Roundabout to be Put in at WIS 144 and County H Intersection

The Town of Farmington hosted members from Ayres Associates and WiscDOT (Wisconsin Department of Transportation) on Oct. 6 in their town hall to go over and answer any questions about the roundabout that is being placed at the intersection of WIS 144 and County H, just east of the Village of Kewaskum.

This was not a public hearing or an official meeting. Instead, Ayres and WisDOT had boards with their plans and answered any questions residents had. Residents were even able to put comments in a suggestion box at the event.

There was a decent amount of people who showed up right away to the town hall, with many of them being residents who lived right by or within a mile of the intersection.

The intersection of WIS 144 and County H is a very dangerous intersection that has had many serious and fatal accidents in its history. Currently, the intersection has a two-way stop on the County H sides. However, these still prove to be little to no help, as people often speed greatly on these roads, making it hard to see or determine how fast cars are approaching.

Why not reduce speed?

WIS 144 has a posted speed limit of 55 mph, and County H has a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Unfortunately, people often speed past this limit. This makes it hard to judge how fast cars are coming and when it is or is not safe to enter the intersection.

At the meeting, one unnamed resident kept asking the question, “Why not reduce the speed limit?”

“Studeis have shown that reducing the speed limit doesn’t always necessarily reduce speed,” claimed Kevin Kuhlow with Ayres Associates who designed the roundabout.

Then local resident Steve Hesse, who lives less than a mile from the intersection, and who has worked in law enforcement, chimed in: “I live on H and (removed for privacy). That’s 45 [mph], they’re driving 60. On 144, it’s posted 55, they’re driving 70. It doesn’t matter. And the sheriff’s department can’t have people there [all the time].”

Hesse also commented, “We have a 16-year-old driver, and every time she leaves the house in the morning I tell her, ‘Make sure that that intersection is clear before you pull out.’ We hear the siren; we cringe every time we hear them, because we know exactly where they’re going. Unfortunately, this needed to be done then redesigned the road eight to ten years ago… I’m very grateful for the fact that the DOT is going to be doing it now.”

The DOT has conducted studies and evaluations of the intersection and found that the roundabout is the safest choice, with other studies showing that roundabouts decrease crashes by 90%.

The Plan

Improvement plans include the following:

Reconstruct approximately 450-750 feet along all legs of the intersection

Raise the intersection and replace or upsize the existing structures to improve water drainage

Reconstruct approximately 180 feet along Whitewood Dr.

Add curb and gutter with storm sewer inlets

Add lighting, signing and pavement markings

Modify access to one residential driveway on the north leg of the intersection

Two households of the modified driveway were at the meeting and are in contact with Ayres to figure out plans for the modification.

Detour

During construction, which is planned for mid-late summer of 2028, WIS 144 and County H will be closed for approximately 90 days, with access maintained to local businesses and property owners. The roads will be blocked off and signs of a detour for 144 will be placed. Going south, vehicles will turn onto 28 to Kewaskum, drive down 45 and either continue on 45 or turn onto 33.

Contact Information

Those who are interested in the project are encouraged to reach out and provide comments by Nov. 6, either by phone, email or mail. WisDOT and Ayres Associates (design consultant) welcomes and appreciates any input given throughout the design process.

WisDOT Southeast Region

141. N.W. Barstow St.

P.O. Box 798

Waukesha, WI 53187-0798

www.wisconsindot.gov

Martin Villaca: Project Manager, WisDOT; (262) 548-6456; martin.villaca@dot.wi.gov

Chris Verhyen: Communications Manager, WisDOT; (262) 548-8757; chris.verhyen@dot.wi.gov

Kevin Kuhlow, P.E.: Consultant Project Manager, Ayres Associates; (608) 443-1210; kuhlowk@ayresassociates.com