us 12 whitewater bypass road safety audit report walworth...

US 12 Whitewater Bypass Road Safety Audit Report

Walworth County

August 19, 2020 Prepared for: Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Southeast Region

Dan Dedrick, PE Prepared by: raSmith

Pat Hawley, PE, PTOE, RSP Doug Senso, PE Laura Schroeder, PE, PTOE, RSP

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INTRODUCTION The US 12 Whitewater Bypass was opened to traffic in August of 2005. In the years since the bypass opened, it came under scrutiny for its safety performance. Some of the safety concerns were supported with a history of reported crashes, while other concerns were based on driver feel and perception. As a result, numerous safety studies have been conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) since 2005 to address crash issues at various isolated locations and along the entire corridor. These safety studies have resulted in the implementation of several design and traffic control changes.

The US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue had been studied previously and was being evaluated when two fatal crashes occurred in August 2019. Prompted by the intersection’s past history and the recent fatal crashes, WisDOT Southeast Region retained raSmith to conduct a Road Safety Audit (RSA) on the US 12 bypass. The RSA study limits are from the Walworth-Rock County line on the west to approximately 400 feet east of Cox Road on the east. The following US 12 intersections were included in the RSA analysis:

Walworth Avenue (Walworth Avenue is shown on some maps as both County N and County S, but it is only designated as Walworth Avenue at the US 12 intersection)

WIS 89/WIS 59 County P/WIS 59 Cox Road

This report summarizes the findings of the road safety audit, including raSmith’s recommendations.

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT PROCESS A Road Safety Audit is a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent audit team. The RSA team considers the safety of all road users, qualitatively estimates and reports on the road safety issues identified, and presents suggestions for safety improvement.

A post construction RSA was conducted for the US 12 Whitewater Bypass to address concerns with recent crashes in the corridor, specifically at the Walworth Avenue intersection.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established the following formal process for conducting road safety audits:

1. Identify Project 2. Select RSA Team 3. Conduct Start-up meeting 4. Perform Field Reviews 5. Conduct analysis and prepare report 6. Present findings to project owner (WisDOT)

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7. Prepare formal response 8. Incorporate findings into the project when appropriate

WisDOT initiated the process by identifying the project, Step 1, and retaining raSmith to conduct the RSA. raSmith is involved in steps 2 through 6, and WisDOT will conduct the last two steps.

The RSA team was hand selected for their knowledge of the US 12 Whitewater Bypass corridor, relevant expertise, or a combination of both. The following representatives were invited to participate on the RSA panel:

Walworth County Sheriff’s Department Deputy City of Whitewater Police Department Officer City of Whitewater City Manager City of Whitewater Emergency Management Director District 15 State Senator Janis Ringhand 43rd Assembly District State Representative Don Vruwink’s Aide WisDOT State Patrol Officer WisDOT Southeast Region, Safety Engineer WisDOT Bureau of Traffic Operations, Safety Engineer WisDOT Bureau of Project Development, Design Project Oversight Engineer Walworth County Director of Public Works District 11 State Senator Town of Whitewater Chairperson FHWA Safety and Design Engineer

PROJECT BACKGROUND

US 12 The US 12 Whitewater Bypass is a two-lane, rural roadway running from approximately one mile west of the western Rock County Line to approximately 400 feet west of the Cox Road intersection, bypassing the city of Whitewater to the south and west. The limts of the US 12 bypass project includes at-grade intersections with Tri County Line Road, Walworth Avenue, WIS 89/WIS 59, and County P/WIS 59. As noted in the introduction, the current RSA study limits vary somewhat from the bypass construction limits. The Tri County Line intersection is not included in the RSA evaluation, while the Cox Road intersection is included.

This east-west rural highway consists of two 12’ travel lanes with 10’ shoulders on the outsides (6’ paved and 4’ gravel). US 12 has a posted speed of 55 miles per hour (mph). The roadway carries 3,100 to 7,200 vehicles per day, of which 18-20% are trucks. Exhibit 1 shows the existing transportation system for the RSA study.

US 12 Intersections The US 12 RSA study area contains at-grade intersections with Walworth Avenue, WIS 89/WIS 59, County P/WIS 59 and Cox Road. The US 12 Whitewater Bypass project was originally designed with a signalized intersection at Walworth Avenue and side road

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stop-controlled intersections at the other three at grade intersections. The bypass opened to traffic in 2005 with these intersection traffic control configurations. However, the US 12 intersections with WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59 were signalized within the next year. The current intersection geometry and traffic control is detailed in Exhibit 1.

US 12 Whitewater Bypass History The following background information provides a chronological context on the planning, design and construction history of the US 12 project. Of particular significance are the design changes made to the corridor during construction.

1989 – Identified in WisDOT’s Corridors 2020 planning document. 1992 – Identified in Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s A

Transportation Improvement Program for southeastern Wisconsin, 1993-1998 planning document

1992 to 1997 – Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared 1997 – Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) approved 1997 to 2001 - Preliminary and Final Design Spring 2002 to August 2005 – US 12 Bypass Construction. Majority of eastern

and western segments constructed separately over multiple construction seasons.

April 2005 - The US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue design plans were revised to add far-side traffic signal poles and heads in the left-turn channelization islands. The intersection modifications were completed and the traffic signals were turned on July 12, 2005.

August 2005 – Bypass open to traffic. The US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue was operating with traffic signal control when the bypass opened to traffic in August 2005. The US 12 intersections with WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59 were operating with two-way stop control (US 12 freeflow, side streets stop controlled) in August 2005.

September 2005 – The US 12 intersection with WIS 89/WIS 59 intersection plans were revised to add left-turn lanes on all approaches, eliminate the minor road stop control and incorporate traffic signals. These improvements were completed and the traffic signals were turned on October 3, 2005.

September 2005 – In response to two fatal and three injury crashes occurring within the first few months of the US 12 Whitewater Bypass opening to traffic, WisDOT’s Central Office and Southeast Region conducted an Expedited Independent Safety Analysis of the corridor. The safety review included representatives from WisDOT’s SE Region, WisDOT’s Central Office, FHWA and a private traffic consultant. The analysis concluded with several observations and recommendations for each intersection along the bypass. The 2005 review found very few design or operational problems at the Walworth Avenue intersection, which is interesting considering its recent safety issues. The review team identified the following broad observations and suggestions for the corridor:

o Consider both the interim and ultimate design criteria when constructing a two-lane facility that will eventually be expanded.

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o The lowest volume roads along the bypass were all grade separated, while the higher volume roads were at-grade intersections.

o There was a lack of consistency between the at-grade intersections, which can result in driver expectancy issues.

The findings of WisDOT’s Expedited Independent Safety Analysis were incorporated into FHWA’s more comprehensive review of statewide bypass design practices in 2006.

October 2005 – Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) was added to the US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue.

March 2006 – The US 12 intersection with County P/WIS 59 plans were revised to add left-turn lanes on all approaches, include right-turn pork-chop channelization islands in the northeast, northwest and southwest quadrants, eliminate the minor road stop control and incorporate traffic signals. These improvements were completed and the traffic signals were turned on July 10, 2006.

July 2006 – All US 12 Whitewater Bypass construction work completed. Since the completion of construction in July 2006, a number of traffic control and timing changes have been implemented at the three signalized intersections on the US 12 Bypass, including the following:

Walworth Avenue October 2008 – The US 12 through movement green time was increased to allow

approaching trucks to safely clear the intersection. April 2016 – “LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN” (with symbolic green ball) signs

were added for all left turn lanes to aid in reducing the US 12 northbound to westbound left turn angle crashes with southbound US 12 traffic.

August 2019 – Left-turn movements on all approaches were converted to four-section traffic signal heads with flashing yellow arrows signals. Permissive only left turn operation was maintained for all approaches.

WIS 89/WIS 59 November 2007 – The US 12 through movement green time was increased to

allow approaching trucks to safely clear the intersection and account for the WIS 89 speed limit of 35 mph.

October 2008 – The US 12 through movement green time was increased to allow queued trucks to safely clear the intersection.

October 2019 - Advanced radar detection on US 12 eastbound approach was added to provide additional green time for eastbound vehicles, especially trucks, to clear at the intersection after traveling down the hill.

County P/WIS 59 November 2007 – The US 12 through movement green time was increased to

allow approaching trucks to safely clear the intersection. The EVP timing was updated to current standards.

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October 2008 – The US 12 through movement green time was increased to allow queued trucks to clear the intersection.

March 2009 – An eastbound protected-permissive left turn phase was added to address the high crash rate associated with this movement.

Interim Roadway Design and Ultimate Roadway Plan The US 12 Whitewater Bypass was planned with both interim and ultimate design concepts in mind. The interim design included the current two-lane, undivided rural highway with at grade intersections, as currently constructed. The ultimate plan is to convert the corridor to a four-lane divided expressway facility when traffic volumes and/or safety concerns justify the expansion. The EIS did not identify a date when the expansion was expected to be warranted, nor did it specify traffic volume thresholds for the expansion. The EIS did note the expansion was not anticipated until after the design year 2020.

The at-grade intersections would be replaced with grade-separated interchanges when the facility is expanded to a four-lane divided expressway. The planning, design and construction of the existing two-lane US 12 corridor anticipated the future expansion by including right-of-way acquisition, wider bridges and grading as part the original design and construction project. The horizontal and vertical curvature and other geometric elements of the highway were designed to accommodate a 65 mph posted speed associated with the ultimate rural four-lane, divided expressway. WisDOT’s Connections 2030 Plan includes capacity expansion and new interchanges for the US 12 bypass.

Table 1 compares the design year 2020 traffic forecasts from the EIS with the most recent WisDOT traffic counts.

Table 1 US 12 Traffic Volume Comparison

US 12 Bypass Traffic Forecast/Count Location

EIS Design Year 2020 Forecast AADT

(vehicles per day)

WisDOT 2018 Traffic Count AADT

(vehicles per day)

County Line to Walworth Avenue 4,200 3,100

Walworth Avenue to WIS 89/WIS 59 4,300 4,900

WIS 89/WIS 59 to County P/WIS 59 6,900 7,200

Table 1 shows the existing traffic counts are similar to the original forecasts. The existing counts are slightly lower at the far west end of the corridor and slightly higher throughout the rest of the corridor.

WisDOT uses a holistic approach consisting of economic, traffic flow and safety factors to determine when two-lane rural roadways like the US 12 Whitewater Bypass should be converted to a grade-separated four-lane divided roadway. The holistic approach

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relies on Performance-Based Practical Design (PBPD) methodologies and analytics to develop a reasonable range of cost-effective alternatives. One required element of the PBPD approach is using WisDOT’s Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE) to determine when to convert at-grade intersections to grade separated interchanges. WisDOT’s ICE process must be followed when considering an alternative form of traffic control or type of intersection/interchange. The goal of the ICE process is to document, justify, and provide support for intersection/interchange design decisions. The ICE process is a rigorous process that considers existing and future traffic operational and safety needs along with other site-specific issues and constraints to determine feasible and viable alternatives. Any alternatives must provide acceptable levels of service for traffic operations and safety performance for existing and future design year conditions.

Converting the US 12 Whitewater Bypass to its ultimate planned four-lane divided grade separated facility would be done through WisDOT’s Major Project program, which has different criteria and processes than other lower level highway improvement projects. Most highway improvement projects are initiated and selected at the WisDOT Region level. In comparison, WisDOT’s Bureau of State Highway Programs (BSHP) evaluates corridors statewide to identify potential candidate projects for significant capacity and safety improvements. These corridors are reviewed at the Region to determine if they would be good candidates. The candidate projects must then be recommended by the Transportation Projects Commission (TPC) and ultimately enumerated in the State Biennial Budget by the Governor and Legislature. Once enumerated, the Majors Projects undergo a comprehensive environmental study to evaluate potential alternatives.

As a precursor to the full environmental study within the Majors program, there are planning level assessments that can be used to gauge the potential need for expansion, purely from a traffic operations perspective. The FDM provides desirable Level-of-Service (LOS) thresholds for multiple roadway types. These thresholds provide daily traffic volume values under which the roadway will operate at a desired LOS. The existing US 12 bypass is considered a two-lane rural state trunk highway, and the FDM (FDM 11-15, Attachment 1.1) shows a range of 3,500 to 8,700 vehicles per day as the design volume thresholds for acceptable conditions (LOS C). The existing US 12 daily volumes are on the low end of the FDM range threshold values on the west half of the corridor and near the upper limit on the east half of the corridor. It should be stressed the FDM’s AADT-based thresholds are one of many factors in considering capacity expansion and they do not provide the full context of detailed parameters needed to identify roadway expansion triggers, such as peak hour intersection capacity analyses, safety analyses, corridor wide plans and land use goals. A PBPD approach is the only way to comprehensively develop and analyze a reasonable range of cost-effective alternatives.

It should also be noted the US 12 corridor is unique in that most rural two-lane roadways on which the FDM guidance is based upon would not have three signalized intersections in a four-mile segment. Signalized intersections often control the capacity of corridors. Therefore, the operation of the US 12 signalized intersections plays a role in quantifying the capacity of the corridor. raSmith analyzed the existing peak hour traffic volumes (Exhibit 2) at the three signalized intersections using existing geometry

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and default analysis parameters to assess their capacity and their role in the corridor’s capacity. All three intersections are currently operating well under capacity. All movements of each intersection are operating at LOS C or better and the overall of each intersection was LOS B or better.

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT EVALUATION raSmith’s evaluation of the corridor included the following elements:

Reviewed and documented US 12 bypass planning, design and construction history

Reviewed and compiled previously prepared safety evaluations, including speed studies

Compiled relevant traffic and safety data Facilitated field review of the corridor with the RSA panel Conducted design review of the corridor including intersection and roadway

geometry, traffic control, signing, pavement marking and lighting Compiled, reviewed and analyzed Year 2014 to 2019 crash data

Field Review – Observations and Feedback The RSA panel conducted the field review on Thursday, January 23, 2020. Panelists from the following agencies participated in the field review:

City of Whitewater City Manager City of Whitewater Police Department City of Whitewater Emergency Management 43rd Assembly District State Representative Don Vruwink’s Aide Wisconsin District 15 State Senator Janis Ringhand Walworth County Sheriff’s Department Wisconsin State Patrol WisDOT (3 representatives) raSmith (2 representatives)

The Walworth County Public Works Department representative was unable to attend the field review but provided feedback to raSmith on a phone call.

The RSA panel initially met at the City of Whitewater City Hall where raSmith provided an overview on the corridor safety history, including a review of intersection collision diagrams and a corridor crash summary. raSmith also explained the purpose and procedures of the RSA process, as well as outlining the roles and expectations of the panelists. The panel members then conducted a bus-tour field review. The bus travelled the study corridor to allow panelist to view the geometry and understand the context of the corridor. The bus stopped at each of the three signalized intersections, where the panelists exited the bus for field observations. The panelists noted various geometry and traffic control elements, watched traffic operations and discussed observations with other panelists. The RSA team regrouped immediately following the field review at City Hall to share their observations, thoughts and opinions on the existing issues and potential solutions.

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The following is a condensed summary of the comments made by the RSA field review team. It should be stressed these comments are personal observations and personal opinions from RSA panelists, and they should not be misconstrued as the final RSA conclusions. A listing of all the comments is included in Appendix A.

Geometry/Design Comments Are there design criteria for roadways transitioning from an interim two-lane

undivided highway to a four-lane divided limited access expressway? Each of the US 12 intersections appears to be designed differently in terms of

level of geometry and traffic signal turn arrows. The corridor intersections were noted by a few panelists as having sight distance

challenges for turning vehicles (conflicting with other vehicles) The asphalt shoulder is depressed in relation to the concrete shoulder in many

areas along the corridor. This makes it difficult for vehicles to recover. There are a lot of lanes and driver choices at the US 12 intersection with

Walworth Avenue, which can be confusing for unfamiliar drivers. Newer designed intersections with channelized islands, like at the Walworth

Avenue intersection, tend to slow people down. It is difficult for eastbound US 12 trucks to stop at the WIS 89/59 signalized

intersection due to the downgrade from the WIS 59/railroad overpass.

Traffic Control Comments The WIS 89/59 intersection is dark. Additional street lights at the intersections

and blinking warning lights in advance of the intersections would be helpful. The traffic signal improvements made at the Walworth Avenue intersection in

2019 (implemented flashing yellow arrows) made a dramatic improvement. No crashes involving the problematic northbound US 12 to westbound Walworth Avenue left-turn movement have occurred since then (September 2019 through January 2020).

Pavement marking conditions and lack of channelized islands make turn lanes difficult to quickly see, especially at night and during inclement weather.

Other Comments The bypass feels like you can drive it faster than you should. It was designed

like a high-speed bypass but it functions like a regular highway with at grade intersections.

Speed has not been an issue along the corridor. What can be done to slow vehicles in advance of intersections? Panelists indicated most of the recent crashes at the Walworth Avenue

intersection were not local drivers (6 of 7 drivers were not residents). UW Whitewater is still considered a “suitcase campus”. Many students travel

home for the weekends, which results in high traffic volumes on Friday and Sunday nights

Semi trucks decelerate in the US 12 through lanes prior to turning right at each of the intersections.

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Potential Improvements The bypass should be completed as originally planned. There was general

consensus among the panelists that most residents wanted to complete it as well.

Consider rumble strips to address the run-off-the-road crashes. Implement advanced vehicle detection system for eastbound US 12 at the WIS

59/89 intersection.

Geometric Design Review and Analysis

Basis of Analysis raSmith’s reviewed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), reviewed as-built plans and conducted multiple field visits to evaluate the geometry of the US 12 roadway corridor. Particular attention was given to these critical geometric design features in the as-built plans:

Horizontal curvature as it relates to vehicle speed Vertical curvature as it relates to vehicle speed Travel lane and shoulder widths Areas beyond the roadway shoulders – steepness of roadway side slopes,

ditches slopes, hazards or obstructions, etc. The angles of intersecting side roads with US 12 General sight distance restrictions or obstructed views at intersections Taper rates for creation or elimination of lanes near intersections

It should be highlighted that horizontal and vertical curvature are directly related to stopping, passing, and decision sight distances and are vital to roadway safety.

The field review of the US 12 RSA area provided an opportunity to investigate evidence of crashes or near miss crashes such as:

Skid marks at particular locations Damaged signs or guard rail Obstructed views/poor viewing angles at intersections not evident on as-builts

due to the addition of signs, landscaping, roadway approach geometry, etc. Roadside distractions not evident on as-built plans

Geometric Design Review and Analysis US 12 Whitewater Bypass roadway geometrics features are generally within WisDOT Facilities Development Manual (FDM) standards, especially for the 55 mph posted speed limit. US 12 was designed for a posted speed of 65 mph in anticipation of the future rural, four-lane expressway. It should be acknowledged that geometric standards have changed since the design of the US 12 Whitewater Bypass nearly 20 years ago. Although some of the current design standards are not met, the past standards are met, the differences between the past and current standards are minimal, and/or the standards do not appear to be associated with crash patterns in the corridor. As an

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example, some vertical curves meet the current minimum standards but not the upper minimum standards, which you would expect on a new facility. raSmith’s review of the geometric features revealed the following:

Per current FDM standards, the intersecting roadway angles at the US 12 intersections with Walworth Avenue and WIS 89/WIS 59 intersections are substandard at 67.2 degrees and 69.4 degrees, respectively. The current standard is 70 degrees as an absolute minimum angle, with 75 degrees as a typical minimum angle and 90 degrees as ideal. The US 12 corridor would have been designed using standards from the most current FDM, which would have been generally based on AASHTO’s 1994 Green Book 1994. The 1994 Green Book states 60 degrees as the minimum intersection angle.

Skid marks were observed on the US 12/WIS 89 intersection’s eastbound approach during the field review. The crest of a hill is located approximately 1,900’ to the west of this intersection. Field review panelists indicated some vehicles (larger trucks) have to brake abruptly to stop on a red light. Two sight distance standards were evaluated for this situation, stopping sight distance and decision sight distance. Decision sight distance refers to the distance at which drivers can detect a hazard or a signal in a cluttered roadway environment, recognize it or its potential threat, select an appropriate speed and path, and perform the required action safely and efficiently. The current standard for stopping sight distance is 640’ and the decision sight distance is 1,020’. These distances are based on a 55 mph posted speed limit and a 3% down grade hill. The distance available from a car’s tail light stopped at the signal is 1,650’ as measured from the as-built plans, which well exceeds both required standards. If vehicles backed up at the intersection to the turn lane storage lengths (350’), adequate stopping and avoidance distances would still be available.

The field review revealed vehicles attempting the westbound to northbound right turn at the US 12 intersection with County P/WIS 59 struggle to view northbound traffic to the south. The right turn lane is quite wide to accommodate right turning trucks. This movement is controlled with a yield sign currently, which is inconsistent with the other channelized right-turns at the three signalized intersections. TEOpS 2-2-4 states:

If there is only one receptor lane on the receiving roadway, a STOP sign should be used. A YIELD sign may be used in lieu of a STOP sign where there is wider pavement and an available recovery area.

The as-built plans show the intersection was originally constructed with a stop-sign for the westbound to northbound right-turn movement. raSmith did not identify the history on why this change was made, but both options are allowed per TEOpS.

The current FDM criteria for turn lane lengths (FDM 11-25 2.3 and Attachment 1.1) is based on two elements: deceleration distances, which is a function of travel speed, and queue storage, which is a function of the intersection operations. For rural roadways with 55 mph speed limits, the minimum required

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deceleration distance for controlled intersection approaches is 350 feet. This does not include additional length required for queue storage. As shown in Exhibit 1, two of the US 12 mainline turn lanes have less than 350 feet of storage (the westbound right-turn lanes at the Walworth Avenue and WIS 89/WIS 59 intersections) and most of the other mainline turn lanes have slightly longer than 350 feet. Therefore, most of the turn lanes will not provide adequate deceleration length when queues are present. However, it should be noted there is not a documented crash or operational issue related to this deficiency.

The passing sight distance along the US 12 Whitewater bypass was evaluated by WisDOT in 2020 as part of a statewide passing zone assessment, and the bypass was found to have adequate passing sight distance. The evaluation was based on WisDOT criteria, which are stricter than the MUTCD’s criteria.

When evaluating the US 12 geometrics from a more holistic perspective, there are two outlying elements that seem unusual: 1) the lack of intersection design consistency throughout the corridor and 2) the less than desirable alignment of the at-grade intersections.

The three signalized US 12 intersections with Walworth Avenue, WIS 89/WIS 59, and County P/WIS 59 have differences in the left turn lanes (offsets, separation from travel lanes), right turn lanes (pork chop islands, stop versus yield), and the number and location of traffic signals. Appendix B includes an exhibit highlighting several of the key intersection differences. This intersection inconsistency may be causing confusion with unfamiliar drivers. Some of these inconsistencies likely are a result of the intersections being designed at different times in the process. The original plans only proposed to signalize the US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue. However, before the construction of the bypass was completed in 2006, plan revisions were made to signalize the WIS 89/WIS 59, and County P/WIS 59 intersections. The left-turn lanes at these intersections were also added to the design later in the process. It should be stressed that while there are inconsistencies between the intersection designs, each intersection was designed to meet the design standards at the time; and they predominantly meet today’s standards.

All of the cross roads intersect US 12 on a skew or within a horizontal curve. None of the intersections are aligned at the most desirable conditions: at 90 degrees or on tangent sections. The Walworth Avenue and WIS 89/WIS 59 intersections have skews less than 70 degrees. The County P/WIS 59 and Cox Road intersections are on the outsides of horizontal curves on US 12. Typically new roadways on new alignments are designed to meet desirable, if not ideal, design standards; and it is uncommon the US 12 bypass had less than desirable intersection designs. It is unknown if this situation speaks to the interim nature of US 12 Whitewater Bypass. In the ultimate design (four-lane expressway), these intersecting roadways were to be overpasses or interchanges, thus lessening the need for desirable intersecting angles.

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Traffic Control, Signing, and Marking Generally, signing within the US 12 study area is up to standards and

unobstructed.

The lane designation pavement markings are hard to see when approaching the intersections, especially on the light concrete pavement background.

The stop bar at the westbound to northbound right turn at the US 12 intersection with County P/WIS 59 creates a difficult angle for observing traffic to the south.

Crash Evaluation WisDOT prepared collision diagrams for the three signalized intersections prior to raSmith’s involvement. raSmith reviewed the WisDOT intersection collision diagrams and updated them with the full 2019 data set. Two other crash exhibits were prepared by raSmith: 1) a collision diagram for the US 12 segment in the vicinity of the Cox Road intersection; and 2) a corridor crash map depicting the non-intersection crashes (it only includes study area crashes not included in the four detailed collision diagrams). These exhibits can be found here:

US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue collision diagram: Appendix C US 12 intersection with WIS 89/WIS 59 collision diagram: Appendix C US 12 intersection with County P/WIS 59 collision diagram: Appendix C US 12 segment in vicinity of Cox Road collision diagram: Appendix C US 12 Corridor Crash Map: Exhibit 3

It should be noted the 2019 crash data included in this RSA report has not been finalized yet, which means they have not been fully vetted and approved by WisDOT. However, there are usually only minor changes between preliminary and final crash data, if any; and the preliminary 2019 data provides additional context on the 2014 through 2018 final data.

raSmith reviewed the collision diagrams and police reports of each crash to gain a better understanding of the safety issues and potential causal factors. The following summarizes raSmith’s findings.

Corridor Crash Rate The US 12 corridor experienced 119 crashes from 2014 through 2019, an average of 20 crashes per year (including intersection crashes). Similar to the prior capacity discussion, the US 12 corridor does not fit neatly into one of WisDOT’s meta-manager roadway peer groups for crash rate comparisons due to its signalized intersections on a high-speed rural roadway. For comparison purposes, Table 2 shows the 2014-2018 US 12 crash rates in comparison to the statewide average and upper control limit (UCL) rates for three WisDOT peer groups. By definition, US 12 would be classified as a rural two lane highway, peer group 420. The highlighted cells represent average and UCL rates exceeded by the US 12 corridor.

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Table 2 US 12 Corridor Crash Rate and Comparison Statewide Rates

2014-2018 Crash Data

Total Crash Rate

(crashes per 100 MVMT)

KAB Crash Rate (crashes per 100 MVMT)

US 12 Corridor Crash Rate 149.67 46.56

Rural Two-Lane State Highway AADT: 2,000 to 7,000 vpd Peer Group 420

Statewide Average Crash Rate

79.25 18.51

Upper Control Limit (UCL)

89.73 23.57

Rural Two-Lane State Highway AADT: Greater than 7,000 vpd Peer Group 430


96.34 20.04


107.89 25.31

Two Lane State Highways Posted Speed 40 mph or lower Peer group 440


298.56 35.64


318.90 42.67

As shown in Table 2, the US 12 crash rate of 149.67 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is significantly higher than the statewide averages for “comparable” rural highways, and it is significantly less than the statewide average for “comparable” urban highways.

Similarly, the US 12 crash rate exceeds the UCL for rural highways, but it falls below the UCL for urban highways. The US 12 KAB rate is higher than the statewide average and UCL for all three peer groups.

Intersection Safety Evaluation The intersection crash rates are summarized in Table 3 and the intersection collision diagrams are in Appendix C.

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Table 3 US 12 Intersection Crash Rates

2014-2018 Crash Data

US 12 Intersection

Intersection Crash Rate (Crashes/Million Entering Vehicles)

Percentage of Fatal and Injury Crashes

Walworth Avenue 2.16 53.8%

WIS 89/WIS 59 0.38 28.5%

County P/WIS 59 0.82 35.3%

Cox Road 0.21 66.6%

Intersections with crash rates above 1.0 crashes per million entering vehicles (MEV) usually begin to get noticed, and intersections with rates above 1.5 crashes per MEV are typically selected for a safety evaluation and potential improvements. The Walworth Avenue intersection’s rate of 2.16 is significantly higher than either threshold, and it has a very high percentage of fatal and injury crashes. The Walworth Avenue intersection was flagged for safety review in WisDOT’s Level of Service Safety (LOSS) intersection network screening. The LOSS screening uses historic crash data and crash predictions to flag intersections for safety review.

Of particular significance at the US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue is the number of right angle crashes involving northbound to westbound left-turning vehicles and southbound through vehicles as shown the collision diagram (Appendix C). 49% of all Walworth Avenue intersection crashes (23 of 47 crashes) involved this movement, including two fatal crashes and 15 injury crashes. WisDOT implemented flashing yellow arrows (FYA) in August 2019. From August through December 2019, no additional crashes involving these movements were recorded. It is important to highlight the Walworth Avenue intersection rate would improve dramatically if 100% of these crashes were eliminated with the FYA, but it would still be above 1.0. Since it is unlikely these crashes will be 100% eliminated in the future, the intersection rate is expected to remain a concern.

The remaining crash types at the Walworth Avenue intersection had only one to three crashes over the full six-year period and no other discernable trends were identified.

The US 12 intersection with WIS 89/WIS 59 has a low crash rate and a low percentage of fatal and injury crashes. Throughout the full 2014 to 2019 analysis years, there were no crash types with more than three crashes; and the crash types did not yield any patterns. The intersection consistently only had two or fewer crashes per year prior to 2019. The intersection saw a spike in 2019 with seven crashes, three of which were injury crashes. Five of the seven crashes in 2019 involved vehicles disregarding the traffic signal and running the red light. As discussed later in the report, one-year spikes may just be random anomalies; but the intersection should be monitored for continued trends. The WIS 89/WIS 59 intersection was not flagged in WisDOT’s LOSS intersection network screening.

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A recurring comment from the RSA field visit panelists was the inability for eastbound vehicles, especially trucks, to safely stop at red lights at the WIS 89/WIS 59 intersection. This concern was not reflected in the data, and raSmith’s evaluation confirmed the sight distance exceeds stopping and decision sight distance standards. However, the skid marks seen on multiple site visits confirm this concern. Interestingly, there were two crashes in 2019 involving westbound semi-trucks unable to stop in time for the red indication.

The crash rates and fatal/injury percentages at the US 12 intersection with County P/WIS 59 are moderate and not a concern by themselves. In addition, none of the crash patterns showed a high frequency. The eastbound to northbound left-turn movement conflicting with the westbound through movement had a total of four crashes over six years, which is less than one per year. All other crash types had one to three crashes from 2014 to 2019. The County P/WIS 59 intersection was not flagged in WisDOT’s LOSS intersection network screening.

The US 12 intersection with Cox Road has a very low crash rate. The percentage of fatal and injury crashes is high at 66.6%, but it is based on only three crashes. The two injury crashes were both “C” severity, the least severe of the injury ratings. The Cox Road intersection was not flagged inWisDOT’s LOSS intersection network screening.

Historic Crash Patterns As seen in looking at the annual crashes at the US 12 intersections with WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59, the number of crashes can vary significantly from year to year. The variances can be caused by contributing factors such as changes in traffic patterns or weather conditions, but sometimes also by random coincidences. Evaluating trends and patterns is important to understanding the significance of changes.

Exhibit 4 was developed to show the historic traffic and crash patterns along the US 12 corridor. The total number of crashes has fluctuated up and down since 2005, rarely increasing or decreasing two consecutive years in a row. The corridor had a trend of 15 to 20 crashes per year for the first six years, it dropped to 10 to 15 crashes per year from 2012 to 2016, and it has been on a general increase the last three years. The fatal and injury crashes (KAB) do not consistently follow the overall crash patterns. 2019 highlights this differential where the total number of crashes hit a high of 29, while the KAB crashes remained moderate.

In comparison, US 12 daily traffic volumes have remained relatively constant west of Walworth Avenue, and there has been a steady growth east of Walworth Avenue. The US 12 eastern traffic volume trend lines have increased from about 2.7 to 6.2% per year. The intersecting side streets have varied over the years but they have remained relatively constant since the bypass opened in 2005. RSA panelists indicated US 12 likely experienced increased traffic resulting from the I-39 reconstruction, but the published traffic volume data does not reflect trend (published data based on weekday traffic counts). US 12 might have seen increases in weekend tourist traffic during I-39 reconstruction, but it was not reflected in WisDOT’s AADT data.

P a g e | 16

Travel Speeds The US 12 bypass was designed for a posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour and the geometry has the feel of a high-speed facility. Several of the panelists with transportation engineering backgrounds initially assumed there might be a speeding issue along the corridor. WisDOT conducted speed studies along the corridor in August and December 2019. The roads were clear and there was no precipitation on either day. Exhibit 5 shows the results of the speed studies and Appendix D includes the full data sheets. The average, 50th percentile, 85th percentile and upper end of the pace range speeds are fairly consistent in the 56 to 62 mph realm at each location and in each direction. While the 85th percentile speeds of 59 to 62 mph are a bit high for the 55 mph speed limit, they are not unexpected given the design conditions and the often lower traffic volumes.

The speeds were slightly lower at the west speed survey location than at the east. The vehicle speeds on the west end were also more tightly grouped together (more vehicles traveling within the 10 mph pace range), and the west location had fewer vehicles traveling above the pace range.

Additional Safety Findings Additional findings of the crash data include:

86 crashes occurred at the four intersections (72.3%) 33 crashes occurred midblock between the intersections (27.5%) The percentage of total fatal and injury crashes (KABC) within the entire study

area was 46% and the percentage of KAB crashes was 28%. January and February crashes accounted for 29% of all crashes and 52% of non-

intersection crashes Contributing factors of the 33 non-intersection crashes are summarized below:

o Snow/ice 40% o U-turn 12% o Alcohol 9% o Passing/crossing center line 12% o Fell asleep 6% o Not paying attention/mechanical problem 6% o Hit & run/police pursuit 6% o Private driveway south of Cox Road 6% o No report 3%

There is high percentage of angle crashes at the US 12 signalized intersections o Walworth Avenue intersection: 79% of all crashes are angle crashes o WIS 89/WIS 59: 64% of all crashes are angle crashes o County P/WIS 59: 38% of all crashes are angle crashes

Crash Evaluation Conclusions The US 12 corridor total crash rate is high compared to other statewide rural highways. The KAB crash rate is also very high compared to other statewide rural and urban highways. The combination of signalized intersections along a rural facility with higher travel speeds is likely a factor in the higher crash corridor rates.

P a g e | 17

The intersections have a high percentage of angle crashes, which contributes to the high intersection and corridor injury severities. The Walworth Avenue intersection had the problematic crash type between the northbound left-turn movement and the southbound through movement that has hopefully been addressed with the flashing yellow arrows.

Interestingly, the traffic volumes and speeds are lowest at the west end of the bypass, but the Walworth Avenue intersection has the highest crash rate and worst crash severity of the signalized intersections.

The majority of non-intersection crashes cannot likely be addressed through engineering solutions (snow/ice, alcohol, hit and run, police pursuit, mechanical issues and inattention factors comprise 61% of the crashes).

Driver expectancy could be a factor in the intersection crashes. US 12 traffic does not have to stop for miles on either side of Whitewater (eight miles to Fort Atkinson and 15 miles to Elkhorn), and then there are three traffic signals within four miles.

While the overall corridor crash rates are high and improvements can be made to address some deficiencies, there are not significant remaining crash patterns at specific locations based on the historic crash data (assuming the flashing yellow arrow continues to be effective at the Walworth Avenue intersection).

CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS raSmith identify a series potential improvements based on the RSA evaluation, generally categorized as recommendations or considerations. The considerations are not immediate needs and are not required, but could be considered for future implementation.

Recommendations Walworth Avenue Intersection

o WisDOT plans to upgrade the traffic signal equipment in 2020 with monotube signal poles, signal heads per lane and dynamic dilemma zone detection.

o Add retroreflective tape to the backplates of all signal heads. o Continue to monitor intersection, specifically the northbound left-turn

movement. o Consider protected-only left-turn phasing for the northbound left-turn

movement if the crash problem returns. o Utilize portable video cameras to assess the adequacy of the turn lane

lengths to accommodate peak queues. County P/WIS 59 Intersection

o Add retroreflective tape to the backplates of all signal heads. o Reconfigure the yield line pavement marking of the westbound right-turn

lane to improve the viewing angle for right-turning drivers. o Monitor crashes to assess whether 2019 increase in crashes was an

anomaly or the start of a trend. o Utilize portable video cameras to assess the adequacy of the turn lane

lengths to accommodate peak queues.

P a g e | 18

WIS 89/WIS 59 Intersection o Add retroreflective tape to the backplates of all signal heads. o Implement warning system for eastbound traffic in advance of the

intersection. One of the more simplistic systems available utilizes communication between a sign and the traffic signal to activate the “PREPARE TO STOP WHEN FLASHING” sign prior to the eastbound signal turning yellow.

o Utilize portable video cameras to assess the adequacy of the turn lane lengths to accommodate peak queues.

US 12 Corridor o Address the settlement of the HMA shoulder adjacent to the concrete

shoulder. o WisDOT SE Region to meet with WisDOT DTIM to discuss the RSA

findings, RSA recommendations, and potential future plans for the corridor. DTIM leads WisDOT’s Major Highway Program.

o Continue routine corridor traffic control maintenance efforts including regular schedules for pavement marking and sign replacement.

Considerations Walworth Avenue Intersection

o Utilize portable video cameras to monitor vehicles’ ability to stop for the red light indication. Add advance detection and “PREPARE TO STOP WHEN FLASHING” signage if a crash problem develops that could be corrected with the warning system.

o Realign the side roads to provide better intersection angles above the minimums and closer to perpendicular.

County P/WIS 59 Intersection o Upgrade signal equipment with signal heads per lane. This should be

done when the signal equipment is scheduled to be replaced or if a crash problem develops that could be corrected with signal heads per lane.

o Utilize portable video cameras to monitor vehicles’ ability to stop for the red light indication. Add dynamic dilemma zone detection.

o Widen US 12 at the WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59 intersections to provide positive offsets for the left turn lanes.


WIS 89/WIS 59 Intersection o Upgrade signal equipment with signal heads per lane. This should be

done when the signal equipment is scheduled to be replaced or if a crash problem develops that could be corrected with signal heads per lane.

o Utilize portable video cameras to monitor vehicles’ ability to stop for the red light indication.


o Widen US 12 at the WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59 intersections to provide positive offsets for the left turn lanes.

P a g e | 19

Cox Road Intersection: o Eliminate the intersection and cul-de-sac Cox Road. There is alternate

access via WIS 59 for both Cox Road and Howard Road. US 12 corridor

o Add contrast pavement marking o Add shoulder rumble strips in the asphalt shoulder o Add centerline rumble strips o Reconstruct US 12 bypass as a four-lane divided expressway with grade

separated interchanges

CONCLUSIONS There are some inherent design issues resulting from the US 12 Whitewater Bypass being planned for the ultimate four-lane divided expressway but constructed as a two lane undivided highway. In addition, there are some design inconsistencies along the corridor at the intersections. While the mainline and intersections were designed to proper design standards of the time, the construction of a high-speed facility with three signalized intersections has resulted in higher than desired crash rates and severities. It should be stressed that while US 12 is a high-speed facility, “speeding” itself does not appear to be an issue.

The recommendations identified above will help make the US 12 corridor as safe as possible for a two-lane high-speed undivided roadway with at grade signalized intersections. Implementing the flashing yellow arrow at the Walworth Avenue intersection showed promising safety results for the remainder of 2019, but the intersection crash rate will remain high even if the flashing yellow arrow mitigates most of these crashes.

Using statewide averages from comparable WisDOT metamanager peer groups does not provide a true picture of the corridor’s safety due to US 12’s inability to fit neatly within one peer group. Therefore, despite US 12 having a crash rate above “comparable” peer group rates, it is difficult to unilaterally state the entire corridor is unsafe. There are a few problematic locations as identified in the safety evaluation, and many of these safety issues can be lessened with the improvements identified above. However, the inherent safety factors associated with signalized intersections along a high-speed facility will be present as long the corridor remains a two-lane rural highway with at-grade intersections.

The decision to convert the US 12 bypass to a four-lane grade separated facility should be based on WisDOT’s comprehensive Performance-Based Practical Design (PBPD) methodologies.

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit

US 12 Road Safety Audit

US 12 Corridor Existing Geometry

Legend

1

W Walworth Ave

Ind

ian

Mo

un

d

Pkw

y

S F

ran

klin

St

Clo

ve

r V

alle

y R

d

(12,410’’) (2,800’)(7,650’)

245’

270’

235’

260’

43

0’

38

0’

27

0’

18

5’

20

0’

20

5’

350’

350’

360’

325’

380’

370’

18

5’

350’

380’ 25

0’

36

5’

55

MPH

55

MPH

45

MPH

25

MPH

= Stop Sign

= Traffic Signal

XX’

(XX’)

= Lane Geometry

= Turn Bay Storage Length (ft)

= Intersection Spacing (ft, centerline-to-centerline)

35

MPH

= Posted Speed LimitXX

MPH

= Bridge Overpass

40

MPH

40

MPH

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit


Legend

2

W Walworth Ave

Ind

ian

Mo

un

d

Pkw

y

S F

ran

klin

St

Clo

ve

r V

alle

y R

d

US 12 Corridor Existing Traffic Volumes(XX)

= Year 2018 WisDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic Volume (vpd)

= Weekday Morning Peak Hour Volume (7:15 – 8:15 am)

= Weekday Evening Peak Hour Volume (4:30 – 5:30 pm)

XX

XX

= Traffic Signal

= Stop Sign

(60

) 6

0

(95

) 8

5

(10

) 1

0

10

(2

0)

40

(1

10

)

75

(9

5)

20 (5)

75 (175)

10 (20)

(10) 15

(230) 160

(65) 40

(10) 15

(115) 135

(115) 80

10

(

15

)

12

5 (

18

0)

15

(

15

)

70 (105)

165 (210)

10 (15)

(15

) 2

0

(40

) 4

5

(15

) 1

0

45

(6

0)

25

(5

5)

60

(1

15

)

(25) 45

(270) 180

(25) 10

110 (120)

180 (235)

10 (10)

3,100

4,900

7,200

5,200

3,700

4,300

2,1003,900

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit


US 12 Corridor Crash Map

(2014 – 2019)

Excluding Intersection Crashes

Legend

3

4

5

6 7 8 9

161517

2223

24

27

X

X

= Property Damage Only

= Injury

= Fatality

X

25 26

29

1112 18

1920

21

Crash Type

SSO = Side Swipe Opposite

SSS = Side Swipe Same

= Exhibit Crash Number

= Study Intersections

= Study Corridor

Crash Severity

K = Fatality

A = Incapacitating Injury

B = Non-incapacitating Injury

C = Possible Injury

PDO = Property Damage Only

X

Note: 2019 crashes are preliminary

Walworth Ave

10

28

1

23

13 14

Non-Intersection Crashes By Year

YearTotal

Crashes

Severity

Fatality A B C PDO

2014 7 0 1 1 3 2

2015 5 0 0 1 2 2

2016 2 0 0 1 0 1

2017 8 2 0 2 0 4

2018 2 0 0 0 1 1

2019 9 0 0 1 1 7

Total 33 2 1 6 7 17

Number Date Crash Type Severity

1 1/1/2015 SSS PDO

2 7/7/2018 U-turn PDO

3 5/25/2015 SSS C

4 8/19/2019 Leaving Roadway PDO

5 6/19/2016 Read End PDO

6 6/15/2015 SSS PDO

7 12/11/2015 SSS B

8 2/24/2017 Read End B

9 7/24/2016 Fixed Object B

10 2/24/2017 Fixed Object PDO

11 2/12/2019 Leaving Roadway C

12 2/12/2019 Read End PDO

13 1/30/2014 Head On PDO

14 3/2/2019 Leaving Roadway PDO

15 1/30/2014 Leaving Roadway A

16 3/6/2019 Angle PDO

Number Date Crash Type Severity

17 10/21/2017 Angle PDO


19 11/11/2019 Read End PDO

20 7/11/2014 SSS PDO


22 7/24/2017 Fixed Object B

23 1/11/2017 Head On K

24 1/30/2014 SSOP C


26 7/18/2015 SSOP C

27 2/8/2014 Read End B

28 1/23/2017 SSOP PDO

29 2/6/2019 Leaving Roadway B


31 11/12/2017 Head On K

32 5/24/2019 SSOP PDO

33 2/5/2018 Angle C

See Cox Road

Intersection

Collision Diagram,

Appendix C

See WIS 59

Intersection

Collision Diagram,

Appendix C

See WIS 89

Intersection

Collision Diagram,

Appendix C

See Walworth

Avenue

Intersection

Collision Diagram,

Appendix C

30

33

32

31

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit


0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018

AA

DT

US 12 - North of Walworth Avenue

AADT

Linear Trendline

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018

AA

DT

US 12 - South of Walworth Avenue

AADT

Linear Trendline

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018

AA

DT

US 12 - West of County P

AADT

Linear Trendline

US 12 Corridor

Historic Traffic Volumes and Crashes

US 12 Bypass: RSA Study Area

Historic Crash Data

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2006 2009 2012 2018

AA

DT

Walworth Ave - East of US 12

AADT

Linear Trendline

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2006 2009 2012 2015 2018

AA

DT

WIS 89 - South of US 12

AADT

Linear Trendline

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2009 2012 2015 2018

AA

DT

WIS 59 - North of US 12

AADT

Linear Trendline

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

2006 2009 2012 2018

AA

DT

CTH P - South of US 12

AADT

Linear Trendline

US 12 Bypass: RSA Study Area

Historic Daily Traffic Volumes

0123456789

10

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

An

nu

al C

rash

es

Year

Fatal/Injury Crashes (KAB) By Year

Fatal/Injury (KAB) Crashes

Linear Trendline

4

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

An

nu

al C

rash

es

Year

Total Crashes By Year

Annual Crashes

Linear Trendline

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit


US 12 Corridor

2019 WisDOT Speed Study

Legend

5

= Travel Direction

= Study Corridor

= Speed Data Collection Location

Walworth Ave

Average Speed

(MPH)

50th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

85th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

Pace Speed

Range (MPH)

56.2 56.0 59.0 52.0 to 61.0

US 12 Eastbound Speed Data

Average Speed

(MPH)

50th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

85th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

Pace Speed

Range (MPH)

56.1 56.0 59.0 52.0 to 61.0

US 12 Westbound Speed Data

Average Speed

(MPH)

50th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

85th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

Pace Speed

Range (MPH)

56.9 57.0 61.0 53.0 to 62.0

US 12 Eastbound Speed Data

Average Speed

(MPH)

50th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

85th Percentile

Speed (MPH)

Pace Speed

Range (MPH)

57.8 57.0 62.0 53.0 to 62.0

US 12 Westbound Speed Data

Appendix A

RSA Panel Field Review Comments

US 12 Whitewater Bypass Road Safety Audit

RSA Panel Discussions and Field Review January 23, 2020

Participants from the following agencies participated in the field review:

City of Whitewater City Manager

City of Whitewater Police Department

City of Whitewater Emergency Management

Wisconsin 43rd District State Assembly Representative Aide

Wisconsin District 15 State Senator Janis Ringhand

Walworth County Sheriff’s Department

WisDOT (3)

Wisconsin State Patrol (1)

raSmith (2)

The Walworth County Public Works Department was unable to attend the field review but raSmith

talked with them afterwards to solicit their feedback.

Staff from the following agencies were invited but did not participate in the field review: Wisconsin

District 11 State Senator Nass, Town of Whitewater Chairperson, and FHWA.

The following comments were made by panelists during the field visit or during the two discussion

periods (pre field visit and post field visit meetings). They are personal observations and personal

opinions from the participants, and they should not be construed as the complete findings from the

road safety audit. The comments are organized into broad categories.

Geometry/design comments Are there design criteria for roadways transitioning from an interim two‐lane undivided highway to a

four‐lane divided limited access expressway?

Each of the US 12 intersections appears to be designed differently in terms of level of geometry and

traffic signal turn arrows.

The corridor intersections were noted by a few panelists as having sight distance challenges for turning

vehicles (conflicting with other vehicles)

Consistency is important along a corridor in terms of geometric design and signal phasing/timing.

The asphalt shoulder is depressed in relation to the concrete shoulder in many areas along the corridor.

This makes it difficult for vehicles to recover.

There are a lot of lanes and driver choices at the US 12 intersection with Walworth Avenue, which can

be confusing for unfamiliar drivers.

Newer designed intersections with channelized islands, like at the Walworth Avenue intersection, tend

to slow people down.

It is difficult for eastbound US 12 trucks to stop at the WIS 89/59 signalized intersection due to the

downgrade from the WIS 59/railroad overpass.

Some of the intersections have neutral offsets for opposing left‐turn lanes. This makes it difficult to see

on‐coming traffic, especially if trucks are in the opposite left‐turn lane.

Traffic control comments The WIS 89/59 intersection is dark. Additional street lights at the intersections and blinking warning

lights in advance of the intersections would be helpful.

The traffic signal improvements made at the Walworth Avenue intersection in 2019 (implemented

flashing yellow arrows) made a dramatic improvement. No crashes involving the problematic

westbound left‐turn movement have occurred since then.

Flashing Yellow Arrows (FYA) are now becoming common throughout the state and specifically for

Whitewater drivers.

Additional directional signage should be considered for area attractions such as the downtown and UW

Whitewater.

Pavement marking conditions and lack of channelized islands make turn lanes difficult to quickly see,

especially at night and during inclement weather.

There is a lack of intersection ahead warning signage along US 12.

There is inconsistency in the use of yield vs stop signs for the channelized right‐turn lanes.

The pavement marking is generally in good condition at the intersections.

Can the signal timing be adjusted at the US 12 intersection with WIS 89/WIS 59 to better accommodate

decelerating eastbound trucks?

Driver behavior comments Drivers who travel roadways on a regular basis tend to drive how they “feel”. Did the crashes show a

disparity in the number of local drivers versus non‐local drivers? Panelists indicated most of the recent

crashes were not local drivers (6 of 7 drivers were not residents).

UW Whitewater is still considered a “suitcase campus”. Many students travel home for the weekends,

which results in high traffic volumes on Friday and Sunday nights

One panelist taught his kids to avoid certain “dangerous” intersections, including the US 12 intersection

with Walworth Avenue.

There is significant inattentive driving.

Other Comments One panelist indicated their initial preconceived thoughts were the Whitewater US 12 Bypass would be

similar to US 12, west of Madison, where the highway is designed for mph but posted at 55 mph.

The bypass feels like you can drive it faster than you should. It was designed like a high speed bypass

but it functions like a regular highway with at grade intersections.

The County Sheriff’s Department patrols the corridor. The County previously received grants to target

US 12 for speed and seat belts usage, but these grants are no longer active. Speed has not been an issue

along the corridor.

What can be done to slow vehicles in advance of intersections?

Semi trucks decelerate in the US 12 through lanes prior to turning right at each of the intersections.

The speeds may be different on another day (snow showers occurred prior to the field review and the

pavement was still wet)

The completion of the bypass was enumerated at one time, but un‐enumerated around 2015

Potential Improvements Multiple panelists commented they wanted the bypass completed as originally planned, and they

indicated there is general consensus among the residents to complete it as well.

Would rumble strips be a viable improvement to address the 14 run‐off‐the‐road crashes? DOT

indicated they do not utilize rumble strips on concrete due to maintenance issues. Rumble strips could

be placed in the asphalt shoulder, which is located outside the 3‐foot concrete shoulder.

Implement advanced vehicle detection system for eastbound US 12 at the WIS 59/89 intersection.

Appendix B

Signalized Intersection Design Differences

Whitewater, WI

Exhibit


US 12 Corridor

Intersection Design Differences B-1

1. US 12 left-turn lane offsets – The Walworth Avenue intersection has left turn lanes with positive offsets. The WIS 89 and County P/WIS 59 intersections have neutral left turn lane offsets. All side road left turn lanes at the at-grade signalized intersections have neutral offsets.

2. US 12 left-turn lane development – The Walworth Avenue intersection utilizes a raised median and channelizing island to develop the US 12 left turn lane. The WIS 89/WIS 89 and County P/WIS 59 intersections only utilize pavement markings to develop the US 12 left turn lanes.

3. Side road left turn lane development – The Walworth Avenue intersection utilizes a raised median and channelizing island to develop the side road left turn lane. The WIS 89/WIS 59 and County P/WIS 59 intersections only utilize pavement markings to develop the side road left turn lanes.

4. US 12 right turn lane channelization - The Walworth Avenue intersection utilizes pavement markings and raised channelizing (pork chop) islands to develop the US 12 right turn lanes. The WIS 89 intersection utilizes pavement markings only and no channelizing (pork chop) islands to develop the US 12 right turn lanes. The County P/WIS 59 intersection utilizes pavement markings and raised channelizing (pork chop) islands to develop the US 12 right turn lanes.

5. Side road right turn lane channelization – The Walworth Avenue intersection utilizes a pavement marking only to develop the side road right turn lanes. The WIS 89 intersection pavement markings and raised channelizing (pork chop) islands to develop the side road right turn lanes. The County P/WIS 59 intersection utilizes pavement markings and a raised channelizing (pork chop) islands to develop the southbound to westbound side road right turn lane and pavement markings only to develop the northbound to eastbound side road right turn lane.

6. Lighting – The Walworth Avenue intersection has fourteen lights on eight poles. The lighting also runs east and west on the US 12 intersection legs in the raised medians and left turn lane channelization islands. The WIS 89 and County P/WIS 59 intersections are lit with four lights, one light in each corner of the intersection.

7. Traffic Signals - As a product of its geometric layout, signal phasing and features (raised medians and islands), the Walworth Avenue intersection has 24 signal heads with six signal heads per approach, two near and four far. The WIS 89 and County P/WIS 59 intersections each have 12 signal heads with three signal heads per approach, one near and two far.

US 12 Intersection with Walworth Avenue US 12 Intersection with WIS 89/WIS 59 US 12 Intersection with County P/WIS 59

= Street Light

= Median (Walworth Ave. Only)

= Right-turn channelization island

Appendix C

Collision Diagrams

Intersection Description Intersection: USH 12 Intersection with Walworth Ave

Municipality: Town of Whitewater County: Walworth

Crash Data

Crashes by Year Severity Year Total Crashes K A B C PDO

2014 6 -- -- 3 -- 3

2015 4 -- 2 1 -- 1

2016 9 -- 3 1 2 3

2017 7 -- -- 2 1 4

2018 13 -- 2 2 2 7

2014-2018 Total 39 -- 7 9 5 18

2014-2018 Average 7.8

Preliminary 2019 9 2 -- 1 3 3 Note: Preliminary 2019 crash data has not undergone WisDOT’s review. They are not considered Final and are shown for informational purposes only.

2016 24-Hour Entering Volume (AADT)

= 9,887 Vehicles Per Day

2014 – 2018 Crash Rate2014 2018 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑟𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑠

5 ∗ 1,000,000

365 ∗ 𝐴𝐴𝐷𝑇

= 2.16 Crashes/Million Entering Vehicles

2014 – 2018 Fatal and Injury Percentage

= 53.8%

USH 12 Intersection with Walworth Avenue Collision Diagram

January 2014 – December 2019 (2019 Crashes are Preliminary)

LEGEND Signal/Sign Post Bicycle Right Angle Out of Control (S) = SNOW-ICE K = FATAL

Tree/Utility Pole Pedestrian Left Turn Rear-End (W) = WET A = INCAPACITATING

Non-Fixed Object Non-Contact Vehicle Right Turn Head-On (F) = FOG-MIST B = NON-INCAP.

Fixed Object Backing Vehicle Sideswipe-Same Overtake (DUI) = ALCOHOL C = POS. INJURY

Parked Vehicle Moving Vehicle Sideswipe-Opp. Overturn OR DRUG USE BLANK = PDO

2/19/14, (S)

4/14/14, B 8/22/14 3/4/16, (S), B

11/22/15, (S) 2/5/18, (S)

4/26/14, B

7/13/14 7/30/16

5/9/14, B 1/20/15, B 11/24/15, A 1/12/16, (S), C 3/20/16, A 8/24/16, A 10/7/16, C 1/23/17, B 3/8/17, C 5/29/17 8/16/17, B 9/8/17

9/19/16, (W) 11/28/19, B

7/2/2015, A 4/28/2016 3/8/18, C

12/29/17, (S)

2/5/18, (S)

7/9/18

11/7/18

7/28/19, C

11/14/19, (W)

10/20/17 1/2/18, B 3/4/18, B 5/10/18 7/6/18 8/8/18, A 12/15/18, C 2/15/19, C 6/7/19 8/1/19, K 8/9/19, K

2/25/16, A 1/23/18, (W), A 1/24/18

7/28/19, C

11/20/19

Intersection Description Intersection: USH 12 Intersection with STH 89/WIS 59

Municipality: City of Whitewater County: Walworth

Crash Data


2014 2 -- -- -- 1 1

2015 2 -- -- -- -- 2

2016 1 -- -- -- -- 1

2017 0 -- -- -- -- --

2018 2 -- -- 1 -- 1

2014-2018 Total 7 -- -- 1 1 5

2014-2018 Average 1.4

Preliminary 2019 7 -- -- 1 2 4 Note: Preliminary 2019 crash data has not undergone WisDOT’s review. They are not considered Final and are shown for informational purposes only.




5 ∗ 1,000,000




= 28.5%

USH 12/Warner Rd Intersection with STH 89/S. Janesville St

Collision Diagram January 2014 – December 2019 (2019 Crashes are Preliminary)






2/14/2014, FTY, C

2/28/2014, (S)

2/17/2015, (S)

11/20/2015, FTY 8/30/2018, B 6/15/2019, C

7/30/2016

12/7/2018

7/26/2019, C

9/8/2019

8/14/2019

6/21/2019

7/24/2019, B

10/25/2019

Intersection Description Intersection: USH 12 Intersection with WIS 59/County P

Municipality: Town of Whitewater County: Walworth

Crash Data


2014 2 -- -- -- -- 2

2015 3 -- -- 1 1 1

2016 2 -- -- 1 -- 1

2017 9 -- 1 -- 1 7

2018 1 -- -- -- 1 --

2014-2018 Total 17 -- 1 2 3 11

2014-2018 Average 3.4

Preliminary 2019 5 -- -- -- -- 5 Note: Preliminary 2019 crash data has not undergone WisDOT’s review. They are not considered Final and are shown for informational purposes only.




5 ∗ 1,000,000




= 35.3%

USH 12/WIS 59 Intersection with WIS 59/County P Collision Diagram







7/10/2015, 2:45 pm 3/13/2017, 6:33 pm, (S) 4/17/2017, 12:13 pm

3/13/2017, 4:53 pm, (S) 12/9/2017, 7:10 am, (S), C 1/28/2019, 2:09 pm, (S)

5/11/2017, 1:44 pm 11/19/2019, 9:13 am

9/6/2019, 1:01 pm

3/13/2017, 11:15 pm, (S)

2/26/2014, 2:03 pm 5/20/2015, 2:13 pm, B 12/7/2015, 7:32 am, (W), C 3/12/2016, 3:42 pm, B

5/31/2019, 8:58 am

12/28/2017, 2:26 pm (S)

9/30/2018, 3:30 pm, C

5/9/2016, 8:25 am 12/1/2017, 6:49 am, A

3/16/2017, 3:54 pm 7/25/2019, 1:39 pm

2/28/2014, 10:55 pm (S)

Segment Description Segment: USH 12 Segment in Vicinity of Cox Road Municipality: Town of Whitewater County: Walworth

Segment Crash Data The segment crash data shown in the table below and in the collision diagram includes crashes at the intersection and along the adjacent segment.


2014 1 -- -- -- 1 --

2015 0 -- -- -- -- --

2016 0 -- -- -- -- --

2017 2 1 -- -- 1 --

2018 3 -- -- -- 2 1

2014-2018 Total 6 1 0 0 4 1

2014-2018 Average 1.2


US 12 intersection with Cox Road Crash Rate The following crash rate calculations and fatal & injury percentage only include the three (3) crashes occurring at the intersection. The other four crashes were not related to the Cox Road intersection.




5 ∗ 1,000,000




= 66.6%

USH 12 Segment in the vicinity of Cox Road Collision Diagram







1/30/2014, 8:32 am, (S), C

11/12/2017, 3:55 pm, K

2/13/2017, 7:20 pm, (S), C

11/24/2018, 1:36 am

12/4/2018, 5:53 pm, C

2/5/2018, 8:45 am, C

5/24/2019, 3:41 pm

30

31

32

33

XX = midblock crash number = PDO crash = injury crash = fatal crash

See US 12 Corridor Crash Map (Exhibit 3) for all non‐intersection crashes.

Segment Description Segment: USH 12 Segment in Vicinity of Cox Road Municipality: Town of Whitewater County: Walworth

Segment Crash Data The segment crash data shown in the table below and in the collision diagram includes crashes at the intersection and along the adjacent segment.


2014 1 -- -- -- 1 --

2015 0 -- -- -- -- --

2016 0 -- -- -- -- --

2017 2 1 -- -- 1 --

2018 3 -- -- -- 2 1

2014-2018 Total 6 1 0 0 4 1

2014-2018 Average 1.2


US 12 intersection with Cox Road Crash Rate The following crash rate calculations and fatal & injury percentage only include the three (3) crashes occurring at the intersection. The other four crashes were not related to the Cox Road intersection.




5 ∗ 1,000,000




= 66.6%

Appendix D

WisDOT Speed Study Data

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SPOT SPEED STUDY

Date: Major Street Posted Speed 55 MPHTime: Location Direction Captured Eastbound

Observer: Community Weather OvercastCounty

Number of CUMM CUMM STUDY RESULTSSPEED VEHICLES Percent Number of %

(f) % VEHICLES40 0 0% 0 0.041 0 0% 0 0.042 0 0% 0 0.0 53.043 0 0% 0 0.0 56.9 57.0 61.0 to44 0 0% 0 0.0 62.045 0 0% 0 0.046 0 0% 0 0.0 Vehicles Observed 107 % In Pace 81.3%47 2 2% 2 1.9 Lowest Speed 47 % Over Pace 7.5%48 0 0% 2 1.9 Highest Speed 70 % Under Pace 11.2%49 2 2% 4 3.750 1 1% 5 4.751 2 2% 7 6.552 5 5% 12 11.253 9 8% 21 19.654 11 10% 32 29.955 7 7% 39 36.456 8 7% 47 43.957 18 17% 65 60.758 7 7% 72 67.359 9 8% 81 75.760 9 8% 90 84.161 4 4% 94 87.962 5 5% 99 92.563 3 3% 102 95.364 1 1% 103 96.365 1 1% 104 97.266 0 0% 104 97.267 1 1% 105 98.168 0 0% 105 98.169 1 1% 106 99.170 1 1% 107 100.0

12/3/20199:30:00 AMWeinfurt

AVERAGE SPEED 50th PERCENTILE 85th PERCENTILE PACE SPEED RANGE

USH 12.70 Miles West of CTH PWhitewaterWalworth

0

5

10

15

20

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fre

qu

ency

Speed (mph)

Bell Curve Plot

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Per

cen

t V

ehs

Tra

vel

ing

Les

s T

hen

or

Eq

ua

l T

o S

pee

d I

nd

ica

ted

Speed (mph)

"S" Curve Plot


SPOT SPEED STUDY

Date: Major Street Posted Speed 55 mphTime: Location Direction Captured Eastbound




85th PERCENTILE PACE SPEED RANGE

USH 12EB approch to CTH N/SWhitewaterWalworth

8/20/20198:20amWeinfurt

AVERAGE SPEED 50th PERCENTILE

0

5

10

15

20

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fre

qu

ency

Speed (mph)

Bell Curve Plot

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Per

cen

t V

ehs

Tra

vel

ing

Les

s T

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or

Eq

ua

l T

o S

pee

d I

nd

ica

ted

Speed (mph)

"S" Curve Plot


SPOT SPEED STUDY

Date: Major Street Posted Speed 55 MPHTime: Location Direction Captured Westbound



(f) % VEHICLES40 0 0% 0 0.041 0 0% 0 0.042 0 0% 0 0.0 53.043 0 0% 0 0.0 57.8 57.0 62.0 to44 0 0% 0 0.0 62.045 0 0% 0 0.046 0 0% 0 0.0 Vehicles Observed 106 % In Pace 83.0%47 0 0% 0 0.0 Lowest Speed 49 % Over Pace 12.3%48 0 0% 0 0.0 Highest Speed 72 % Under Pace 4.7%49 1 1% 1 0.950 0 0% 1 0.951 2 2% 3 2.852 2 2% 5 4.753 12 11% 17 16.054 8 8% 25 23.655 6 6% 31 29.256 13 12% 44 41.557 10 9% 54 50.958 11 10% 65 61.359 5 5% 70 66.060 9 8% 79 74.561 9 8% 88 83.062 5 5% 93 87.763 4 4% 97 91.564 4 4% 101 95.365 0 0% 101 95.366 1 1% 102 96.267 1 1% 103 97.268 2 2% 105 99.169 0 0% 105 99.170 0 0% 105 99.171 0 0% 105 99.172 1 1% 106 100.0



USH 12.70 Miles West of CTH PWhitewaterWalworth

0

5

10

15

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fre

qu

ency

Speed (mph)

Bell Curve Plot

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Per

cen

t V

ehs

Tra

vel

ing

Les

s T

hen

or

Eq

ua

l T

o S

pee

d I

nd

ica

ted

Speed (mph)

"S" Curve Plot


SPOT SPEED STUDY

Date: Major Street Posted Speed 55 MPHTime: Location Direction Captured Westbound






USH 12.25 Miles West of CTH N/SWhitewaterWalworth

0

5

10

15

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fre

qu

ency

Speed (mph)

Bell Curve Plot

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Per

cen

t V

ehs

Tra

vel

ing L

ess

Th

en o

r E

qu

al

To

Sp

eed

In

dic

ate

d

Speed (mph)

"S" Curve Plot

us 12 whitewater bypass road safety audit report walworth...

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