Home Making Improvements? What the State says...
What area residents say... John's letter to the Editor New Victim
The EMT's letter to the Editor Dedication to Shane Boondoggles
Dodge County Committees Feedback or send an e-mail
(First, I want to say a little about the
tape they showed those of us at the meeting. They had a law enforcement officer
drive towards Waupun from Fox Lake, video recording what was visible from a
driver's perspective. There was a school bus ahead of him, so we can assume it
was just after school. You could see the road and signs as they were
approximately a month ago.
When he turned to approach Fox Lake from Waupun, the sun was shining at such an
angle that you could not make out the arrow signs until you were upon
them.
In the next segment of the video, it was a much cloudier and dreary day, the
officer approached the curves from Fox Lake and they could be made out quite
well. I was about to commend them on a job well done until the officer
approached Fox Lake from the Waupun side. Even in the dull and gloomy afternoon,
or perhaps because of it, the clouds and signs practically blended into one.
Most of us in the audience could not make out the signs in that segment of the
video. At that point, I commented, "...perfect example of why this road
needs to be restructured." The man in charge of the video machine promptly
turned it off. The show did not resume.
As I've stated before, for those of you following this saga, the DOT has taken an interest in following the development of these pages, as indicated by the tracker I have installed. I wish they took half as much interest in restructuring the shortest State Highway in Wisconsin. If they had, we might not be discussing this right now. Let's hope any repercussions don't land squarely on me. Where I have quoted the DOT representative, I took that information straight off the tape I made at the meeting, so I know what was said. It eliminates any questions.
I thank all of you for your support.
(Additional comments are strictly the opinion of X / Scapes)
|
More improvements planned for deadly curve |
written by Nicole Slemin
JUNEAU - Within the next
month, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to install delineator
posts or chevrons and add reflective strips to the posts of existing signs
posted along a questionable curve on Highway 68, about one-half mile east of Fox
Lake near Oaks Road.
Graham
Heitz of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said Monday during the
Dodge County Highway Safety Commission meeting that these "short-term
solutions" will be completed within the next month. In the meantime, the DOT
will be considering various long-term solutions to the curve which has claimed
the lives of at least two people and injured many more since 1994.
"Our ultimate goal is to either flatten or restructure the road,"
Heitz said. "But we have to look into the logistics, geometrics and the
traffic and crash history on this particular stretch of highway first. For now,
these are a few interim things that can be done until an actual project can be
done."
Heitz
said the DOT, at this point, plans to implemented a permanent solution as early
as 2003. Before any type of restructuring could be done, however, a land
acquisition would have to be made and utility poles would have to be moved,
Heitz said.
One
proposal that the DOT is investigating is extending Highway 68 at this curve
south through the field and connecting it with Highway C. Highway C would then
terminate at Highway 68 and the intersection where highways 68 and A connect
near the Fox Lake Fire Department would also be eliminated.
In the
meantime, Heitz said additional safety measures, such as the delineator posts
and reflective strips will be taken on Highway 68 in hopes of preventing further
accidents.
(When I first asked about putting the black and white posts around the curves, it was shot down. As I and others in the audience pursued the subject, the DOT representative finally broke down on the side of good judgment and said "...those could probably get done as early as next month sometime." Another member of the audience then remarked "they'll be fine there until the county comes along and knocks them down with the plow." To which Robert Sindelar responded, "Well, they need something to hit besides mailboxes." Not a particularly amusing comment, considering John Eveland lost his only son in a snow plow incident. Perhaps the thoughtless and callous remark by Robert Sindelar helps explain the lackadaisical attitude about this particular Highway.)
"I
just want to see something done with this road, so no one else loses their life
and has to go through what I went through," said John Eveland, the father
of 5-year-old Shane Eveland who was killed in an accident on the curve in April.
"I really believe the real solution is to restructure the road. Everything
else that is done is just a band-aid, or a temporary solution to a much larger
problem."
Eveland
was just one of seven area residents who attended Monday's highway commission
meeting.
During the meeting, concerned residents made suggestions and asked questions about the 55 mph speed limit, the possibility of adding additional signage and rumble strips and even expressed a need for better road maintenance on the highway during winter months.
( I asked if the speed limit could
perhaps be reduced in the area of three relatively close curves on Highway 68.
It was explained that to impose an 'artificially low' speed limit "...may
breed non-compliance..." and create additional hazards. It was also
explained that the speed limits are set according to an "85
percentile" equation, where they calculate speed limits on the majority of
travelers rate of speed in a given area. With that in mind, having been out to
Dead Man's Curve several times and witnessing the majority of traffic exceeding
the posted limits, I'm surprised that the DOT in it's infinite wisdom doesn't raise
the limit to match the "85 percentile."
The question about posting a 'dangerous curves ahead' sign was answered with
"that could be a liability issue." Like, driving out there now
sometimes isn't? It was also stated that unnecessary road sign clutter may be a
distraction in and of itself. With that in mind, I went back to the idea of
lowering the speed limit in the areas of the curves. The answer was "I
don't think a reduced speed limit in that area would be warranted."
Rumble strips, although a very good idea, are limited to use before areas with
stop signs. I can understand that, at least. Okay, rumble strips are out.)
Preliminary efforts to improve the safety on the curve were first approved by
the DOT on Sept. 6. Within a week, the Dodge County Highway Department repainted
road lines and installed larger warning signs on both the east and west sides of
the highway.
(Another thing that was stated was that they can not place any reflective stripes on the posts for a month because "...our resources are spread pretty thin right now. We just lost another crew not too long ago." This needs to go through the state, just because there is a county shop right there in Fox Lake doesn't effect much. Your tax dollars at work, again, folks.)
Existing
30 inch signs were replaced with 36 inch yellow curve caution signs and a night
arrow was installed.
(I learned that "night arrows" is just a nice name for the signs you see there already. There are constructed of reflective material, but one area resident that uses the road on a regular night-time basis says they don't appear reflective. If a reflective sign appears not to reflect, is it effective?)
The
preliminary efforts to improve safety on the highway were approved by the state
following an investigation into the safety of the curve.
(The Graham Heitz told those of us at the meeting that the gentleman listed below is the man to contact with further questions, quandries, queries or concerns. Therefore, I feel it only right to post this information:)
The
District 1 DOT office here in Madison has submitted an application for Hazard
Elimination and Safety (HES) improvement funding to improve STH 68 just east of
Fox Lake. I hope to hear this month that funding is approved. The soonest that
construction could start would be 2003. Plans need to be made, right of way
purchased and utilities relocated before a contract can be let.
District 1 has recently added a
35 MPH advisory sign for westbound traffic on the south side of STH 68 to match
the existing one on the north side. Both signs are the largest advisory signs
made. The night time curve advisory arrow signs have been replaced with the
largest type made.
Please feel free to call me at (608) 246 - 5444 if you have
any additional questions. Planning Engineer
Statistics obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that date
back to January 1994, show that two fatalities, three property damage incidents
and five personal injury accident have occurred on or near the curve on Highway
68. Seven people were hurt in the personal injury accidents.
(I
have been given the question of why the statistics don't start before January of
1994. Perhaps the DOT doesn't like the idea of having to answer for a road that
has earned a bad name for over 20 years. I guess the best people to answer that
are at the DOT.
Notice: It was brought to my attention that the DOT began compiling records on
computer in 1994. This should explain why there is no mention of prior
incidents. It's more difficult for them to retrieve the information prior to
that. Not to mention, then those statistics don't seem to factor into their
decisions. More convenient for whom??)
Home Making Improvements? What area residents say...
What the State says... Boondoggles New Victim
John's letter to the Editor The EMT's letter to the Editor
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