click here to sign the petition which will be submitted to the Town Board and WI DOT
Concern: It is not safe for kids to cross Highway 42
The state highway, where it passes in front of the public schools, has become more dangerous. There are now 3 non profits, elementary, and high schools and the State Park. People cross the highway at all times of the day and in the evening all year long. After school, children through grade 5 have to be bused across the highway to attend classes at the Y or the art school. There is a police car after school to remind drivers to slow down and a yellow overhead blinking light to try to make it safer to cross after school.
Responsibility. Although the DOT and the Town pay for highway improvements, children are at risk every time they have to cross the highway. As adults, it is our job to protect the kids. We cannot wait for one inattentive child playing tag with friends to get hurt or killed.
Past Ideas for making the Highway in Front of the School Safer. A bridge over, a tunnel under, a roundabout, stop signs and even diverting the Highway down Hwy F to Hwy A and back to the Highway have been considered.
Current plan projected to be completed by July of 2020. Concerned committees and highway planners in the town should be commended and thanked for 5+ years of hard work with the State DOT to attempt to design a safer crossing.
Concerns. While costly and lovely, the current new design will not be much safer. It will be expensive to build and upkeep. Police will still need to be hired after school to sit in a car to remind motorists to slow down. It will be risky for people to cross the highway at all other busy times. The unsafe highway crossing limits collaboration of the school with the art school and Y at other times of the day and makes it difficult for the Y and art school to use the State Park for classes.
It was the best choice…until now. Unfortunately, this idea was not thought of until early in January. It is 100% safe and may be more cost effective than the currently approved plan. Local leaders liked the idea, but there was hesitation because they thought it was too late and they already put in much effort and money. The deadline was delayed in January because the DOT told the Town that their share of improvements would cost an additional $550 thousand. The date will be reset when new bids are in. This means there might be time to consider a safe design. This safe plan Idea failed due to the focus on timeline rather than safety and saving money.
Discussion
- One leader said the campus, including the public school, the 3 nearby non profits and the State park would provide unlimited opportunities.
- Another said it will preserve the beautiful ambiance of the County and provide a safe bicycle and hiking path along the new stretch of highway suggested.
- There would be a minimum amount of construction disruption while work is being done because it would not require shutting down the highway for months and rerouting traffic to county highways. The plan would use the Highway while the new road is constructed.
- Work would be done during the quiet season with minimum effect on transient rentals. Rental properties would benefit from a community campus.
- Future maintenance would be less and it may even cost less to build. There could be grant and fundraising opportunities for school/community collaboration. There may be some sustainability funding available.
- The art school and the YMCA would now have Highway access. They could now safely build lifelong habits with the students, just as the auditorium does currently.
- The speed limit should be slower in the campus neighborhood for minimum disruption to neighbors.
- This belated idea, hatched in early January, is much safer and potentially more cost effective than the currently approved plan. Is it too late to consider it? The general consensus is yes. It would have been easier to accept the conclusion that it is too late. I will just keep kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner. However, because kids and tourists will still be in danger every time they cross the highway, I felt compelled to discuss the idea with community leaders.