Transportation 1. Overview 2. Road Network
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A Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan For Winnebago County: 2016-2025 Volume 1: Background Document Chapter 3. Transportation Transportation Chapter Contents 1. Overview 1. Overview 2. Road Network This chapter evaluates all types of transportation on a countywide 3. Public Transit basis and is intended to: 4. Park and Ride Lots 5. Recreational Trails and 1. Guide public expenditures for transportation improvements for Bicycle and Pedestrian all modes of transportation, not just roadways and transit. Facilities 6. Rail Transportation 2. Advise local communities on the larger transportation framework for the county as a whole. 7. Truck Transportation 8. Air Transportation 3. Assist local leaders in making land use recommendations that 9. Water Transportation relate to the Transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan. Modes of transportation addressed in this chapter include: Roads Trucking Public transit Air transportation Bicycle and pedestrian facilities Water transportation Railroads 2. Road Network General Description Winnebago County's road system includes U.S. Highways, state highways, county roads, and local roads (Map 4). U.S. Highways include U.S. 10, 41, and 45. The County Highway Department receives federal funding to maintain the U.S. highway system in the County. These highways are considered primary arterial roadways, and are meant to move traffic quickly through the County. The second level includes State Roads 21, 26, 44, 91, 116, and 175. The County Highway Department receives State dollars to maintain the State Road system in the County. These roads can be considered major arterial streets. The third level of roadway classification is the County road system, which is identified by letters. These roads include A, AA, AH, AP, B, BB, D, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, I, II, K, M, MM, N, O, P, S, T, V, W, X, Y, and Z. The County funds the maintenance and repair of these roadways. The final category includes roads/streets maintained by towns, cities, and villages. Local town roads are maintained by the individual Towns or by the County through a contractual arrangement. Local roads in cities and villages are maintained by the municipality with jurisdiction. ii Draft 2.0 3-1 A Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan For Winnebago County: 2016-2025 Volume 1: Background Document Chapter 3. Transportation Traffic Counts Traffic counts are an important planning tool in that they measure the volume of traffic in a given timeframe. When different years of traffic counts are compared, planners can determine whether present traffic numbers are within the designed capacity of the roadway, or whether the counts exceed the designed capacity. One of the ways roadway usage is measured is by applying established criteria in a Highway Capacity model. When a roadway traffic volume exceeds the roads designed capacity, the County and/or State Highway Department must determine what improvements are needed to bring the roadway up to acceptable standards. When 2 lane rural roadways (County, Town, or State) exceed 7,000 average daily trips (ADTs), such roads should be analyzed to determine whether they should be upgraded (according to WisDOT standards). The State of Wisconsin conducts traffic counts of all U.S., State, and county roadways on a periodic basis. In analyzing these counts taken at 2010, it is apparent that some roadways in Winnebago County are experiencing increasing numbers. Most notably, U.S. Highway 45 has seen increasing traffic numbers from U.S. Highway 41 to the future U.S. Highway 10 corridor. Near the State Road 116 intersection, traffic has increased to 14,100 vehicles per day. North of County Road GG, traffic counts increased by nearly 1,500 vehicles per day. Traffic counts in the towns of Wolf River and Poygan showed slight to moderate increases. At the intersection of County Road M and Highway 116 in the Town of Winneconne, there was an increase of 800 vehicles per day. Roadway Conditions Local municipalities in Wisconsin use the PASER Table 3-1. Condition of County Roads: 2009-2014 (Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating System) Percent of Total system to rate the road pavement condition based Excellent Good Fair Poor Failed on a visual assessment. PASER uses a 10-point scale Year (9-10) (7-8) (5-6) (3-4) (1-2) with 1 being the worst and 10 being a newly 2009 __ __ __ __ __ constructed pavement. PASER measures the distress of a pavement’s surface. 2010 __ __ __ __ __ 2011 __ __ __ __ __ Comparing PASER data over a period of time 2012 __ __ __ __ __ provides an objective measure of the transportation system. Table 3-1 shows the PASER rating for county 2013 __ __ __ __ __ roads from 2009 to 2014. There is a shift from “good” 2014 __ __ __ __ __ to “fair” roads to “poor” roads. The shift is slight, but Source: Winnebago County Highway Department should be noted. (verify) The PASER ratings combined with other inventory data (width, length, shoulder, pavement type, etc.) from the WisDOT local roads inventory (WISLR) can be very helpful in planning future budgets and priorities. Bridges According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there were 261 bridges (i.e., span 20 feet or more) in Winnebago County in 2015 (Map 5). To ensure the safety of motorists, bridges in the state are inspected at least once every two years and sometimes more frequently depending on a bridge’s age, traffic load, and any known deficiencies or load restrictions. Following a thorough review of the deck, superstructure and substructure, bridges are ii Draft 2.0 3-2 A Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan For Winnebago County: 2016-2025 Volume 1: Background Document Chapter 3. Transportation assigned a "sufficiency rating" number between one and Table 3-2. Condition of Bridges: 2015 100. The rating takes into Maintenance Responsibility account some 75 factors Sufficiency Rating Town City Village County State Total reviewed during an 80 or more 29 23 0 26 130 208 inspection and also considers a bridge’s age, length and 50 or more but less than 80 8 11 0 4 22 45 width, and the average Less than 50 2 1 0 1 4 8 amount of traffic the bridge Total 39 35 0 31 156 261 handles. Source: Highway Structures Information System, website access February 6, 2015 These sufficiency ratings are used to help prioritize bridge improvements. Under WisDOT's Local Bridge Improvement Assistance program, municipalities are eligible for rehabilitation funding on bridges with sufficiency ratings less than 80, and replacement funding on bridges with sufficiency ratings less than 50. In 2015, 8 bridges had a rating of less than 50, and 45 were rated 50 or more, but less than 80 (Table 3- 2). Of the deficient bridges, one is eligible to receive cost-share funding under the Local Bridge Improvement Assistance Program (Table 3-3). It is located in the Town of Wolf River. Table 3-3. Approved Bridge Program Projects: 2013-2018 Sufficiency Project Project ID Bridge ID Project Concept Work Type Rating Rank 6446-00-00 B700892 Town of Wolf River, South Road, Rat Replacement Design 32.2 11 River Bridge & Approaches 6446-00-71 B700892 Town of Wolf River, South Road, Rat Replacement Construction 32.2 110 River Bridge & Approaches Source: Wisconsin Department of Transportation (2013-2018 Local Bridge Program Approved Projects List - Published January 23, 2014) While most of the bridges are fixed, there are a number of movable bridges. For larger boats, the river channels through Oshkosh and Winneconne have lift bridges that operate during the boating season. A movable railroad trestle in Oshkosh also operates to let boats through during the season as well. Qualities that Distinguish a Rustic Road Have outstanding natural features along its borders Rustic Roads such as rugged terrain, native vegetation, native The Rustic Roads System in Wisconsin was created wildlife, or include open areas with agricultural vistas by the 1973 State Legislature in an effort to help which singly or in combination uniquely set this road apart from other roads. citizens and local units of government preserve what remains of Wisconsin's scenic, lightly traveled Be a lightly traveled local access road, one which serves the adjacent property owners and those country roads. These routes provide bikers, hikers, wishing to travel by auto, bicycle, or hiking for and motorists with an opportunity to leisurely travel purposes of recreational enjoyment of its rustic through some of Wisconsin's scenic countryside. features. Be one not scheduled nor anticipated for major An officially designated rustic road continues to be improvements that would change its rustic under local control and is eligible for state aids just characteristics. as any other public highway. A rustic road may be Have preferably, a minimum length of 2 miles and, dirt, gravel or paved road. It may be one-way or where feasible, should provide a completed closure two-way. It may also have bicycle or hiking paths or loop, or connect to major highways at both ends of the route. ii Draft 2.0 3-3 A Multi-Jurisdictional Comprehensive Plan For Winnebago County: 2016-2025 Volume 1: Background Document Chapter 3. Transportation adjacent to or incorporated in the roadway area. The maximum speed limit on a rustic road has been established by law at 45 mph. The local governing authority may establish a speed limit as low as 25 mph. There is one rustic road in Winnebago County - Route 72. It follows Mountain Road in the Town of Utica, beginning at its intersection with County Highway M and proceeding in a southerly then easterly direction until its intersection again with County Highway M. It is 3.1 miles and has a surface that is both paved and graveled.