FORMAL CONVERSION REQUEST MEMO US 41 Conversion to I-41 Project I.D. 1113-00-00 US 41 Interstate Conversion Study I-94 – I-43 Various Counties February 26, 2015 Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 1 2. SAFETEA-LU LEGISLATION .............................................................................................. 2 3. LOGICAL TERMINII ............................................................................................................ 2 4. ROUTE DESIGNATION ...................................................................................................... 3 a) Route Designation - Alternatives ..................................................................................... 3 b) WIS 175 .......................................................................................................................... 3 c) AASHTO approval ........................................................................................................... 4 5. ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT ........................................................................................ 4 a) Purpose of and Need for the Project ................................................................................ 5 b) Economics ....................................................................................................................... 5 c) Oversize / Overweight Vehicles ....................................................................................... 5 d) Outdoor Advertising ......................................................................................................... 6 e) Indirect and Cumulative Effects ....................................................................................... 6 f) Public Involvement .......................................................................................................... 6 g) Agency Coordination ....................................................................................................... 7 6. GEOMETRICS .................................................................................................................... 7 7. CAPACITY AND OPERATIONS ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 8 8. CRASH ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................. 8 9. DEFICIENCY REPORT ...................................................................................................... 9 10. ROAD SAFETY AUDIT ................................................................................................... 9 11. DESIGN EXCEPTION REPORT ..................................................................................... 9 12. STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN .............................................................................10 13. CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................10 APPENDICES Appendix A – Project Location Map Appendix B – AASHTO SCOH 11/16/12 meeting minutes/report Appendix C – Signed Environmental Report cover sheet Appendix D – Concurrence/status from HIPA on Design Exception Report Appendix E – Design Exception Report Attachment A – Project Location/Overview Map Attachment B – Proposed Design Criteria Attachment C – Deficiency Mitigation and Improvements Table Attachment D – Project Status Attachment E – Listing of Deficiencies Appendix F – Strategic Improvement Plan Appendix G – Road Safety Audit Recommendation Response Table 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), in consultation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has conducted a study to convert United States Highway 41 (US 41) from a non‐Interstate freeway on the National Highway System (NHS) to an Interstate Highway between the Zoo Interchange on Interstate 94 (I‐94/I‐894) in Milwaukee, and the US 41/I‐43 interchange in Green Bay. The overall study area extends from the US 41/I-94 interchange just south of the Wisconsin/Illinois state line to Green Bay; however, between the study area’s south terminus and the Zoo Interchange, the study corridor is already an Interstate highway: I-94 / I-894 / I-43. See Appendix A for the project location map. This study evaluated the existing design features and operational conditions of the segment of US 41 from the Zoo Interchange north to the US 41/I‐43 interchange to determine if the segment meets the criteria established in Section 1105 (e), of Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), as amended. The purpose of this report is to summarize the process that WisDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) underwent. Congress made the high priority corridor designation based on the importance of the route in serving regional, national, and international freight and vehicle movements. After the legislation was enacted in 2005 identifying US 41 as a future Interstate, WisDOT began a study in 2007 to understand the needs and impacts of Interstate conversion. The study initially investigated existing deficiencies in geometrics and safety issues. In 2011, direction from WisDOT management renewed the study and a Conversion Delivery Team was formed. Ten task teams were created to manage and investigate a range of study topics from geometrics to crash analysis to economics. WisDOT worked closely with FHWA, and most task teams had a representative from FHWA on the team. Below is an overview of the timeline. Project I.D. 1113-00-00 Page 1 The results of the study confirm that this segment of US 41 connects to the existing Interstate System, and addresses the current Interstate System design standards as established in A Policy on Design Standards-Interstate System. 5th Edition (2005). The Design Exception Report (DER) (See Appendix E) details each of the 23 criteria evaluated as part of the study and identifies and justifies design exceptions that are requested at the time of conversion. WisDOT has programmed several projects that will mitigate and improve existing deficiencies. FHWA Office of Infrastructure concurred with the DER on February 23, 2015. (See Appendix D) The deficiencies that have been deferred to later years were determined not to be fiscally prudent at this time. The US 41 corridor is one of the state’s highest priorities and WisDOT is committed to meeting Interstate standards for this corridor. Following concurrence on the action to convert with these exceptions in place, WisDOT plans to let two Interstate signing contracts in April 2015. 2. SAFETEA-LU LEGISLATION The following enacted Congressional legislation has shaped the framework for authorizing the establishment of US 41 as an Interstate in the United States: Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA- LU)(P.L. 109-59) Section 1304 of the Act amended the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) to establish the High Priority Corridor 57 System as part of the National Highway System (NHS). The US 41 corridor was designated a future Interstate corridor by Congressional action under the provisions of section 1105(e)(5) of ISTEA, as amended. According to Section 1105 (e), as amended, segments of this section of US 41 may be designated as Interstate at such time it is determined that a segment meets the Interstate design standards approved under Section 109(b) of Title 23, United States Code and connects to an existing Interstate System segment. 3. LOGICAL TERMINII The south terminus for the proposed I-41 route is identified as the I-94/US 41 interchange located approximately one mile south of the Wisconsin/Illinois border. SAFETEA-LU legislation initially identified the south terminus as the Mitchell Interchange (I-94/I-894) in Milwaukee; however, the Interstate Conversion study team elected to extend the I-41 corridor concurrent with I-94 south approximately 33 miles to the I-94/US 41 interchange for the following reasons: This is the location where US 41 begins to follow an Interstate route. The addition of I-41 to the I-94 corridor will allow the signing for cardinal direction to be north/south rather than the current east/west signing. A long-term goal of reducing driver confusion when driving north on a roadway signed as “west” can be realized for the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin areas. The purpose of the Interstate Conversion is to enhance economic development by converting US 41 to an Interstate Highway. Business interests in the Oshkosh, Neenah, and Appleton area (the Fox Valley) voiced support for converting US 41 to an Interstate Highway to their congressional representatives because they believed an Interstate would better support and enhance economic development than a US highway. As a result of this support, US 41 was included in SAFETEA-LU as a candidate for Interstate Project I.D. 1113-00-00 Page 2 conversion. The extension along I-94 links these Wisconsin metropolitan areas and markets to the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Chicago is the economic epicenter of the entire Midwest and a key hub near the end of the I-41 corridor. Milwaukee, the Fox Valley, and Green Bay are closely linked satellite communities within the context of the greater Chicago “mega-region.” As “supplier” communities that produce and ship goods and services connected to Chicago markets, the Wisconsin communities will certainly benefit from extending I-41 to directly link them to Chicago, as will