Y/YZ the DOT Ignores Suggestion

Dear Editor,

The four-lane US Highway between Dodgeville and Dane County was originally planned to be a limited-access highway. The designation of limited access meant any crossing or access would be only at intersections with grade separations and ramps which must be used to access the road. That makes frontage roads necessary. 

US Highway 18/151 has since construction shown where problems are. The Ridgeway Intersection of 18/151 & Ridgeview Road eliminated four at-grade intersections.  

Does the DOT, (Department of Transportation) accept comments is the point of this letter. 

On May 16th, 2023 the Iowa County Board passed a Resolution Petitioning The Wisconsin Department of Transportation to construct a highway interchange at Y/YZ and State Highway 18/151. It was mentioned at Iowa County Public Works by a board member that the DOT did not listen to Iowa County government input. 

It is my suggestion that rather than a full intersection designed for limited access other options need to be looked at. The last Mapping Phase study ended in 2016. 

The proposal of a J-Turn Intersection that the  DOT has suggested is a band-aid approach. The result would be confusing to motorists, inconvenient to farm machinery, and a hindrance to economic development in Iowa County. The original plan included frontage roads which could be added anytime in the future. 

Construction of an overpass at Y/YZ to cross 18/151 with on/off ramps would be acceptable to satisfy the Highway Safety Program as a stand-alone project. The frontage roads are not necessary at the present time. The overpass option to the best of my knowledge was not considered because it was not documented as an option. The option they have chosen is titled J-Turn Intersection. 

The contacts for the CTH Y/YZ Restricted Crossing U-Turn Interchange (RCUT) Project are Derek Potter and Mike Scarmon. If you want to make a difference, this is your chance. Take a picture of this letter and send it to the following contacts. 

Mike Scarmon who is the DOT Consultant Project Engineer at KL Engineering at 5400 King James Way, Suite 200, Madison, WI  53719,  

mscarmon@klengineering.com    (608)-663-1218 

Derek Potter, DOT Project Manager of the Southwest Region, 2101 Wright St., Madison, WI 53704.   derek.potter@dot.wi.gov   (608)-246-3861 

The study portion was completed by Kevin Drunasky, (608)-246-3811, 

kevin.drunasky@dot.wi.gov 

Bruce Paull, Ridgeway, WI