Residents concerned about roundabouts on '26' bypass

By Adam Tobias of the Daily Times staff
Thursday, April 10, 2008 12:30 PM CDT

Appleton resident Michael Koerner, left, and Ed Farrell, of Watertown, discuss the Highway 26 bypass while looking at maps of the project during a state Department of Transportation public information meeting held Wednesday at Watertown High School. (ADAM TOBIAS/Daily Times)

The state Department of Transportation held a public information meeting Wednesday on the Highway 26 bypass around Watertown and the main topic of discussion among area residents in attendance was concerns about roundabouts.

The 12-mile Highway 26 bypass project, which begins just south of Baneck Lane and ends near County Highway Q north of the city, includes a total of 10 roundabouts at the interchange ramp terminals and other road intersections.

A roundabout is a one-way, circular intersection without traffic signal equipment that allows motorists to flow around a center island. The only movement allowed upon entry or exit from the roundabout is a right turn.

Todd Hertz, project engineer from KL Engineering Inc., told the crowd at Watertown High School that the roundabouts were included in the roadwork because they are safer than the average four-way intersection.

“Why do we like roundabouts? They move traffic safely and efficiently,” Hertz said. “There are lower speeds when you come into them, lower angle impact - you don't get the T-bone type angles - and there are fewer conflict points.”

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Hertz added a normal four-way intersection has 32 vehicle conflict points and 16 vehicle/pedestrian conflict points. Roundabouts have eight vehicle conflict points and eight vehicle/pedestrian conflict points, he said.

Hertz also noted studies completed by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety show roundabouts have 90 percent less traffic fatalities than normal four-lane intersections and 75 percent less traffic injuries. He added the roundabouts have been designed to have a speed limit of 15 to 20 mph.

To help show the growing popularity of roundabouts in the country, Hertz pointed out the Federal Highway Administration is currently constructing 150 to 200 per year and has a goal of 1,000 per year.

He also noted there are currently about 50 roundabouts in Wisconsin and over 40 are being proposed for the reconstruction of the Highway 41 corridor from Oshkosh to Green Bay.

Hertz said the roundabouts in Watertown will have been designed to accommodate large trucks and oversized loads.

Although Hertz claims roundabouts are safer than four-way intersections, some of the residents at the public information meeting still voiced their doubts.

“I find them (roundabouts) very confusing,” said Eleanor Gudmundson, of Watertown. “Any place I've been if you don't know the area, they aren't properly marked. If you are not familiar you don't know where to get off.”

“All the roundabouts I've dealt with I don't like and I drive a truck so I do see some of them,” Watertown resident Gary Schmidt added. “I think they should have put the one in on Church and Bernard streets to see how well they liked it, then they would know how good they are. I think they would've had to put a police shop right down there so they would've had somebody stationed there to investigate all the accidents.”

“Okauchee has one and some people I know who live there are getting used to it, but they say there are still a lot of people who don't know how to go through it,” said David Wilcox, of Watertown. “I know they are real common in Europe, but it's something new around here and people don't like change in America.”

Some of the residents at the meeting may have voiced their displeasure on the roundabouts, but there were a few people who said they are not worried about the transition to the new intersections.

“Once everybody gets used to it I think they'll like it just fine,” said Guy Yuker, of Watertown.

“It's a new concept for Watertown, but I work in Madison so I am kind of used to seeing them,” added Watertown resident Dan Adams.

The Highway 26 bypass construction project is slated to begin north of Johnson Creek and will bypass Watertown to the west near High Road and connect back with existing Highway 26 just north of the city near County Highway Q.

The bypass will have four lanes and the existing roadway from just south of Baneck Lane to Turf Road will also be widened to four lanes. The bypass will have controlled access from interchanges at the relocated County Highway Y, state Highway 19 and state Highway 16.

The project also includes a multi-use trail on the west side of Highway 26 from Baneck Lane to Kiln Road.

According to Hertz, the grading, paving and bridge work is being divided into three stages: From Baneck Lane to the bypass near Turf Road, the bypass to the railroad tracks just south of Highway 19 and from the railroad tracks to County Highway Q.

Grading and bridge work on the bypass from High Road to the railroad tracks is scheduled to start in the summer of 2009 and should be completed by the fall of 2011. Grading and bridge work on the bypass from the railroad tracks to Highway Q should begin in the spring of 2010 and be finished by the fall of 2011.

Grading and paving of Highway 26 from Baneck Lane to the bypass will begin in the spring of 2010 and should be completed by the fall of 2011. Paving work on the bypass from High Road to Highway Q should start in the spring of 2012 and be completed by fall later that year.

Hertz said the interchange at the relocated Highway Y should open at the end 2011 and the entire project is expected to be finished in late 2012.

The Highway 26 bypass project around Watertown is expected to have construction costs of $80 million.