MadeinUSA - I strongly suspect it's unfounded allegations of criminal activity that the staff doesn't like, and I don't either.

Micheal_Everhart - There is no higher percentage of drunk or texting drivers on this stretch of 14 than on any comparable stretch of highway in the state, yet the crash rates are currently four times higher. Making a safer and more effecient roadway will reduce that. Traffic and accident projections are not based on data from 2003, the study has been ongoing since 2003. The WisDOT presented then-current traffic counts and projections at the meeting in Evansville last spring.

It's long past time for the opponents of this project to stop being selfish and let the WisDOT staff do their jobs. They've already spent $22 million studying this project. Delaying it will cause them to spend more money and time studying - money and time that could be spent building the solution.

Fact: People are driving less. Not more.
http://www.ssti.us/2012/02/motor-vehicle...

So any projections from 2003 data, including increases in accidents is false.

Building an unneeded bypass is not going to automatically reduce accidents. It will not make the drunk drivers not drive home, it will not make the people texting drive safer.

It may reduce volume on the road, which could result in less accidents. Volume has already decreased as much as 25% in some areas from the original 2003 study data. (Check the WISDOT AADT Maps on their webpage 2003,2007,2010)

Repair 14, Expand to 4 lanes where needed, The bypass is not needed or supported by current data.

Our cause is growing:
http://www.facebook.com/JVLWINOBYPASS

http://www.facebook.com/pages/1000-Frien...

http://www.1kfriends.org/

Not every option includes "more than 2.5 miles of new highway". One option is expansion of Highway 14 to four lanes along the existing alignment - no connection to 11, and no new highway at all.

And not everything is black and white. Situations come up that couldn't have been envisioned when procedures were established. In this case, crash rates along this stretch of 14 are four times the state average for similar highways. People traveling on 14 need a safer and more effecient route. How many human lives are you willing to sacrifice by delaying this project, so at most a few dozen people don't have to move for a few more years?

I am unsure what my age has to do with whether or not the WISDOT is following their own policies let alone the State of Wisconsin Statutes.

Major Project definition
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/st...

There are no exceptions that would cover this project. (no matter which option they are still creating 2.5 miles or greater of highway where there was none before) (Which is also referenced in the State Budget)

The West was split into its own study in a document approved 2-28-12 this year.
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/sw...

If it had not been broken out, the West and East would still be the same study.

The WISDOT is trying to have the ROD by January of 2013 for the West Side.

So breaking out the West Portion to fastball that part of the study & construction to serve their own agenda (a potential detour for the I-90 Construction) (violating HIU)

Built too late for what ? If it is such a great project for JUST US 11 & Hwy 14 it will not matter if it waits the required time as outline by our State Government and approved by the TPC. http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/st...

I do not see anything in this link
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/sw...
regarding the proposed 11-14 bypass. The State Legislature already enumerated this project and it is in the design phase, with no mention of a proposed 11-14 bypass.

They are attempting to try to do it. (Lump it in, there are no mechanisms in place to accomplish this, not at this level of cost, or controversy)(Political Opponents of the bypass in State Congress and State House of Representatives are aware of this attempt.)

Legal documents are not fuzzy, Contracts are not grey, Licensing Examinations are either pass/fail, why should the WISDOT get a free pass ?

Sorry, I forgot one point. The DOT has been studying needs on this stretch of 14 since 2003. I went to a meeting they held about it a little over a year ago in Evansville. So how is it you think this project is being "fast balled through hoping no one would catch them"?

Micheal_Everhart, if you think there is anything in government (or much in life, for that matter) that's absolutely black and white, you would do well to rethink that. I don't know how old you are, but in my years I've learned that I didn't know much of anything when I was younger and don't know a whole lot more now, except that life is one big fuzzy gray area.

The DOT obviously has mechanisms in place to lump this project in with the I-39/90 project, or they wouldn't be doing it. We are talking about a handful of families being displaced vs. thousands of people per day needing a safer and more efficient travel route. Waiting another 7 to 8 years to get this project approved, and then having it built thereafter, is way to late.

There is no room for paraphrasing, fuzzy math, grey areas or below board operations and procedures. Black & White, Crystal Clear.

We are talking about homes being destroyed and people's careers in jeopardy.

If the project has merit, and can stand on its own, then the DOT needs to let it complete the standard process for "Major" highway projects in Wisconsin. (How can this be an unreasonable request?)

Not fast balled through hoping no one would catch them.

http://www.facebook.com/JVLWINOBYPASS
All my facts are here taken from the WISDOT's own webpage.

I just got off the phone with State Representative Evan Wynn, he told me that the DOT today told him that they (the DOT) are rushing this study to try to lump this in with the I-90 Project. They do not plan on following their own procedures, or the fact that the DOT Project enumerated by the State Legislature did not have any provision in it for the part of this bypass.

So the bypass project does not "Have Independent Utility" in the DOT's own vision, (hence lumping it in with the I-39/90 Project)

and if they (The WISDOT) followed their own guidelines for "Major Projects" which this is (see previous posts) it would not have a chance of being enumerated (named & funded) by the State Government until 2020.

If the project stands on its own, let it complete its due process and come to fruition in 2019-2020.

Micheal_Everhart, according to you and state rep. Wynn, the WisDOT has spent $22 million of our money doing their homework. Federal Regulation 23 CFR 771.111(f)(2) states (paraphrasing) that a project of this type must have independent utility. It does not state that the project can't also serve to alleviate traffic congestion from another project. The traffic counts to date, clearly showing a continuing increase in traffic, are accurate, and the projections based upon them and other data are as accurate as such predictions can be. These traffic trends clearly indicate an independent need for an expansion of Highway 14.

@Weston14, I did do my homework, the DOT did not, they did not cover all of their bases in their own required state documents. Out of date data, direct conflict with Federal Regulation 23 CFR 771.111(f)(2), etc.

Is everyone aware this study has cost taxpayers $22 million dollars since it started back in 2003 ? (Data from Stat Rep. Wynn)
That even if the record of decision is reached in January of 2013, the soonest possible chance this has of being named and funded by the state legislature is 2020 ? Which means construction not until 2020 or 2021 ?
That to repair 1 mile of highway costs $90,000 currently ? (Data from State Rep. Wynn)
So rather than waste the money on this project the taxpayers could fund 2,000 miles of road repair ? (Projected $180,000,000 for 4 lanes / $90,000) = 2,000 miles

Here is what Koshkonong did.
http://dailyunion.com/main.asp?SectionID...

My link.
http://www.facebook.com/JVLWINOBYPASS

I have been honest from the start, my name is my name. I am Michael Everhart. My immediate family is affected in 2 location either option W4 or W5. There are others out there who feel the same way I do, and are affected in a similar manner. I am merely pointing out the issues that I find, people can chose to listen if they wish.

Sandman says "By the time that DOT is done with this one (as undoubtedly they will proceed regardless of local content), the businesses along the Hwy 14 corridor in Janesville will "decry" the loss of drive-by traffic and attendant loss of sales dollars."

Well please remember as I've said here before, that 'business corridor' in Janesville was built as the Highway 14 bypass. Maybe if the city of Janesville had excersised reasonable control over the type and amount of business development right next to the highway, that route would still be a viable bypass. That possibility is long gone, and a new bypass is needed.

How about a "source" as to why you believe the donations were "illegal"?

Build it, people have always opposed progress. Yes progress is a good thing.

But if they don't do this project just consider what might happen. Janesville will cease to exist and usher in a world of zero growth that will spread like a shockwave around the globe and end civilization as we know it.

"Residents decry Janesville highway project"...as well they should! Yet another waste of some prime and beautiful Rock County land for yet another unnecessary bypass project debacle!

By the time that DOT is done with this one (as undoubtedly they will proceed regardless of local content), the businesses along the Hwy 14 corridor in Janesville will "decry" the loss of drive-by traffic and attendant loss of sales dollars.

And the beat goes on...

If highway construction projects are curtailed how can the construction companies keep up with needed campaign contributions to legislators, gubernatorial candidates and costly lobbyists? If we can't build roads, what's next, railroads? What's in your wallet citizen?

I'm about as fiscally conservative as anyone, but I also recognize the fact that sometimes you have to spend money to keep making money. Government spending does need to be cut - drastically - and there are plenty of places to make cuts. Infrastructure improvements, which are necessary to drive ecconomic development and recovery, is not the place to start. Plus there is the safety factor. The crash rates on this stretch of 14 are four times the state average on similar highways, and this expansion will likely elliminate 75% of those accidents - and that alone would make this project money well spent.

"can't afford to maintain existing services, so why add more?" partarican1, is that a trick question? Just kidding.

Janesvillean writes after, "Again, this is not being built because of existing congestion. It is being built for the traffic needs of future decades. Consider the question of what might happen..."

So. We have an existing tax base who are struggling to maintain the growth of the last few decades being asked to pay for the potential growth of the future ...to do all over again. Oh well why didn't you say so. Run with what's working, right?

Perhaps I have been living in some alternate universe, but everything I heard and read for the past three years is that we were at some sort of a tipping point where the cost of existing government and government obligations like schools, infrastructure and roads were all maxed out and consuming too great a share of our personal wealth. Now, with this expansion and the I90 expansion, I'm under the impression taxpayers are flush with so much extra money that we are are looking to spend as much as possible. Is this a new era of tax and spend Big Government under Scott Walker or should I be looking at the all the savings I will reap in the future because we did something we could not afford not to do?

@youkillme - "I assumed that's what you meant. Sorry about that one. But leaving out the "it" still leaves the notion that we can't afford not to expand and build new roads. That's still a very impressive statement."

It was intended to be an impressive statement. Janesvillean is absolutely right - this project is being considered now because traffic counts are pushing up to levels where expansion is needed, and will continue to increase. You can't wait until it is needed desperately and then spend 2 - 3 or more years building it.

Adding a third lane on each side to Hwy 14 from Wright Rd to Hwy 51 should be more than ample.

Again, this is not being built because of existing congestion. It is being built for the traffic needs of future decades.
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Consider the question of what might happen if we table this project and wait for it to be needed in ten or fifteen years, while people build new homes and new businesses in its path. It will only become more expensive for the taxpayer and harder politically.
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I am really not aware of an alternative to building highways through farmland. Of course, a terrific land-saving alternative to highways is a railroad, but there seems to be some ill-informed opposition to that option.

can't afford to maintain existing services, so why add more?

I assumed that's what you meant. Sorry about that one. But leaving out the "it" still leaves the notion that we can't afford not to expand and build new roads. That's still a very impressive statement.

@youkillme -
No, that is not what I said. I said "we can't afford not to do either" (no "it"), meaning we can't afford not to expand and build new roads AND we can't afford not to maintain the ones we have. I don't mind being quoted, but please get it right.

Weston14, thanks for your response! You saved the best for last though. "We can't afford not to do it either." Good one! I'll have to remember that.

I think I know FJ's position on this. They undoubtedly support it and I would not be surprised if they were the ones who are really behind it from the very start. FJ is always welcome and free to chime in and state their position.

youkillme -
Who proposed this highway project?
The WisDOT whose responsibility it is to purpose such projects.

Which local residents requested it?
None that I know of, but some support it.

Was there a petition demanding this highway?
I don't think there was, but roads are not usually built by petition.

Was there legislation requesting it?
The WisDOT does have a legislative mandate to handle transportation projects.

Who sponsored it?
I don't think there is a "sponsor".

Which elected officials support it?
Transportation projects are the administrative responsibility of the employed staff of the WisDOT, not a legislative function.

Any of the folks supporting this project live in the path?
Yes.

Which organizations support it? Where does Forward Janesville stand on this project?
Hopefully they will chime in and provide their own answers.

Can we afford to expand and build new roads when we can't afford to maintain the roads we have?
We can't afford not to do either.

Who proposed this highway project? Which local residents requested it? Was there a petition demanding this highway? Was there legislation requesting it? Who sponsored it? Which elected officials support it? Any of the folks supporting this project live in the path? Which organizations support it? Where does Forward Janesville stand on this project? Can we afford to expand and build new roads when we can't afford to maintain the roads we have?

avidreader, I for one use the highway 11 bypass every time I head south out of Janesville and north coming back in. And I always see other traffic on it no matter what time of day or night I'm there. If it had been extended all the way through to 14 when it was put in (as it probably should have been) it would be getting a lot more use than it is now.

A friend of mine has a house in this area that her husband built for her not too long before he passed away unexpectedly. The house is set way back from the road surrounded by trees creating not only privacy but safety for their children. All the reasons for choosing this exact spot will go out the window if either of these plans go through. No more privacy, no more safety because the road will go right past her house. People choose to live in the country because they want to be away from the traffic and noise of the city. I realize that there is no answer that will make everyone happy I just fear that it will be another plan that looks good on paper, but doesn't bring the result intended. Again I refer to the hwy 11 bypass that was so needed, but now is very rarely used. And let us not forget about the now desolate road that leads to an empty G.M.

I'm wondering if the people opposed to this project remember a time when I-90 wasn't finished, there was no I-39 and Highway 14 went through downtown Oregon (and downtown Janesville for that matter). And more importantly, do you ever drive on those "new" roads. The people who lost their land for those projects felt the same way you do about the prospect of losing yours for this one. Improving and expanding our transportation infrastructure is necessary for safety and efficiency, for toursim and for other business development including farming. An expansion of Highway 14 is needed at this time (overdue, in fact). Specifically what route it should take, I don't know. But I trust that the DOT and their consultants are far better able to make that decision than a few property owners with vested intrests and strong personal ties to their homes.

I read these comments with interest having been raised on a southwest Wisconsin farm and still remember my folks losing part of their farm when the county widened the road past the house. My sister and I were just talking earlier this week about how sad my Mom was to lose the trees along the edge of the then yard to emminent domain and end up with the house that much closer to the road. I did take note of one post by Mr. Everhart on another article on this topic that really hit home. Even if the land owners get a "fair price" the income from renting out the land or farming it yourself is gone FOREVER because the land is gone FOREVER as we put down more ribbons of concrete. Laying new roads should, imho, come as a LAST resort and only if rehabbing existing roads is not possible.

@cnw1313 - It sounds to me like Mr. Everhart started out opposed to this project for his own personal reasons, and has done his homework with the specific intention defeating it. I dare say the WisDOT has done their homework very well and in a much less biased way.

Next we will be reading a column by Eyster on how wonderful these plans are. Mr. Everhart sounds like he did his homework, unlike many of the comments on here.

Beware of the word "sustainability" by so called environmentalists. It is a buzzword for opposition to human and economic progress. If this were the 1800's these people would be fighting against indoor plumbing and we would still be using the outhouse.

@PhysicsM2 - Requiring a slower speed limit for trucks would make the congestion worse, not better, anyone who has ever driven on the interstates through Illinois and Indiana should know that. Traffic flows most effeciently when everyone is going the same speed. Slowing trucks down and increasing the need to make lane changes to pass them is certainly not the answer.

Most farmland stays in the family and is passed down to the next generation. At this time, an acre of farmland produces $1098 a year on the low end. In a hundred year time span it produces $109800 on the low end & without inflation. It shouldn't be a hard sell for a lawyer. It's basic math.

Creating another section of by-pass through fertile farmland & homes to cover there screw up with the hwy 11 bypass is idiotic at best. Those roads out there are in desperate need up repair & upkeep anyway. Instead of destroying lives & land, how about they fix what they already have. Wait, that sounds like common sense. Scrap that one.

@Michael_Everhart - My family's home is one of those potentially on the chopping block for this project, and we've known this day would come for 40+ years. There's been talk of an eventual connection from 14 to 11 in the vicinity of Burdick Road since I was in grade school at Hillcrest in the 60's.

@RockEnvironmentalNetwork - People passing through don't have more nor fewer rights than the landowners, but the needs of the many do outweigh the needs of the few. I don't need to look at studies to know that traffic on 14 has increased drastically. It is a major travel route, and it isn't safe or effecient as it is. Any reasonable solution is going to displace a few people. The key is to pick the best option for the public good, without placing undue emphasis on the rights of the very few people who will be adversly affected.

"we must grow"? Mike, do some research on Sustainable development. Why do people that are passing through have more rights than these landowners? Why do the landowners have to sacrifice to make it convenient for a commuter? One rule of sustainable living is to live close to your workplace - or at least carpool. The DOT is trying to get this road through to 14 to minimize the mistake of the Hwy 11 bypass. This project is wrong on so many levels, but if you listen to the economic development community, "we have to grow" to be successful-this is simply untrue.

Sorry mike, putting a label on people is offensive. Everyone is entitled to an opinion (even you!), no matter how poorly thought out or stated. Trying to shut someone down with a label is unwarranted. That's one of my pet peeves btw. The w-word (whiner) is right up there with the c-word (complainer) when it comes to uselessness and obfuscation.

No one like it when there land is bought for the purpose of growth. But we must grow, part of that is improving our highways. Making them safer and deverting traffic from congested city lanes of travel. We must find a way to grow and sometimes that means people must sacrifice for the greater good.
Whining only make you looks , well like a whiner.

Also when you see a couple merge ramps ahead hold off on passing so your not boxing someone in or hampering someone trying to merge on. This will also prevent breaking suddenly or gunning the accelerator and thus risking a speeding ticket!

When trucks are passing a lot it creates backups and bad visibility. Another good idea would be a speed minimum. I hear a lot of people talk about speeders but I see a real problem out there with some who appear to be intentionally driving slow. You got some driving slow when they should be going faster and others going fast when they should be driving slow. It wouldn't kill some to maybe approach the speed limit on occasion!

Only serious traffic congestion I see is on the interstate at certain times. Appears to be more semi trucks. I think it would help if legislation was passed requiring a slower speed limit for trucks along with utilizing one lane only. That might upset them however! Interstate should have been widened years ago in my opinion.

avidreader, the principle of eminent domain grants government entities the right to invoke public necessity and force a sale. The most common usage of this right is in highway construction. Reportedly, Mercy Hospital did use eminent domain during its expansion, but I don't have any direct knowledge of this. At this date, I don't know whether they were granted the power under state authority, or whether the power was exercised by the city or the state on the hospital's behalf. I, too, am unhappy about how that turned out for the neighborhood, but it is legal.
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The Kelo v. New London Supreme Court case (2005) did restrict eminent domain when exercised on behalf of private economic development. It has only limited application to public projects such as a highway. It should also be noted that the city actually won the case, although politics eventually halted the project anyway.

Can these homeowners refuse to move or sell? If they own the property that is wanted for this expansion, can they be forced to go along with it? I remember all the houses that used to sit across from the hospital, where the parking lot is now. Weren't many of them bullied into selling? The highway 11 bypass that was built never seems to have very much traffic on it so what was the purpose of that?

Weston14, would you feel the same if your home was on the chopping block, or your families legacy?

There are issues with the DOT Study, and the data used. Fuzzy math, projections that could not accurately be made are being used to justify options, far too many questionable items, for me to say, sounds good, lets make it happen.

Building a road, just to build a road, is not justification to destroy 8-11 homes and the required lands.

The data & study need to be sound and unquestionable, it currently is not.

The West Section of the study (The proposed bypass) creates over 2.5 miles of new highway where there was not any before. It is classified as a Major project. All Major projects have to go before the TPC (Transportation Projects Commission) after the Record of Decision is complete, Scheduled for January of 2013 for this specific study. The Hwy 12 bypass (Town of Koshkonong) shut down by Gov. Walker due to the Majors program being filled through 2019. So Once a decision is made by the study, it then needs to go to this board, and from the sound of it, Majors is currently full until 2019, so the bypass construction could not start until sometime after 2019.
Unless there is some loophole, but I cannot find anything they (DOT) could use so far.(I am continuing to research)

This study is just another in a long line of studies to provide these people with job security. They've been doing it for years. How much money was spent on consulting firms and DOT staff time to study the Hwy 14 bypass from Darien to Janesville so that commuters wouldn't have to slow down to go through Emerald Grove? - even after GM closed? It's a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. They couldn't get that one past the Town of LaPrairie, so now they will move onto the Town of Janesville.

The fact is the reason the time-frame for this project is being pushed up is in part the planned I39/90 construction, but this will still be a useful highway afterwards. The current traffic counts warrant consideration of these plans, and traffic volume will only increase in the future. It is already faster to take 14 from anywhere on the west side of Janesville to the south or west sides and even downtown Madison. The part I don't understand is building the bypass as a two-lane highway now with plans to expand to four in the future. They should build it as four lanes to begin with, and build a bypass around Evansville at the same time, and be done with it. That would be far cheaper and less disruptive in the long run.

http://www.facebook.com/JVLWINOBYPASS

Please know all the facts and how this will affect the West. This proposed bypass will be a barren highway once the I-90 construction is done. There is no reason to waste the taxpayers money on this short term fix.

Option W4 will destroy as many as 8 homes.
Option W5 will destroy as many as 11 homes.

Lives will be forever changed, and family livelihoods in jeopardy.

The only reason this is being pushed is for a short term solution to the planned I-90 construction.

Which according to Federal Regulation CFR 771.111(f) cannot be a reason. "be usable and be a reasonable expenditure even if no additional transportation improvements in the area are made”..

Hence the I-90 construction cannot be a justification for the construction of the 3 mile bypass. The WISDOT Official documents reference this construction so much that their entire study should be redone or thrown out.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/sw...

County road H can handle detour traffic. Make improvements to it if necessary, don't rip up more land.