Woody.I am not talking about an "exit ramp" per se'.
You are trying to make this all too complicated. I'm just saying let the present road continue into Milton as it does now, instead of tearing up the present road and eliminating it just south of the Travel center and let the bypass to the east stay as is planned. No "exit ramp" is needed. If you insist on having a "formal" Exit ramp" then The present road can be your "exit ramp" Nothing else is needed, nothing else need be built. Only a sign or two would need to be erected. the road is already there.
Geez !

Thank you to those who have shown support for MTC and for those who posted that the owner should have known more, you are right. I have known the owner for years and have been involved in many of his business development at MTC, going back to plans for adding the McDonalds and the Carwash. At that time, we were told that an interchange, just south of the store, was part of the plan. Even the maps the owner saw gave him that impression. It wasn't to our meeting in August that he truely understood how screwed he was. Should he had know, YES, but should have more State Contact been done, YES! If you think the information was so easy to understand, why has the entire neighborhood, west of the store been coming to us saying they had no idea. These will be hugely affected, they will have to go out of their way to get on Hwy 26, to go to Janesville. Just is bigger than just one business. Most people don't read the papers or attend City or DOT meetings. There should have been better comunication to the residents and businesses of Milton.

As for the posts about MTC being online for sale, this is true. Keep in mind, the economic crash of 2008 hurt many businesses and the Gasoline/Convenience store industry has had a very hard time, dealing with less business and tighter margins. Those who haven't adapted, have closed. Several C-stores are on the market, many have just closed. I have been in this industry for several years, I have never seen retail business this tough in years. Everyone is struggling, even those who are not in business.

So everyone understands, we are not going anywhere. We are at this time remarketing the MTC, with new lower Cigarette pricing to start. We are looking at a new grocery wholesaler who will bring a new mix to our store. As we move forward, we are looking at new services, DVD Rentals, Money Orders and more. Coming soon, we will be upgrading our Coffee and Fountain Beverage Centers, adding some new fast food items also and for those health nuts, some new stuff for you, yeah at at a gas station, LOL!

We are planning on becoming a Neighborhood Convenience store. We will loose traffic with the closing of Hwy 26 at our location, estimates are 50 to 60%, but I am hoping to keep that to 25% and by lowering our expenses, creating new revenues, we will continue to be a part of Milton.

As we go forward, we will continue to be part of Milton. We will continue to look at our options. Ideally, it would be nice if we could move our operations closer to where the traffic will be, the Hwy 59, but only with help from the DOT or the State. It makes more sense at this time to take our resources and look at adding a few more stores, that will make up what we will loose in Milton. Everyday, we are approached with new opportunities.

So that everyone understands, we are not going out of business and in the next few months, you will see some great specials as we thank our loyal Milton customers.

oldvet...there can't be an exit with out a exit ramp. Can you get off the interstate without a exit ramp?

Janesvillean
Maybe I wasn't clear enough. There doesn't have to be an interchange constructed. Nothing has to be constructed. All that needs to be done is to leave the present road as it is now just south (2 blocks ?) of the Milton travel center so that cars traveling north on 26 desiring to can go into Milton (or stop at the travel center) as they can now. It would simply be an exit to "city highway 26 north".

oldvet, the entire right of way from McCormick Dr. in Janesville north is going to be limited access highway (like the Interstate). There will not be an exit ramp at Janesville St./Henke Rd. for anyone. It is too close to the interchanges at Hwy 59 and at Town Hall Rd.

I believe that Shaikh has know from the very start that his business would be "cut off". I believe he kept this knowledge to himself because he was trying to sell the place. He did formally list it once in (about) 2009. I do think, however that the present road, where the new northbound bypass begins could be left as it is. The reason the state doesn't want to do this is they don't want large semi trucks driving through Milton. How about leaving the road as it is and erecting a sign saying; NO TRUCKS ALLOWED. This would allow car traffic to access this business and those businesses north of him on 26 (Janesville street) but would keep large trucks on the by-pass as intended.

I believe that Shaikh has know from the very start that his business would be "cut off". I believe he kept this knowledge to himself because he was trying to sell the place. He did formally list it once in (about) 2009. I do think, however that the present road, where the new northbound bypass begins could be left as it is. The reason the state doesn't want to do this is they don't want large semi trucks driving through Milton. How about leaving the road as it is and erecting a sign saying; NO TRUCKS ALLOWED. This would allow car traffic to access this business and those businesses north of him on 26 (Janesville street) but would keep large trucks on the by-pass as intended.

Quote from 2009 article: In 2011 or 2012, the state will start directing Highway 26 around Milton by moving the portion of Highway 26 between Milton-Harmony Town Line Road and the Rock-Jefferson county line east of the existing highway, Wickus said.
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Right there, that tells me that the gas station is in trouble because it is north of townline road. Who knew the dude was in trouble and who was sticking their heads in the sand?

The plans were in place back in 2009, read the gazette article.
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http://gazettextra.com/news/2009/apr/12/...
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I think some questions should be answered by the previous milton mayor, Nate Bruce. Like, what design changes were made to protect the milton park land off of parkview drive that would affect home owners and businesses?

They have been talking about this bypass since I worked in Milton thirty years ago. Anybody building or buying property around there was taking a risk but they should have known this. I do feel sorry for them though.

frusion, studies generally show that the "Main St." businesses do not depend on the through traffic as much as thought. There are usually a mix of "destination" businesses (say, a hardware store) and "through service" businesses like gas stations. It is the latter who usually relocate to the highway in any case. Whether the town then supports further strip/sprawl development such as big box stores has more of an effect on the business climate downtown than whether the bypass exists or not. There are many towns without any sort of bypass that have seen the same effect.

I vote for a Dukes of Hazard jump

"motorists on Highway 26 could only reach Arthur Drive by taking a figure-eight exchange to Parkview Drive and then drive several blocks through a residential subdivision." That's way too complicated. How about throwing in a roundabout too.

Why couldn't the State provide an off-ramp only near the location of the MTC? That would allow motorists access to the southside of Milton from the bypass while maintaining current on-ramp access points.
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IMO, the State should fire ALL their bypass design engineers at the DOT and start over. For example, the poorly designed bypass around Whitewater led to several serious accidents. In this case, I suspect the DOT COULD have accommodated existing businesses or helped provide for future business expansion on Milton's south side by providing access points to the bypass off Hwy 26 near the MTC. The reason they chose not to appears to be a lack of proper planning.

Bypasses and Interstate Hwys have had the same affect on countless "Main St USA's" for years. While I'm sympathetic, it is what it is. Much water has spilled over the dam from when this could have been addressed.

Not in defense of the business, but my own personal feeling...there should be an access route as this is the only gas station between JVl and Fort Atkinson with easy access aside from 1 other one off the interstate on 26.

I find it interesting the guy that ownes the gas station want a road built for $500,000 for HIS business. I never once heard him say the other businesses here in town. I hear ME, ME , ME and MY business. AGain this has been in the works for a VERY long time. He should have looked into this before buying the gas station. If people want to get into Milton they will. A bypass will not stop them. I drove by daily and I didn't stop at these places daily "just because I was driving by". I still only stopped if I needed or wanted to.
Do this commute everyday and you will see a bypass is needed! Start driving it everyday and you will appreciate the bypass!
I don't see Arndts complaining on here! I recall this has been going on since about 2001-2 becuase a friend lived on N in Milton and was wondering if they should sell or stick it out. I don't know of any homes that were buldozed. Anybody know the FACTS on this?

oldvet- the City of Milton website offers a very detailed map of the bypass.

I noticed the names of the roads are on a sign in the median way after the actual off ramp. Kind of stupid. Let me guess, in order to get the signs in the right spot (ahead or at the off ramp) we would have had to hire a consulting firm to come in....at $100k. ????? Anyone elaborate?

Where can one look at a map of the project showing the present and future streets and roads and the surrounding streets and areas?

This gas station is the furthest thing from anyones concern. Cities change and evolve all the time. How do you think all the little gas stations on hwy 26 and all the smaller highways around felt when the interstate was put in? Life goes on.

First, I want to say I agree with saxcat70: the owner seems like an asset to the community overall. That said, no infrastructure project can possibly accomodate everyone to a fault. (There is no chance of a lawsuit succeeding here, for example.) There is no legal requirement for the state to place an interchange solely for the benefit of a single business or property.
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The main issue I have here is the lateness of this objection. I am currently examining the project overview which was conducted in 2001-2003 -- yes, TEN YEARS ago. It talks about the necessity of a bypass around Milton and suggested general strategies, and made recommendations for each affected community to start planning for something that was coming, as it were, down the pike. The final routing was not set in place until, I believe, 2006 or 2007. The improvements that relocated Hwy 59 took place in 2009 -- three years ago. The city officials knew. There were public hearings. I could go on and on but there was certainly plenty of warning. It's very hard to consider accomodating someone at the last minute, when the graders are literally leveling the gravel. That's an expense for the taxpayer and one that I don't feel it is our responsibility to bear.
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From a planning standpoint I don't know that even had he spoken up changes would have been appropriate. One of the rules the DOT uses is a minimum distance between interchanges. They needed to have one for Hwy 59 (state road to state road), and another one at Janesville St./Henke (which will be a through connection) is simply too close. Note that Janesville wanted an interchange at Wright Rd and were denied for the same reason.
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As for the current plan, yes, please note that Janesville St. (the old 26) does not "dead end" at the highway. It's going to be a viaduct. The CURVE, however, will no longer be part of that road, and will serve only as access to the gas station property. It's impossible to say how much traffic will remain on that new straightened road, but it won't be zero.
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As for relocation, the Crossroads industrial park around the 26/59 interchange is a City of Milton TIF. As such the city does have resources to assist him if they can come to an agreement. This is a far better way to solve this issue than building another access road that probably won't really do much for his business.
http://www.miedc.org/EconDevelopment/Cro...

Two things. First in response to yada, from what I had heard. The city of Milton was aware of the fact that the 26 bypass was going to take place and were not suppose to allow the land to be sold and subdivided off of bowers lake road. So that falls on to the city and the planning department.

Second, did this business owner not ask any questions or attend any meeting about the status of his business? Was he not concerned when he tried to sell it after the plans were approved? I mean clearly if you look at the bypass around Fort, you don't just get off and on for a gas station and sub-division. Only major highways and roads intersect with the bypass.

While I don't believe it's part of an "international agenda to cut off access to small town America (so) the end result will be the consolidation of people into larger cities where they can be more easily controlled" I can't see any logical reason that Hwy 26 has to be dead ended.

Perhaps rather than redesigning the road, the money could be used to help relocate the business where it would have access from motorists.

Saxcat: good idea. I don't want to bypass Milton. I travel to Whitewater often and like stopping at the businesses in Milton. When the hwy 11 bypass went around Janesville access was kept to Court st. Out of town travelers and trucks will fly by on the 26 bypass. Leave the rest of the road there for local people.

I just wonder how much of the tax revenue this station generated has gone into the road that will now kill off that revenue. And anyone who thinks that high council is full of beans needs to head out to the freedom rally at the Holiday Inn Express today.. 1-5. Listen to Kirsten Lombard speak.. it will open your eyes.

just armchair quarterbacking here, but.... what the could have done is keep 26 fluid right on up to Fort. But, make the speed limits low enough so that thru traffic is strongly encouraged to take the bypass.
The gas station was bought 3 years before approval of the road. Was due diligence done to forecast this? was it even possible? I don't know these things so I won't pass judgement. I do know it is unfortunate that this business might go under. And the owner seems hard working and genuine to me.

This is not uncommon. Look up "NAFTA super highway" online. You will see that it is part of international agenda to cut off access to small town America. It is a stranglehold that will continue as long as people tolerate it. The end result will be the consolidation of people into larger cities where they can be more easily controlled.

LABORPARTY - Yes - planning, relocation, etc - The taxpayer will end up paying. I am curious how many new homes did the new hwy. 26 remove and / or demolish in Milton. Home owners had built nice homes in an area where the state officials said was okay at first. How did that play out and the costs to taxpayers? Anyone know the number of homes that were taken down & cost?

Steve Krieser and Mark Gottlieb should both be fired for this behavior. Shame on these highly paid bureaucrats! (And I do mean highly paid, and I do mean misbehavior.)

What the DOT and the City of Milton is doing to this man is totally unacceptable! He invested a great deal of money in a gas station and fast food restaurant on a busy highway, and now they abruptly put him at the end of a dead-end road. And they didn't even notify him until the last minute. Shaihk is not some rich fat cat. He is working behind the register almost every day. How would you feel if the government did this to you?
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THANK YOU EVAN WYNN for being the kind of elected official we need more of!

The whole idea of a bypass is to route traffic around the city - duh.

mtc was snoozing, when this all started. when you snooze, you loose. pac your mac and move on mtc.

It is not worth $500,000 to save $1 million /yr tax revenue? It appears the real problem is government bureaucrats not being worth their salaries!

I raised MTC's predicament when public hearings on the bypass routes alternatives were being held. The DOT official said "we are aware of the situation, and there is no problem." He apparently meant that Milton businesses going under was not a problem for the DOT!

MTC is not the only business affected. The plan on turning the East side into a pedestrian mall only works if people can get to it! Using existing roadbeds at Townline road and south-bound 26 as north-bound exits and south-bound entrances respectively to the 26 bypass would allow easy access for traffic past the east side business district. It would also allow easy access to Janesville for Milton residents, thereby avoiding the narrow and already congested John Paul road. The frontage road through an unused area of the park would then preserve traffic flow past MTC.

I hope they resolve this, I can only imagine the traffic going thru that subdivision if people (who know where to go) have to get off at Townhall and come up to get gas/McDonalds thru the subdivision, wheres the next gas stop? at least Fort.