Element 3: Transportation - Wood County, Wisconsin · Recreational Transportation 9 Public...

__________________________________________________________________________________Wood County Comprehensive Plan

Element 3: TransportationPage 3 - 1

Element 3:Transportation

A compilation of objectives, policies, goals, maps and programs to guide the futuredevelopment of the various modes of transportation, including highways, transit,transportation systems for persons with disabilities, bicycles, electric personal assistivemobility devices, walking, railroads, air transportation, trucking and watertransportation. The element shall compare the local governmental unit’s objectives,policies, goals and programs to state and regional transportation plans. The elementshall also identify highways within the local governmental unit by function andincorporate state, regional and other applicable transportation plans, airport masterplans and rail plans that apply in the local governmental unit.

Veterans Parkway Pedestrian Bridge, Marshfield (Wood County Planning & Zoning Office Photo)




Introduction 3

Current Transportation Facilities 3Water Transportation 3Highways and Roads 3Air Transportation 8Rail Transportation 8Recreational Transportation 9Public Transportation 9Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel 10

Transportation Plans 11State Plans 11Regional Plans 12Local Level Plans 12

Transportation Improvement Projects 13Marshfield/Rapids Connection Corridor 13US Highway 10 13

Transportation Trends 16

Goals and Objectives 19


Element 3: Transportation - 3


Introduction

Transportation options impact the lives of allcounty residents. The ability of residents to getwhere they need to go, regardless of age andfinancial ability, plays an important role in wherethey choose to live, work, shop, attend school,and seek medical and nutritional needs. Thiselement takes a look at the transportationoptions available in Wood County, attempts toidentify some transportation trends worthconsidering, identifies future transportationimprovement projects, and establishes goalsand objectives to guide transportation in the next20 years.

Current Transportation Facilities

Water Transportation

In Wood County there are many navigablewaterways. Nearly all of the boat traffic on thelakes and rivers in the County is related torecreational use. The accessibility to waterwaysas well as water quality maintenance andenhancement is important to maintain therecreational appeal of the waterways. In thefuture water travel in the County is intended toremain recreational in focus.

Highways and Roads

Jurisdictional and Functional Classifications

Public highways are generally classified by twodifferent systems, the jurisdictional and thefunctional. Jurisdictional class refers to which

entity owns the facility and holds responsibilityfor its operations and maintenance. While thefunctional class refers to the role the particularsegment plays in moving traffic within the overallsystem. Table 3-1 shows the jurisdictionalmileage breakdown of the County road network.Table 3-2 explains the functional classificationssystem and map 3-1 shows the functional classof roadways in the rural areas of the County.Map 3-2 shows the transportation system in theCounty. Functional classification of roadways isan important transportation network planningtool. Just as important, the classification systemis a determining factor in the amount of federaland state transportation-related aid that localunits of government receive.

Right-of-Way Setbacks

When planning for new construction ofstructures, an important consideration is thedistance of the structure from the road right-of-way. The County has recommended setbacksas listed in figure 3-1 that they encourageproperty owners in unincorporated areas torespect for safety reasons, as well as possiblefuture road improvements. The state and localgovernment also many times have restrictions inregard to setbacks that may be more restrictivethan the County recommended setbacks.

When a property-owner is planning on makingchanges to land that is located at anintersection, visual clearance triangles areimportant. Vision clearance triangles are areasat intersections where structures, improvements,

Table 3-1Miles of Roadway by JurisdictionJurisdiction Miles

US Highway 25State 164County 344Local 1,280Private 14Forest 9Total 1,836Source: Wood County GIS



Figure 3-1Wood County Recommended Right-of-waySetback Lines

A. Federal and State Highways. Onehundred-ten (110) feet from the centerline of the highway or fifty (50) feetfrom the right-of-way line, whichever isgreater.

B. County Highways. Seventy-five (75)feet from the centerline of suchhighway or forty-two (42) feet from theright-of-way line, whichever is greater.

C. Town Roads. Sixty-three (63) feetfrom the centerline of such highway orthirty (30) feet from right-of-way line,whichever is greater.

Source: Wood County Ordinance #701, LandSubdivision Ordinance

and landscaping are restricted because they canblock the ability of motorists to see oncomingvehicles. The county, state and somemunicipalities have requirements that promotebetter visibility and safety at intersections. TheWood County Land Subdivision Ordinance #701has vision corner requirements for newly createdlots.

Access Management

Access management to roadways is important toprotect public safety, preserve intended capacityand traffic flow, and provide access wherepossible with minimal conflicts. Often when landsubdivision occurs, or development takes place,new access points are necessary to effectivelyutilize property. With each new driveway accesspoint needed for a property, there is an approvalprocess that takes place to ensure that it doesnot negatively impact capacity and traffic flow, orcause safety concerns. In the rural,unincorporated areas of the County there areapproximately 13,100 private driveway accesspoints.

In cities, villages and towns in Wood County,new access points on local roads are approvedby the municipality that they occur in. If newaccess points are proposed on county roads, themunicipality they occur in, as well as the CountyHighway Department are involved in theapproval process. Access to state highways issubject to approval by the Wisconsin

Table 3-2Rural Highway Functional ClassificationSystemPrincipalArterials

Serve interstate and interregionaltrips. These routes generallyserve all urban areas greater than5,000 population. The ruralprincipal arterials are furthersubdivided into 1) interstatehighways and 2) other principalarterials.

MinorArterials

In conjunction with the principalarterials, they serve cities, largecommunities, and other majortraffic generators providing intra-regional and inter-area trafficmovements.

MajorCollectors

Provide service to moderate sizedcommunities and other inter-areatraffic generators and link thosegenerators to nearby largerpopulation centers or higherfunction routes.

MinorCollectors

Collect traffic from local roadsand provide links to all remainingsmaller communities, locallyimportant traffic generators, andhigher function roads. Alldeveloped areas should be withina reasonable distance of thecollector road.

Local Roads Provide access to adjacent landand provide for travel overrelatively short distances. Allroads not classified as arterials orcollectors are local functionroads.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Transportation



Department of Transportation in addition to localgovernment. Table 3-3 shows recommendedspacing between access points based on speedlimit. The table shows that the higher the postedspeed limit is for a roadway, the greater thespacing should be between driveways. Thistable does not take into consideration otherfactors such as road curves, steep grades, orvisual obstructions that should be factored indetermining if new access points can safely beconstructed.

Trans 233 is part of the WisconsinAdministrative Code and defines requirementsthat must be met when subdividing landsabutting a state highway. The rule applies to allproperty owners who propose creating five ormore lots that are 1.5 acres or less in size withinfive years. The DOT has 20 days to review thesubdivision proposal for proposed access aswell as drainage, setbacks and vision corners.

Bridges

The Wisconsin DOT generally defines a bridgeas any structure spanning 20 feet or more thatcarries motor vehicle traffic. In Wood Countythere are 216 bridges listed in the NationalBridge Inventory that is maintained by the U.S.

Department of Transportation, Federal HighwayAdministration. The primary purpose of theinventory and National Bridge InspectionStandards (NBIS) is to locate and evaluateexisting bridge deficiencies to ensure the safetyof the traveling public. The NBIS apply to allbridges greater than 20 feet on all public roads.Through an inspection, each bridge is assigneda bridge sufficiency number that notes whetherthe structure is structurally deficient orfunctionally obsolete.

Bridges are a vital component to the overalltransportation network, and the overallfunctionality and safety of the network is only asgood as the bridges that serve to connect the1836 miles of roadways in Wood County. Table3-4 identifies the number of bridges in WoodCounty by ownership, and the number that areconsidered structurally deficient or functionallyobsolete. Structurally obsolete bridges needcorrective action, but are not necessarily unsafefor traffic. Functionally obsolete bridges refer toa geometric deficiency such as lanes orshoulders that are too narrow for its capacity orrole in the transportation network.

Crashes and Safety

The overall number of traffic crashes generallyindicates the overall safety of road networks.

Table 3-3Recommended Spacing Between Direct RoadAccess Points

Roadway Speed Limit(miles per hour)

Minimum DrivewaySpacing Measured at

theRoad Right-of Way

Line(feet)

25 10530 12535 15040 18545 23050 27555 300

Source: Institute of Traffic Engineers

Table 3-4Wood County Bridge Inventory

OwnershipNumber of

Bridges

StructurallyDeficient orFunctionally

Obsolete

State ofWisconsin

48 7

Wood County 59 9Towns 99 25Cities 9 2Villages 1 0Total 216 43Source: U.S. Department of Transportation,Federal Highway Administration



Table 3-5 shows the number of crashes in WoodCounty from 2002 to 2007. During those yearsthe average number of crashes annually was1,303. From 2002 to 2005 the total number wasover 1,300, and in 2006 dropped noticeably to1,104, followed by 1,189 in 2007. In addition totracking the total number each year, thelocations of the crashes are important. Bymapping locations, problem areas can beidentified and design changes considered toreduce the number or severity of crashes in thefuture.

The Wood County Emergency ManagementAgency also maintains crash records for allareas of Wood County excluding the cities ofMarshfield and Wisconsin Rapids. The CountyTraffic Safety Commission meets quarterly, andmakes recommendations on improvingintersections or areas where accidents oftenoccur.

Traffic Counts

Traffic counts serve as a valuable tool indetermining trends over times such as increasedvehicular volume, and also indicate whether thevolume exceeds the intended function of a road.The Wisconsin Department of Transportationfacilitates a statewide traffic count program, andmaintains traffic count maps at the county levelcombined with some inset maps of incorporatedmunicipalities. Traffic counts are based on ashort-term count, usually 48 hours, taken atselect locations. The count is then adjusted forvariation in traffic volume throughout the yearand the average number of axles per vehicle.The resulting count is referred to as the AnnualAverage Daily Traffic or AADT. The most recent

traffic count for Wood Countywas taken in 2005. Map 3-3shows the 2005 AADT as wellas AADT prior to 2005.

In some cases localgovernment initiates trafficcounting to get a clearerpicture of local traffic counts ortransportation patterns.Counting devices can be put in

place for a short period of time. In morecomplex counting projects individuals may bestationed at a particular intersection or locationto document volume of traffic or othercharacteristics such as vehicle type.

Trucking

The Wisconsin DOT has established routes thatare best suited for truck traffic in the state. TheWisconsin Long Truck Operator’s Map identifiesthe Wisconsin highways for operation of vehiclesand combinations of vehicles the overall lengthsof which cannot be limited. Trans 276 clarifiesother statutory provisions of federal rulesaffecting the weight, width, and length ofvehicles and combinations of vehicles and thenumber of vehicle combinations.

In the County, US Highway 10 and all of thestate highways with the exception of portions ofSTH 13 and STH 54 are designated long truckroutes. STH 13 in the city of Marshfield, andSTH 54 between STH 73 and STH 80 arerestricted to trucks 65 feet in length with a 48-foot trailer and no double bottoms.

Weight Restriction Programs

An extreme range of moisture and temperatureconditions every year from December 1 to May 1ranging from -30 F to +70 F affect the structuralstrength of the pavement and base material. Asa result the state has 3 programs to protect thefrozen pavement and sub-base conditionsduring the winter months, and also protectpavement’s weak conditions during thespringtime freezing and thawing period. Thecounty and some municipalities also impose

Table 3-5Wood County CrashesYear 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Ave.numberofcrashes

1,367 1,389 1,337 1,316 1,104 1,189 1,303

Source: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Traffic AccidentDatabase



weight restrictions on roads during the spring ofthe year.

Commuting Patterns

By analyzing county to county Worker Flow datacompiled by the US Census we can see wherethe workforce lives in relation to where theywork. Inset map 3-1 shows the commutinginformation for Wood County and all adjacentcounties. In all cases, WoodCounty receives more inflow oflabor from adjacent counties, thanoutflow. Marathon County is mostdependent on employmentopportunities with 3,944 dailyworking in Wood County. WoodCounty is most dependent onPortage County for employmentopportunities with 2,572commuting daily to PortageCounty. In total, 31,327 WoodCounty residents work in theCounty, while 9,394 residentsfrom adjacent counties, and 1,378workers from other locations workin Wood County. Wood Countyreceives 5,596 employees morethan it sends to other counties.

Adopt-a-Highway

A significant highwaymaintenance cost can be relatedto picking up trash alongroadways. The state coordinatesan Adopt-A-Highway programwhere groups can volunteer tokeep a section of highway free ofunsightly trash. There is anapplication process that groupscan complete to become eligiblefor this program. As a part of theprogram educational materials aregiven to the group in addition tosafety vests, trash bags, andhighway signs that mark theadopt-a-highway group. Adopt-a-highway is a low-cost way to keeproadways clean of litter, and

enhance the environment and beauty ofWisconsin’s roadsides.

Surface Conditions

In order to properly maintain the surface ofroadways, it is necessary to have an accurateinventory of surface conditions so thatmaintenance can be prioritized based on need.Across the state, and in Wood County as well,

Inset Map 3-1Commuting Patterns – Wood County



the PASER system developed by the Universityof Wisconsin Transportation Information Centeris used to measure conditions of roads. PASERstands for Pavement Surface Evaluation andRating System. Although there are differentscales for concrete, asphalt, seal coated, graveland unimproved roads, they are generally basedon a scale ranging between “1” (very poorcondition) to “10” (excellent condition).

Table 3-6 breaks down the PASER ratings for allcounty highways. There is strong possibility thatthe ratings may gradually decrease in the futureif maintenance practices are altered toaccommodate increases in construction costsand tight budgets. In 2009 maintenance wascompleted on 14 miles of road. If the Countywas to continue to maintain 14 miles of countyroad each year, it would take almost 23 years tocomplete maintenance at least one time on all323 miles of county road.

Air Transportation

Air transportation not only plays an importantrole in connecting residents to the world, butalso provides a convenient mode of travel forvisitors to make their way to Wood County. Twolocal and one regional airport serve the County.

Local: Alexander Field, Wisconsin Rapids

Two runways – 5,500 and 3,650 feet All-weather airport Lit runway, maintenance service, and

instrument landing Auto and jet fuel available

Local: Marshfield Municipal Airport/Roy ShweryField , Marshfield

Two runways – 5,000 and 3,600 foot runway All-weather airport Lit runway, maintenance service, and

instrument landing Jet fuel available

Regional: Central Wisconsin Airport, Mosinee

One 7,645 foot-long and 150 foot-wide runway Two 6,500 foot-long and 150 foot-wide

runways Air cargo, aircraft rental, and charter flights. Passenger services include: Jet service,

Northwest Airlines – Mesaba Airlines, MidwestExpress – Skyway

Freight services include FedEx, UPS, DHL,and Airborne Express

Rental cars available

Rail Transportation

The railroad plays a significant role in the local,regional and state economy by transportingfreight. In Wood County there are approximately148 miles of railroad. All of the railroad in theCounty is operated by Canadian National (CN).Map 3-1 shows the location of rail and how itserves to connect the communities of WoodCounty. The Canadian National Railroad hasservice to many industries located in closeproximity to the rail lines. Canadian National,headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, isthe largest railroad in Canada and is currently itsonly transcontinental railroad. CN also hasextensive trackage in the central portion of theUnited States, from northern Minnesota, throughWisconsin to Chicago, Memphis and NewOrleans.

Many municipalities in the County are positionedfor future economic development as a result ofproximity to rail infrastructure. Having access torail service provides business with the ability toship and receive efficiently and cost-effectively.In addition to serving transportation needsefficiently and effectively, rail serves as an

Table 3-6County Highway Pavement Ratings

PASER Ratings“1” = very poor to “10” = excellent

Percent Miles Rating

58.94% 190.61 3-641.07% 132.82 7-10

Source: Wood County Highway Department



alternative to truck transportation and canreduce truck traffic volume on highways.

Recreational Transportation

There are many modes of transportation that areconsidered recreational, but the most commonin Wood County are all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs)and snowmobiles. Table 3-7 shows ATV andsnowmobile registration in the County for years2002 to 2008. The data shows that ATVregistrations are increasing while snowmobileregistrations are generally decreasing.

All-Terrain-Vehicles (ATVs)

The only trails in the County are located at theWood County ATV Area in the town ofCranmoor. The area is located on 400 acres ofCounty forest land with 10 miles of trail. In thepast few years local ATV clubs have beenworking with municipalities to establishagreements to allow riders to travel ondesignated roads throughout the County. WithATVs using the roads there is a possibility ofconflicts with vehicles and pedestrians. Themunicipalities that allow ATVs on designatedroutes are aware of the possible conflicts andregularly review their policy of allowing them toshare designated roadways at intervals. ATVsare not allowed on any state or federalhighways, but are permitted to cross them wherenecessary.

The Wood County Parks, Recreation and OpenSpaces Plan recognizes the increasing need forATV trails and recommends a connection to theBlack River State Forest trails in JacksonCounty. Providing connections to trail networksin adjacent counties serves to improve the trailnetwork in Wood County and in the region.

Snowmobiles

There are 258 miles of snowmobile trails inWood County. The trails are maintained by 9clubs that make up the Wood CountySnowmobile Alliance. Most of the trails are well-marked, off-road trails that travel through privateproperty, however, some roadways aredesignated as snowmobile routes bymunicipalities. The presence of a snowmobiletrail network this complete and well-maintainedis a great resource for the County to offer.When considering new trail routes, the impact ofthe route at intersections with roadways shouldalways be a consideration. Althoughsnowmobile registrations have decreased since2002, in the past few years the number ofregistrations has rebounded possibly due tobetter winter conditions (table 3-7).

Public Transportation

Bus and Taxi Service

Transportation opportunities utilizing bus andtaxi service are limited to the city of Marshfieldand Wisconsin Rapids, and the immediatesurrounding areas.

Marshfield

The city of Marshfield participates in astate/federal transportation program known asShare Ride, which subsidizes the privateoperation of a local taxi service. Through thisprogram any number of patrons are picked up atone time to share a ride with others to theirindividual destinations. This program allowspatrons to travel at an affordable rate whilereducing fuel consumption.

Table 3-7Wood County ATV and Snowmobile RegistrationYear 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

ATV 3,989 4,468 4,661 4,842 4,980 5,842 4,581Snowmobile 3,736 3,493 3,292 2,946 2,610 3,058 3,390Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources



Wisconsin Rapids

The city of Wisconsin Rapids contracts withRiver City Cab to provide shared-ride, reduced-rate taxi service for the elderly and handicapped.The program is subsidized by federal and statemass transit funds.

Transportation for Disabled, Elderly & Veterans

Transportation for older and disabled adults isimportant so they can access the services andprograms they need and remain independent.The Aging and Disability Resource Center(ADRC) of Central Wisconsin operates a busservice and a volunteer driver program. Busesoperate door-to-door service in WisconsinRapids and Marshfield from 9:00am to 2:00amMonday through Friday at a cost of $1.00 perone way ride. Select retailers that are populardestinations for riders cover the transportationcost when they shop at their location. Ruralresidents may ride the bus every first Friday ofeach month to Marshfield and every third Fridayto Wisconsin Rapids. Rural riders pay $1.00 perstop and also may have their transportation costcovered by select retailers that they shop at. Tobe eligible for bus service, riders need to be 55years of age or a Wood County resident.

The volunteer driver program offers affordabletransportation by using volunteers who use theirown vehicles. To use this service, riders shouldcall in their request 5 days in advance to allowadequate time for scheduling. To be eligible forthe volunteer driver program the rider needs tobe a Wood County resident at least 60 yearsold, able to enter and exit a personal vehicle,and have a destination of a medical appointmentor nutrition site.

The ADRC has recently begun a transportationprogram for Wood County’s veterans. County-owned vans are available in Marshfield andWisconsin Rapids to transport veterans betweenthose cities as well as to Madison, Milwaukeeand the Veterans Hospital in Tomah. There isno charge for this service.

Park and Ride

The concept of constructing park and rideparking lots at strategic locations in WoodCounty and adjacent counties may be arelatively low-cost option to reduce trafficvolumes on roads and provide cost-savings tocommuters. Although there are more than 97park and ride facilities throughout Wisconsin,there are not any located in Wood or any of theadjacent counties. Lots typically are locatedstrategically and include services such asovernight parking, telephones for safety andconvenience, lighting, and bicycle parking.Individuals traveling to the same approximatelocation coordinate ride sharing to reduce gasconsumption, and in many cases receiveincentives from employers. Ride sharingbenefits participants because it can reducevehicle wear and tear, save fuel costs, and allowpassengers to relax or work while traveling totheir destination. Although park and ride lots aregenerally located in areas of the state wherecommuter rush hour traffic is more of an issue,the other benefits they afford make looking intothem advantageous. The North Central DistrictDOT office has already begun identifyingpossible locations in Wood County and adjacentcounties for park and ride lots.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel

In recent years the role that bicycle andpedestrian trails play in Wood Countycommunities has become increasinglyimportant. The trail network in the Countyconsists of on-road and off-road trailsconstructed to a variety of standards based oncost and design limitations. Trail planning inWood County is a cooperative effort betweenmunicipalities and the County, and this approachis responsible for much of the success that hasbeen experienced in recent years. The CountyBicycle and Pedestrian Plan was developed in1995 and is currently in the process of beingupdated. In addition, many municipalities planfor trail development through local planningefforts. Map 3-4 shows the current bicycle andpedestrian trails in the County, with most of the



trails being located in the Marshfield andWisconsin Rapids Area. The upcoming updateof the County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan willinclude an inventory of future bicycle andpedestrian routes.

Safe Routes to Schools

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programsencourage children ages K-8 to walk and bike toschool by creating safer walking and bikingroutes. Safe routes planning involves the entirecommunity and is typically led by a committeethat includes as many relevant groups aspossible. Through this program a variety ofinfrastructure-related projects and non-infrastructure related activities in the communityare identified to encourage children to walk orbike to school. Figure 3-3 lists some possibleSafe Routes activities and programs.Successful Safe Routes programs lead to saferroutes, healthier children, and a cleanerenvironment.

The Wisconsin Safe Routes to School projectsare 100 percent fundable to the limit of theproject award. Grant awards are subject to astatewide competitive process, and eligibleprojects must be within 2 miles of an elementaryor middle school. In Wood County, schools inMarshfield and Wisconsin Rapids have beenimpacted by safe routes to school planning.

Pedestrian Safety

The safety of pedestrians is an extremelyimportant consideration in planningtransportation networks. Through proper designand planning efforts a variety of transportationoptions can and should safely be able to coexistwith pedestrian traffic. Cost effective measurescan be implemented to promote safety forpedestrians. To identify problem areas, anexamination/evaluation of the walkingenvironment through a walkability audit is agood start. Walkability audits identify concernsfor pedestrians related to the safety, access,comfort, and convenience of the walkingenvironment. Improvements that may improveconditions include engineering changes, policy

implementation, education, and enforcementmeasures.

Although walkability audits are appropriate forurban areas that are more densely populated,they many times are not a practical approach toimproving the pedestrian experience in ruralareas. Rural areas face a different set ofchallenges such as higher vehicular trafficspeeds, a reduction in signalized intersections,few or no sidewalks, and in many cases few orno designated bicycle and pedestrian trails, butit is still possible to make rural areas morewalkable. Rural areas can become safer andmore pedestrian friendly by: reduction of speedlimits in areas of more pedestrian traffic; designchanges of roadways including wider pavedshoulder; and signage designating pedestriancrossings and presence of pedestrians. Figure3-4 shows the importance of makingcommunities pedestrian friendly.

Transportation Plans

State Plans

The Wisconsin Department of Transportationmaintains several statewide plans that pertain tovarious aspects of transportation. Most areupdated on a regular basis and serve asvaluable resources and planning tools formultijurisdictional and regional projects. Manyare referenced by local units of governmentwhen more-detailed local level transportationplanning takes place. These plans have beenreviewed and coordinated with throughout theplanning process.

1. Translink 21: a Multi-modalTransportation Plan for Wisconsin’s 21st

Century2. Wisconsin State Highway Plan 20203. Six-Year Highway Improvement

Program, 2009 to 20154. Statewide Transportation Improvement

Plan, 2009 to 20125. Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Access Management Plan6. Wisconsin Pedestrian Plan 2020



Figure 3-4Importance of Walkable Communities

o Provides transportation alternativesto vehicular travel

o Removes traffic volume fromroadways that many times arealready at capacity

o Promotes healthy lifestyleso Reduces the need for parking, and

reduces parking issueso Provides safe transportation for

children and others without accessto vehicles

o Safe walking environments mayencourage more pedestrian traffic

Source: Wood County Planning and Zoning

7. Wisconsin State Airport System Plan2020

8. Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan2020

9. Wisconsin Connections 203010. Wisconsin Corridors 2030

Regional Plans

Wood County is part of the North CentralWisconsin Regional Planning Commissionservice area along with Adams, Forest, Juneau,Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portageand Vilas County. The most significant planningeffort in recent years that includes transportation

planning has been the completion of theRegional Comprehensive Plan. All regionalplanning commissions in the state of Wisconsinare required to complete regionalcomprehensive plans.

1. The North Central Wisconsin RegionalPlanning Commission ComprehensivePlan, 2000-2020

Local Level Plans

The County, cities, villages and towns havebeen involved with the following transportationplanning efforts in recent years.

1. The South Wood County TransportationStudy

2. The Wisconsin Rapids East ArterialFeasibility Study

3. Wood County Five Year Paving Plan(Bituminous Overlays and Sealcoats)

4. Local Road Improvement Program(LRIP) Plans - All towns, villages andcities must complete Local RoadImprovement Plans to be eligible toreceive allocations of the state gas tax tofund road improvements.

5. The Wood County Bicycle andPedestrian Plan

6. Wood County municipal comprehensiveplans

Figure 3-6




Transportation ImprovementProjects

Marshfield/Rapids ConnectionCorridor

The Connections 2030 planning processfacilitated by the Wisconsin Department ofTransportation identifies statewide, multimodal,intercity corridors as a way to view existingtransportation facilities and features, and planfor future transportation needs. The planidentifies 38 corridors throughout the state thatmeet certain criteria. The Marshfield/RapidsConnection was identified because of the role itplays in intercity transportation amongMarshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point,Abbotsford and all of the other communities inbetween. In addition, the passenger and freighttraffic that this corridor accommodates isimportant to the growth and economicdevelopment of Wood County and CentralWisconsin.

As an identified Connections 2030 corridor,future improvements are planned that areclassified as short term (2008-2013), mid-term(2014-2019), long-term (2020-2030), andchanges that could possibly take place duringthe entire planning period. Appendix 3-Aidentifies the proposed future activities andshows the Marshfield/Rapids ConnectionCorridor. Many of the improvements that areidentified are subject to budget constraints,changing conditions and shifting priorities.

US Highway 10

One of the most traveled routes in Wood Countyannually is US Highway 10. US 10 serves as animportant east/west highway of regional, state,and national importance. Connecting the TwinCities and the Fox Valley, this highway servesas a link for business, industry, recreation andagriculture.

To safely and efficiently handle increasing trafficvolumes in the future, 31 miles of US 10

between the cities of Marshfield and StevensPoint will be improved and realigned. The newfour-lane highway realignment will bypass thecommunities of Auburndale, Blenker, andMilladore in Wood County, and Junction Cityand Stevens Point in Portage County. Work onthis project began in 2006, is scheduled to becompleted in 2012, and represents a $244million dollar investment in Central Wisconsin’stransportation system. Figure 3-6 shows thenew US Highway 10 alignment from StevensPoint to Marshfield.

Although the US Highway 10 project will improvethe safety and efficiency of the route, somecommunities that will be bypassed realize thechallenges they will face without the benefit offrontage on a US Highway.

Central Wisconsin Jurisdictional Transfersand Highway System Changes

From 2009 to 2012 a number of jurisdictionaltransfers and route changes will take place inWood County as well as surrounding counties.Most of the changes are a result of the USHighway 10 project improvement andrealignment. The changes are being made toimprove safety, travel efficiency, and systemcontinuity, and increase capacity. Uponcompletion of US 10, portions of existing US 10and other state highways will be transferred tothe jurisdiction of local units of government. TheWisconsin Department of Transportation willcoordinate the specifics of these jurisdictionaltransfers and route changes with Wood Countyand local governments. Table 3-8 shows whenand where they are expected to take place.

Wisconsin Rapids East Arterial

In 2009 the city of Wisconsin Rapids, the villageof Port Edwards, the town of Grand Rapids,Wood County and the Wisconsin Department ofTransportation completed the Wisconsin RapidsArea East Arterial Feasibility Study. The intentof the study was to provide local municipalities,WisDOT, and other agencies and stakeholderswith a comprehensive report that identifies theneed for the proposed new WIS 54 alignment, a



range of alternatives that address the projectneed, and the project’s environmental impact.

The Wisconsin Rapids East Arterial Project wasthe result of the South Wood County AreaTransportation Study that was completed in1999. The purpose of the study was to reviewthe impact of a number of transportationimprovement proposals for the area includingboth a north and east bypass of Wisconsin

Rapids, a 2nd Avenue bypass, and a newWisconsin River crossing in Port Edwards. Thestudy utilized origin-destination surveys andtraffic modeling with a variety of population andfuture land use projections to determine trafficvolumes for 2025 on the transportation networkof South Wood County. The travel demandresults identified roadways in the study areathat would be “approaching congestion” or wouldbe “congested”.

Table 3-8

Jurisdictional Transfers Resulting from US 10 Expansion Project

ExistingHighway

RouteLimits/Locations

NewHighway

Route

NewJurisdiction

Year thechange isexpected

US 10WIS 34 north to existing County P; towns of Carson

and Linwood and city of Stevens PointCounty HH Portage County 2009

US 10 County P to I-39; city of Stevens Point WIS 66N/A (resigning

only)2009

County PWIS 34 to existing US 10; towns of Rudolph and

LinwoodWIS 66

Portage andWood counties

2009

WIS 66 Existing US 10 to I-39; city of Stevens Point Local streetCity of Stevens

Point2009

Business51

Stevens Point/Whiting limits to North Point Drive Business 51City of Stevens

Point2009

US 10WIS 34 south to WIS 34 north; village of Junction City

and town of CarsonCounty P Portage County 2012

US 10WIS 186 to WIS 34 south; towns of Auburndale,

Milladore, and Carson and villages of Auburndale andMilladore

County P Portage County 2011

WIS 186 Existing US 10 to new US 10; village of Auburndale County P Wood County 2012

US 10 Day Road to WIS 186; town and village of Auburndale Local streetTown and Village

of Auburndale2012

US 10 WIS 13 to Stadt Road; town of Marshfield Local streetTown of

Marshfield2012

US 10Business 13 to WIS 13: town of Cameron and city of

MarshfieldLocal street

Town ofCameron and

City of Marshfield2012

County F US 10 to village limits, village of Auburndale Local roadVillage of

Auburndale2012

County F Auburndale village limits to Rangeline Road Local roadTown of

Auburndale2012

County F Rangeline Road to US 10; town of Milladore Local roadTown ofMilladore

2012

BlenkerRoad

Existing US 10 to new US 10; town of Milladore County F Wood County 2012

County F US 10 to village limits, village of Auburndale Local roadVillage of

Auburndale2012




Inset Map 3-2

Source: Wisconsin Rapids East ArterialFeasibility Study, 2009

Although there are a variety of ways to fund theconstruction of the Wisconsin Rapids EastArterial, the preferred method is to have itenumerated as a “Major highway project” wheremost of the project would be funded by theWisconsin Department of Transportation. Table3-9 explains what kinds of projects are eligibleunder this designation.

There currently is no timeline inplace for the construction of theEast Arterial Project. Localofficials are encouraging the StateTransportation PlanningCommittee (TPC) to meet toconsider enumerating the project.Until the TPC meets to review theproject and possibly approve it,there is no definitive timeline thatcan be referenced. If the project isenumerated as a “major project”, itmay take at least 10 years beforeconstruction can be planned.

Inset map 3-2 shows the plannedeast arterial route, and theapproximate location of the PortEdwards bridge that is part of thisproject. The exact location of thebridge as well as detailedengineering are not yet available,but will be determined at a laterstage of the project. Preliminarycost of the 2.5 miles of roadwayand bridge are estimated at over$17 million. More accurate costs

will be easier to determine once the design andengineering work are complete.

American Recovery & Reinvestment Act(ARRA)

The American Investment and Recovery Act(ARRA) was initiated in 2009 to stimulate theeconomy through the strategic allocation of

Table 3-9Wisconsin Major Highway Project DefinitionBy Statute, a “Major highway project” denotes a project that has a total cost over $5 million and involvesany of the following:A. Constructing of a new highway 2.5 miles or more in lengthB. Reconstructing or reconditioning an existing highway by any of the following

1. Relocating 2.5 miles or of the existing highway.2. Adding one or more lanes five miles or more in length to the existing highway.3. Improving to freeway standards 10 miles or more of existing divided highway two or morelanes in either direction.




federal recovery funds. In Wisconsin ARRAfunding is being targeted towards tax relief formiddle class families, worthwhile newinfrastructure projects to create jobs andinvestments in research and alternative energyprojects for a cleaner, healthier environment.The Wisconsin Office of Recovery andReinvestment is working with communities, localgovernments, the private sector and other stakeholders to put money to work in the State.

Transportation improvements in the WoodCounty are impacted by ARRA funding. Table3-10 lists the 3 projects that are approved forfunding in 2009.

Road Improvement Plans

The Wood County Highway Departmentannually prepares a roadway management planthat identifies future county highwayimprovement projects. Appendix 3-B showsplanned roadway improvements from 2008 to2013.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportationprepares six-year plans by region that identifyprojects for Interstate highways, US highways,and state highways. Upcoming projects forWood County are listed in appendix 3-C. Manytowns, villages and cities prepare roadwayimprovement plans so that they can budget forfuture improvements. Some municipalities haveincorporated their roadway improvement plansinto their comprehensive plans so that they canbe put into the context of all of the planningelements.

Transportation Trends

To be able to plan for future transportationneeds, it helps to have an understanding ofsome of the transportation trends that are takingplace. Available regional, state and nationaltransportation statistics generally make itpossible to determine trends that are takingplace on a regional level, while local traveltrends are more challenging to identify. TheNorth Central Regional Planning Commissionand the Wood County Planning Departmentidentified the transportation trends in figure 3-5that will impact Wood County and the CentralWisconsin transportation network.

When looking at transportation trends at thecounty level, one valuable piece of information isVehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). The WisconsinDepartment of Transportation calculates theVMT on a daily and annual basis. By looking atVMT in figure 3-11 it is easy to determine if totaltraffic volume as a county is increasing ordecreasing. Since 1999 VMT has actuallydecreased, following a peak of 1,900,000 VMTdaily in 2004. It is difficult to say with anycertainty why VMT is decreasing, but a few

Table 3-10Approved Transportation Projects – American Recovery & Reinvestment ActCTH A STH 13 to USH 10 Pavement ReplacementLincoln Ave 14th St to 8th St, City of Marshfield ReconstructionCTH K Mill Creek Crossing between Maple Rd. and USH 10 Bridge replacementSource: Wisconsin Department of Transportation, June 2009

Table 3-11Wood County Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT)

Year Daily Annual2007 1,819,200 664,000,0002006 1,837,000 670,505,0002005 1,858,767 678,450,0002004 1,900,000 695,400,0002003 1,872,000 683,000,0002002 1,850,000 675,250,0002001 1,817,100 663, 242,0002000 1,820,800 666,413,0001999 1,856,700 677,696,000

Source: Wisconsin Department ofTransportation



factors might be impacting this number. Inrecent years as the paper industry has beenstruggling in Central Wisconsin, manymanufacturers have been reducing their staff.With the staff reductions many other businesseshave been impacted as well by a reduction insales and services or production. In addition toa possible reduction due to staffing andproduction cuts, VMT may be impacted byincreased petroleum or transportation relatedcosts in the future.

Although VMT shows a countywide decrease inrecent years, cities, villages and towns may beexperiencing different trends. By reviewinghistoric traffic count data and comparing it torecent traffic counts, municipalities may be ableto better determine what transportation trendsare occurring in their community. The decreasein VMT for the county goes against the generalassumption that it will gradually increase as timegoes on.



Figure 3-5Transportation Trends

*1. Increase in vehicle miles of travel (statewide)Since World War II, vehicle miles traveled in Wisconsin has generally increased.

*2. Increase in vehicle tripsA more diverse work force combined with more suburban development has led to more reliance on the automobileand more vehicle trips per person.

*3. Drivers age 65 and over will increaseThe aging of the baby boom generation will mean an increasing number of elderly drivers in the future.

*4. Travel differences by genderAn increase in workforce participation by women has caused women to drive more miles in recent years. Womengenerally drive fewer miles than men, but make a greater number of trips.

*5. Auto occupancyAverage Vehicle Occupancy (AVO) has fallen for all types of trips, nationwide.

*6. Trip purpose is changingWork trips will likely continue to account for a smaller percentage of total household travel while shopping,recreation, and trips for family and personal business continue to increase.

*7. Trip length is changingNationally, average distance traveled between ones home and work increased, however, travel time remained thesame due to faster travel speeds.

*8. Travel will grow in the future, but at a slower rateHighway travel in Wisconsin will continue to increase in the future, although at a slower rate than the last quartercentury.

**9. ATV and snowmobile trails/routesInterest in designating local roads for ATV and snowmobile use is likely to increase.

**10. Bicycle and pedestrian trailsConstruction of new transportation projects and maintenance/improvements of existing roadways will considerincorporation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities

**11. Access pointsAccess points will continue to increase as rural development occurs.

**12. Transportation alternativesIndividuals will increasingly consider more transportation alternatives as the cost of fuel increases. Localordinances may need to be updated to allow for some of these alternatives.

*Source: Regional Comprehensive Plan, 2000-2010, North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission**Source: Wood County Planning & Zoning Department



Goals and Objectives

A. Goal: Support a transportation systemwhich, through its location, capacity, anddesign will effectively serve the existing landuse development pattern and meetanticipated transportation demand generatedby existing and planned land use.

1. Make the transportation network safer byimproving deficient roadways.

2. Monitor the impacts that changing land usehas on the function and safety of roadwaysand the overall transportation system.

3. Encourage future development of residential,commercial and industrial uses in areas withroadways capable of accommodatingresulting traffic.

4. Minimize the impact to environmentallysensitive areas, prime agricultural land andnatural areas for the purpose ofaccommodating the location of transportationfacilities.

5. Maintain traffic controls on local roads thatpromote safety.

6. Maintain safe access designs onto allroadways whenever possible.

a. Minimize the number of accesspoints whenever possible.

b. Avoid dangerous drivewayaccess points onto publicroadways.

c. Maintain clear vision triangles atintersections.

7. Prevent damage to public roads and otherdriveways by controlling drainage.

8. Increase public awareness regarding slowerforms of rural transportation (i.e. bike,pedestrian, ATVs and farm equipment).

9. Consider the feasibility of incorporatingdesign elements into maintenance and newroadway construction projects thataccommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.

B. Goal: Continue to provide transportationalternatives to residents that includevehicular travel, bicycle and pedestriantravel, and air and rail facilities.

1. Support efforts to establish intercity bustransportation in Central Wisconsin.

2. Support and encourage maintenance of localand regional air and rail transportationfacilities.

3. Update the Wood County Bicycle andPedestrian Plan as often as necessary(typically every 5 years) to remain eligible forfuture grant funding opportunities.

4. Continue to actively participate with areacommunities and owners of Alexander Fieldand Marshfield Municipal Airport to maintainthe existing facilities and accommodatenecessary future expansions to betterservice airport users, especially businessesand industries that depend on air travel.

5. Support movement of freight into and out ofthe county via rail as a low cost alternative toother higher cost options.

6. Encourage railroad owners to maintain andimprove the area railroads as needed so thatthey are able to safely and effectivelyoperate in the future.

7. Continue efforts to make communities morewalkable through programs such as SafeRoutes to Schools.

8. Plan for maintenance of existing bicycle andpedestrian facilities as they reach a pointwhen resurfacing and other maintenance isnecessary.

C. Goal: Encourage a transportation systemthat supports economic development of theCounty.

1. Support transportation projects that improveconnectivity between business and industrialparks in Central Wisconsin.

2. Encourage communities that are bypassedby the US Highway 10 project to takeadvantage of programs such as WisconsinDepartment of Transportation communityenhancement funding to ensure that they arenot adversely affected by the bypass.

3. Encourage transportation design thatreduces travel times while improving safety.

4. When considering economic developmentopportunities, determine impacts such aswear and tear of truck traffic on roadways,



and the costs of maintaining the roadways toaccommodate long-term use.

5. Continue long-range transportation planningto effectively meet any changingtransportation volumes or traffic patterns.

6. Become familiar with changing transportationfunding opportunities at the federal and statelevels to support changing economicdevelopment infrastructure needs over time.



Map 3-1



Map 3-2



Map 3-3



Map 3-4



Appendix 3-A



Appendix 3-B

County Trunk Highway Bituminous Overlays and Sealcoating Improvements – 2010-2014Prepared by the Wood County Highway Department

2010COUNTYTRUNK LOCATION DISTANCE COMMENTS (IF ANY)CTH K STH 186 TO STH 10 6.20 MILES RUT FILL AND PAVE 2"CTH C STH 34 TO CTH 0 3.00 MILES RECONSTRUCTIONCTH Y CTH T TO CTH M 3.70 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVE

CTH CC CTH B TO STH 13 1.90 MILES OVERLAY 2.75"

CTH VPROGRESS ROAD TO

STEFFECK ROAD 2.00 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVE

CTH USTH 54 TO RIVER OR EAST

BIRON DR. 1.40 MILES SEALCOAT

CTH USHORT ST. TO HOFFMAN

ROAD 2.00 MILES SEALCOAT

CTH ZZSTH 54 TO NORTH COUNTY

LINE 1.00 MILES SEALCOATCTH Q BRIDGE

2011COUNTYTRUNK LOCATION DISTANCE COMMENTS (IF ANY)CTH DD STH 34 TO CTH O 3.00 MILES OVERLAY 2.75"CTH H CTH M TO CTH Y 3.00 MILES OVERLAY 2.75"CTH G STH 54 TO STH 173 2.00 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVECTH H CTH T TO CTH M 3.70 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVECTH D STH 54 TO ELM LAKE ROAD 2.25 MILES RECONSTRUCTIONCTH Q STH 13 TO CTH D 5.60 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVECTH Y CTH V TO LINCOLN AVENUE 5.40 MILES SEALCOATCTH T STH 10 TO YELLOWSTONE 1.00 MILES SEALCOAT

CTH TCTH Y TO NORTH COUNTY

LINE 1.10 MILES RUT FILL, SEAL COATCTH T CTH Y TO CTH H 1.00 MILES SEALCOATCTH T CTH H TO HEWITT .50 MILES SEALCOAT



Appendix 3-B

2012COUNTYTRUNK LOCATION DISTANCE COMMENTS (IF ANY)CTH W 36TH STREET TO CTH U 2.81 MILES SEAL COATCTH S CTH C TO CTH M 2.00 MILES SEAL COAT

CTH ONORTH COUNTRY LINE TO

STH 66 4.20 MILES SEAL COATCTH S CTH F TO CTH C 4.80 MILES SEAL COAT

CTH C TOCTH M STH 186 TO CTH E 4.77 MILES MILL AND OVERLAYCTH A STH 13 TO CTH H 1.00 MILES RECONSTRUCTIONCTH N CTH T TO STH 13 4.10 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVE

CTH C TOCTH M CTH F TO CTH HH 2.75 MILES MILL OVERLAYCTH JJ CTH AA TO CTH C 3.20 MILES SEAL COATCTH AA CTH G TO CTH JJ 1.90 MILES SEAL COATCTH N CTH F TO CTH HH 2.10 MILES SEAL COATCTH F CTH HH TO CTH C 2.00 MILES SEAL COAT

2013COUNTYTRUNK LOCATION DISTANCE COMMENTS (IF ANY)CTH G STH 173 TO COUNTY LINE 6.00 MILES PULVERIZE AND PAVECTH E STH 13 TO CTH C 2.10 MILES OVERLAY

CTH ZSTH 73 TO SOUTH COUNTY

LINE 4.40 MILES PULVERIZE AND RESURFACE5' PAVED SHOULDER

CTH EE STH 13 TO CTH T 4.00 MILES PULVERIZE AND OVERLAYCTH E CTH X TO CTH B 2.00 MILES RECONSTRUCTIONCTH H BLUEBERRY TO CTH N 2.25 MILES RECONSTRUCTION

2014COUNTYTRUNK LOCATION DISTANCE COMMENTS (IF ANY)

CTHX STH 54 TO CTH E 4.00 MILES OVERLAYCTH E CTH N TO CTH C 5.00 MILES OVERLAYCTH U STH 54 TO CTH W 3.40 MILES PULVERIZE AND OVERLAY

CTH BB STH 10 TO CTH B 3.70 MILES SEALCOATCTH Z STH 13 TO STH 73 4.40 MILES SEALCOAT

Source: Wood County Highway Department*Note: The 5 year County Trunk Highway Bituminous Overlays and Sealcoating Improvements cover years2010-2014. Year 2009 covers the “current year” projects that were scheduled to be completed.



Appendix 3-C

2008-2013 Six Year State Highway Improvement Program – Wood CountyPrepared by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

HWY PROJECT TITLEMILES ESTIMATE (RANGE) YEAR

WORKTYPE PROJECT DESCRIPTION

54 STH 80 -STH 73 1.23 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 2009 RECST Realignment of Hwy 54 near CTH D.

10Marshfield - StevensPoint 35.89 $15,000,000 or greater 10-13 MAJOR Construct multi lane divided highway.

10Yellow River bridgeand approaches 0 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 2008 BRRPL

Replace the bridge and do roadwaymaintenance.

10Yellow River bridgeand approaches 0 $100,000 - $249,999 2008 RDMTN

Replace the bridge and do roadwaymaintenance.

13C WISC RPDS,Riverview Expressway 0.29 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 10-13 BRSHRM

Bridge deck overlay on the WisconsinRiver Bridge B-71-33.

13Central Avenue, City ofMarshfield 0 $6,000,000 - $6,999,999 10-13 MAJOR

Reconstruction of the existing urbancross section from approximatelyWildwood Park to the VeteransBoulevard.

13Central Avenue, City ofMarshfield 0 $2,000,000 - $2,999,999 10-13 MISC


13Central Avenue, City ofMarshfield 1.31 $3,000,000-$3,999,999 10-13 RECST


13Friendship -WisconsinRapids 5.77 $2,000,000 - $2,999,999 10-13 PVRPLA

This project is a pavementreplacement and resurface project.

13 Pittsville - Marshfield 2.38 $500,000 - $749,999 10-13 RESURFMill two inches, overlay 3.5 inches.Flashers to be replaced.

13Wisconsin Rapids -Marshfield 0.6 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 10-13 BRRPL

Bridge replacement of the YellowRiver Bridge B-71-0755.

34Wisconsin Rapids -Junction City 0.9 $100,000 - $249,999 10-13 RDMTN

Roadway maintenance on this stretchof highway.

54Babcock - PortEdwards 0 $2,000,000 - $2,999,999 10-13 RDMTN

This project will provide a newwearing surface under thePreventative Maintenance Program.

54SM CRK & CranberryDitch BR & APPRS 0.18 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 2009 BRRPL Replace bridges.

54 STH 80 -STH 73 1.23 $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 2009 RECST Realignment of Hwy 54 near CTH D.


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