The Transportation Projects Commission is expected to consider an update -- i.e., the addition of more lanes -- to State Highway 38 between Racine and Oak Creek.
We're told that the 20,400 traffic count in Husher on Route 38 (in 2008) would justify the additional lanes.
The project will come up during deliberations on a more massive project -- at a cost of at least $1 billion -- proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle: the addition of one lane in each direction to I-39/90 from the Illinois border to Madison.
The Journal Sentinel has the details here.
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Wow well how about making hwy. 32 two lanes from five mile road to hwy 100. also instead of having 38 head east on six mile why not have it keep going straight at hwy H and have it head east again at five mile rd. That would bring down the congestion seen at six mile road significantly,
ReplyDeleteFolks, this is yet another example of something we do not need to expand on. More money to spend on that we don't have.
ReplyDeleteGoogle the term "Peak Oil". There you will see the evidence that we are on the cusp of the decline of oil. Simply put we are about to enter a time when we will have less oil (gasoline) each year. Search YouTube for detailed information that documents this too.
So, what has this got to do with expansion of Hwy 38 to four lanes? Everything. Soon, the price of gasoline will forever go up and people will react to that with less demand. This reduction in demand will take care of any potential increase in usage of Hwy 38.
Don't believe me? Again, do your own research. Search Google and YouTube. It's all there with very credible information.
Let me be clear about this. I am not opposed to resurfacing Hwy 38. OOPS, they are already doing that. So, why in heavens name spend double the money (figuratively) and cut up a perfectly re-done Hwy 38 soon afterwards with a 4 lane highway version that will soon have less traffic on it due to much higher gasoline prices AND from people using the KRM rail system (if you believe those people).
It just does not make any sense at all. Where has common sense disappeared to?
Rees Roberts
One more thing....
ReplyDeleteIn my last comment I placed a link to my name to Transition Towns Wisconsin, Inc. With this comment I have put a link to my name for Transition Racine web site, part of Transition United States.
If you are interested in what we have to say and would like to add your voice then please consider meeting with us. Our next meeting is at Gateway Racine 6:30pm on September 13, 2010. Or any 2nd Monday you wish to attend. There is a map on the Transition Racine web page showing where we are and where to park.
Our Vision is to help create and support State of Wisconsin vibrant communities to inspire, encourage, network, support and train communities as they consider, adopt, adapt and implement the transition model in order to establish a Transition Initiative.
The Transition model emboldens communities (like Racine) to look peak oil and climate change squarely in the eye and unleash the collective genius of their own people to find the ways to become communities which are resilient and self-reliant in the face of unstable economic and resource origins including the naturally constant but terminal decline of petroleum.
Rees - once again you show your ignorance. There is plenty of oil available in the U.S. to cover all our needs if the government would allow the drilling - now we have Obama putting a hold on drilling in the gulf while thousands of oil workers are out of jobs.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who says 38 shouldn't be 4 lanes consider the following:
ReplyDeleteThe 20,400 traffic count on 38 near Husher is higher than 4 lane Hwy 11 at I 94 12,900 and almost as high as Hwy 20 at I 94. No one is complaining that those are 4 lane roads.
There isnt one 4 lane highway east of I-94 that connects Racine and Milwaukee, yet we have two 4 lane highways between Racine and Kenosha.
Actually Rees is right. Opinions should not be confused with facts. Also, current conditions may be appropriate for 4 lanes right now but that was not his point. He was saying that the future will bring much higher fuel prices which will bring down demand for automobile usage. If you do any of the research he suggested, you would conclude his analysis was correct. For the future, less demand equals leaving Highway 38 at two lanes.
ReplyDeleteJust spewing opinions you would like to believe in can not be justification to spend millions of dollars. Just look at what is happening all around us. We can't spend our way out of every damn problem we look at. We are in some pretty bad financial condition right now. The amount of debt, both public and private, is killing us. God help us if you can't understand that.
When gas was hovering around $4 gallon in March 2008, miles driven across the country decreased by 4.3%. A 4.3 % drop in traffic on 38 would still result in only 877 fewer cars on that road.
ReplyDeleteThis peak oil is a non starter-there has been talk of running out of oil since the 1970's.
There hasnt been a refinery built in the US since, I believe 1976, which has limited supplies here.
So if $4 gallon gas reduces miles driven by 4.3 percent then how much would it be reduced at $5, $8 or even $10 per gallon? Think it won't happen? Ask dad if gas at a quarter a gallon would ever reach the gas prices we are paying today. Sounds like we might do well to talk it up.
ReplyDeletebefore they make any considerations on this maybe there should be an update on the 2008 traffic count....a lot of people were using 38 as an alternate means of travel because I-94's construction was such a pain to travel...what is the count using data from just before the current work in process...and I also agree with Rees in that they are already repairing and resurfacing 38, why couldnt they have determined that 4 lanes were needed before that was started.....another governor on his way out creating more unnecessary debt for the state ...anyone remember Tommy Thompson?
ReplyDeleteWatch this website, according to the state, more current traffic counts will be put up in Sept, Id bet money the 09/10 numbers will be even higher. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/counts/racine.htm
ReplyDeleteHwy 38 has double the state average accident rate, it appears no one was really watching the traffic counts on this road. The state has been proactive in looking at the problem when it was brought to their attention and used stimulus money to do the current work on short notice. Maybe Racine will come out of the stone ages and have a decent highway to Milwaukee.
Wait a minuete... Something is clearly out of wack here. The count of 20400 through Husher is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than all the other roads in the area. Even 38 on either side of Husher does not have half of the volume, so where is the traffic dispersing to? If the count of 20400 is the stick being used to prop up support for this project then there is a problem. Look at the map and the counts on the surrounding streets and this is clearly an inaccurate anomaly in the data.
ReplyDelete