Janesville Road 2013 Project Doesn't Meet 'Optimal Design' for State

Barely has the dust settled on the phase I construction of Janesville Road, which widened the roadway to four lanes and added medians from Moorland Road to Lannon Drive, when planners have brought a potential issue for 2013's project.

Ed Hinrichs, project engineer with Waukesha County, explained to the Public Works Committee Monday night that two facets of the phase II construction plan fall outside of the state Department of Transportation's 'optimal design.'

The intersection of Lannon Drive and Janesville Road is designed at about a 65 degree angle according to Hinrichs, which is less than the state's threshold of 70 percent (90 degrees or right angles being ideal). He explained that to further correct the interesection would require "purchasing real estate and potentially clearing more property" at the intersection.

With two of the corners now vacant due to county acquisition, that leaves the North Shore Bank, Tres Locos and PNC Bank in the immediate cross hairs at that site.

In addition, Hinrichs said the state is enforcing sidewalk and crosswalk designs to accommodate physically challenged pedestrians, requiring a two percent grade of the roadway in the crosswalk. The present designs feature grades of three 3.0 to 4.2 degrees, depending on the intersection.

He explained that fixing the issue would require 'flattening' the intersections featuring crosswalks, but that could cause a noticeable dip in the road as drivers proceed through. He cited the intersections in San Francisco as an extreme example of this effect, but felt that the county's plans would remain in tact.

"I feel we will most likely be given an exception from the state for these items, mainly because of how long the design plans have been out there. We are at about 90 percent complete on these, and the state has been known to take these factors into account," Hinrichs said.

As the corrections could cost time - as much as a year - and require further acquisition of property, he explained that he was confident that no major changes would need to be made, but still wanted the city to be aware of the discussion between the county and the state.