DOT Studying Highway 38 Reconstruction South of Oak Creek

Crash rates between 1.3 and 2.6 times the average at several intersections in Racine County have the state Department of Transportation ready to make changes on Highway 38 south of Oak Creek.

Residents had the opportunity to review the DOT's proposed routes for Highway 38 from Oakwood Road to Highway K at an open house in Caledonia last week.

Alternatives include fixing the curve near Highway 38, Highway H and Highway G by somewhat straightening out the curve, extending Highway H and cutting over to Highway 38 via Five Mile or Four Mile Road.

The proposed routes were met with mixed feelings.

Eric Woelbing, who owns a small private airport just south of Five Mile and Nicholson Road, said he objects to one of the proposed roadways, which would come down Highway H, over to Four Mile Road.

“It would take an awful lot of acreage and I don’t want a four-lane road through those pastures,” he said. “I rent part of that land to Jo-Don Farms and that’s her livelihood.”

Nick Vilbaum, who lives two houses south of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park on Highway 38, said he has mixed feelings about the possible road expansion. Once while trying to pull into his driveway, the vehicle he was driving was struck by a car.

“People drive 70 mph by our house all of the time,” Vilbaum said. “I want the roads to be safe, but I’m not sure turning it into four lanes will do it.”

The intersections at Highway 38 and 4 Mile Road, 5 Mile Road, and County H/6 Mile Road have been identified as having crash rates higher than 1.5 times the state average, according the .

• County K to 6 Mile Road has a crash rate of 2.6 times the statewide average.
• Along 6 Mile Road to Oakwood Road, the crash rate is 1.3 times the statewide average.

“Typically, when an intersection crash rate approaches a value of 1 there is a concern, and when they exceed a value of 1.5, improvements should be pursued,” according to the document.

Comments about the project can be submitted in writing to the DOT until July 12. Click here for contact information.

While several meetings about the project are expected, no firm dates have been set. Here’s the anticipated schedule:

• July/Aug. 2012 - Project Advisory Committee meeting anticipated
• Aug./Sept. 2012 - Project Information Meeting anticipated
• Sept./Oct. 2012 - PAC meeting anticipated
• Oct./Nov. 2012 - PIM anticipated

DOT officials expect the study to be completed by the end of 2012.