the land, but the ecosystems that were disrupted or destroyed, habitats, and contamination that occurred and continues to occur. We don't need more roads when we can't take care of the ones we have.
May 8, 2012 at 9:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
Simga40 its fine now but just you wait till I90 gets expaned a lot of people well be moving from I90 to Hwy 14 that well be a lot of traffic that is why they are doing this premlinary expansions to aleviate problems when the widing of I90 starts.
May 8, 2012 at 9:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
http://www.facebook.com/JVLWINOBYPASS
May 8, 2012 at 7:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
What a lot of people seem to overlook in all this road work, bypasses, and expansions, is the LOSS of farmland. The roads split farms, create problems for farmers who, in some cases sell off the split off land, that often has become housing. Remember, we have some of the best farmland in the country in this county, but we are allowing it to be carved up for highways, Weigh stations that are now underused, and other non farm uses.
Where are we going to grow food when this land is gone? Think about this....
May 8, 2012 at 7:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
bbballchick - you say to grow, the road must be built. Surely then, you can back up that statement with traffic counts, trends, and business and population roadway needs ?
May 8, 2012 at 7:10 p.m.
Suggest removal
....or if you could get people east of hwy 51 to actually do the speed limit that would be nice. Its a 4 lane why and people do 45 in a 55.
May 8, 2012 at 7:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
I drive hwy 14 every morning and evening, not sure why you'd need more lanes.....its fine.
May 8, 2012 at 4:51 p.m.
Suggest removal
"and widen Highway 14 east of Highway 51 and through Janesville from four lanes to six lanes. This alternative is referred to in state transportation documents as W3."
is this before we get 6 lanes total on the INTERSTATE?? lol
May 8, 2012 at 4:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
If Janesville and the towns just west of it wants to grow than this is needed. My grandpa says people were against the interstate way back then also because some farms would be split and now it's growing even more. It's not enough just to have an interstate running thru a city as you also need the roads running to them and Hwy 14 west of Janesville needs a bypass.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.