lovemycountry, I'll throw you an olive branch, as I suspect you are one who combines conservation with conservatism. There is a difference between my ideal world and this one. In my ideal world, we would not create incentives to burn fossil fuels (with all its costs, including the health risks of pollution and the lives of American servicemembers) by building more and more highways. In my ideal world, we would minimize the depredation of valuable agricultural land. I would prefer that money be spent on bikeways and railroads, both of which would use much less rural land. We would all be healthier, we would live closer to our jobs and have better life/work balance, and we would stop sending so much money out of our country and out of our communities.
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In this real world, though, highways are not disappearing soon, and while I regret the loss of some land, it's fairly uncomplicated to get more. (In fact, the Leach farm was famously "land swapped" by the city to get the land that is now, I think, the youth sports complex.) The land that's not so near to the highway is less expensive, as well, because it isn't as valuable for development. So getting paid market value for an acre there might get you (oversimplified) an acre and a half or two acres elsewhere.
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I'm not sure why you're such a pessimistic declinist about America, but I'm sure that our population is not going to shrink anytime soon, and at some point we just have to implement things that the public needs. At least, in a sense, the highway money is being spent more or less locally, and will help create a foundation for future robust economic activity in the region.

Follow the money, the impetus for these "needed" highway extensions usually comes from the road builders - especially a large one in Beloit.

It's called progress, get over it. Maybe they should cry to their buddy Scooter, I'm sure he'll fix the problem for them, would give him a much needed break from screwing over the working class.

Apparently Sigma tied a knot in his years ago and doesn't know how to undo it.

ozzman99 - When we have TV shows that promote having 19 kids that is a problem. Also the birth rate has not stayed the same....mayby by percentages, but the actual number now compared to 50 years ago... if it continues to increase at that percentage we're doomed in 50 years. We'll have to build another city on top of all the cities. In 1950 there was about 152 million people, Today there is roughly 312 million.

I feel for the Atkinson family, what a pain to deal with. Having to deal with it a 6th time would almost be a boiling point. I love the minty fresh smell out there when they are harvesting the mint. For all you saying that the scale is NEVER open I would disagree with you. I drive truck up and down the interstate in rock county every day and pretty much every day it is open and collecting a lot of money from all the regulations the federal government keeps making up. They have even recently added a few more camera systems to check things on the fly. Although I have never had to step foot IN the scale, from what I heard it is a very technologically advanced system.

Sigma the only cause for population increase in this country involves immigrants with high fertility rates and people generally living longer. The native born birth rate has stayed flat for a few decades now

If we dont start doing something about the out of control population increase its only going to get worse. But even though it is the true demise of everything, its absurd to talk about human reproduction in that manner. If things continue to grow I'll be able to see in my lifetime the last farm field turned into a parking lot, housing project, or an interstate.

HOOTERS - Thank you very much - that is what I wanted to know. Do you know how many homes were torn down by Storrs lake due to the Hwy 26 expansion? Thanks again.

BILLNEWBIE - You raised an EXCELLENT point. I had not read the story about the Milton Gas / convenience story until your comment. I would agree with you on that one. You would think(And HOPE!)that the state would be considerate about the businesses along or near the new Hwy 26 so each businesses could prosper. I get gas at that station often when my job takes me out of town. The guy that owns that station has a very positive business that contributes much to the area tax base.

I remember a co-worker talking about losing his new home (near Storr's Lake) when they were putting in that bypass. He made it sound like he was making a killing on the sale of his home/property to the state. He also was allowed to gut out and sell everything in his new home. Of course, I realize that this always isn't the case and many people get screwed in such a deal.

I continue to see one large missed point it this story: When government takes land away from farmers for the convenience of others (Highways, a weigh station that isn't used)and disrupts or destroys a farmer's ability to grow crops - in this case FOOD crops. Why doesn't anyone understand this simple question Where is our food going to come from? This land isn't replaceable. But it's seems to be much more important that the "haves" trim 3.5 minutes off the trip to anywhere, than give the farmer the continuing ability to grow the food we eat.

Ive never seen the weigh station open either.
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And why do they need such a big median in between the 2 lanes of the interstate? Huge waste of space.

My, what a difference there is in the tenor of the comments here in comparison with the story of the gas station/McDonald's in Milton. I guess that the empathy well of some is so shallow that while they can find it in their hearts to ladle out a little for farmers and home owners, the supply is so short that business people and their employees can take a long walk off a short pier.

The state should pay market value plus. The plus being their profits on this land per year times 20years or maybe 30 years. This, would be a fair price given the lost profits on this land.

I have a question about the highway 26 expansion. Does anyone remember how many fairly new homes had to be moved or destroyed near STORRS LAKE, Milton because of the HWY 26 project????

Just what u don't need is a Ref. berween LOVEMYCOUNTRY & JANESVILLIAN But here goes anyway -- I can see both of your points and they are very well stated. I travel that portion of the interstate often and feel the extension is important. At the same time - I have much empathy for the farming family and would like to see them make LOTS of money from this. I would like to see them receive MORE than the market value for the land & the continous inconvenience on their livelihood that is caused by all of these projects. They deserve a lot more money than what the state is giving them.

Sorry, lovemycountry, can't hear you through the crinkling of your tinfoil hat. But it doesn't sound like you know me one bit. I do hope you have enough government cheese stored up in your abandoned mine, though.

janesvillean is still living the illusion the U.S. is in continuous economic growth, and that we need yet more highways. Instead, he will see a decades long global collapse brought on by big government debt, central banks, and fiat currency. And janesvillean will cheer all of these destructors on to the end.

I have NEVER seen that weigh station open.

What a waste of money, power move by the State.

Yes, the topsoil is wonderful, and it can be awkward to have to plow/irrigate an irregular plot, but these are hardly extraordinary concerns for farmers. They live along a major Interstate highway that serves a heavily-traveled corridor. Both Beloit and Janesville continue to grow.
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I do hope the County Board is sensible and approves the extension of Inman Parkway. They need to think about the transportation needs of 2020 and beyond. In a generation people will wonder why the heck they didn't just put it straight through. (Really, much of the Town of Beloit is a testament to the NIMBY factor in frustrating anything approaching logical urban planning. It's time to lose that reputation.)