US 51 central segment - Stoughton Road Needs Assessment

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US 51 central segment - Stoughton Road Needs Assessment

The Stoughton Road (US 51) Needs Assessment, completed in spring 2003, determined the existing roadway's condition and how future traffic volumes would impact traffic flow. It formed the basis for the current management efforts to implement short-term improvements and analyze long-range alternatives.

The needs assessment was an extensive research effort based on public input, future land use analysis, projected traffic volumes, and analysis of existing and future traffic operations. Input received during the needs assessment indicated that there was sufficient need to study improvement alternatives.

Present traffic volumes are high and planned development may contribute to increased traffic. This study will help guide the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in maintaining and developing a safe, efficient transportation system for the traveling public.

The following chart shows how traffic has increased on Stoughton Road by decade since 1960:

Stoughton Road (US 51) traffic counts (97 KB)

The following crash charts display the types of crashes that occurred in those areas from 1998 to 2000:

Terminal Drive to Milwaukee Street (641 KB)
WIS 30 to Hanson Road (616 KB)
Hoepker Road to Interstate 39/90/94 (559 KB)

The Madison Area Metropolitan Planning Organization projects that employment in the corridor will increase by 117 percent and population will increase by 92 percent between 2000 and 2030.

Crossing Stoughton Road is considered difficult because it is isolated from many of the existing bicycle facilities in Madison, and most of the residential and commercial areas in the corridor lack pedestrian facilities.

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