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Verona Road/US 151 study - solution alternatives, freeway concept

Freeway concept | Traffic operations | Impacts and cost

Freeway concept

The freeway concept takes the US 151 regional traffic and places it on a depressed freeway that is constructed in the median of Verona Road. There are three different Freeway-Urban Arterial alternatives being considered, but most of them maintain Verona Road as an urban arterial that is parallel to the US 151 freeway with traffic signals at each of the intersections. The US 151 freeway would travel underneath the signalized intersections.

The diamond interchange at the Verona Road exit would remain, yet the regional US 151 traffic would be pulled out of the interchange with higher speed free-flow ramps that travel underneath the interchange. Ramps from the Verona Road urban arterial onto the US 151 would be placed at different locations through the corridor (depending on the alternative).

To help Beltline operation, the east ramps of the Seminole Highway interchange would not be constructed. Seminole Highway access across the Beltline would remain, yet access to the Beltline would be removed.

With this alternative, Raymond Road would also be extended and connected to Allied Drive, providing another entrance into the Allied/Dunns Marsh neighborhood.

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Traffic operations

The Freeway-Urban Arterial Alternative is able to carry up to 140 percent more traffic than what is currently experienced. Because of this, traffic volumes on adjacent corridors, such as Seminole Highway, actually decrease as traffic is redirected to Verona Road. 

The US 151 freeway captures 40 percent or more of Verona Road traffic while the Verona Road arterial carries the remaining local traffic.

With the regional traffic on the US 151 freeway, the signalized intersections on Verona Road operate much better with projected average delays ranging from 7 to 15 seconds per vehicle during the 2020 evening rush hour. Travel time from Seminole Highway to County PD for through US 151 traffic will average about two minutes in the year 2020 evening rush hour.

Bicycle and pedestrian movement will be improved as a result of depressing the high-speed traffic, and wider, better crossings at intersections.

Impacts and cost

While the Freeway-Urban Arterial Alternative has significantly better traffic operation, this alternative also has the greatest impacts of any of the alternatives being considered.

• Right of way: 22-23 acres
• Business relocations: 34
• Household relocations: 36-44
• Cost: $135-140 million

Because the US 151 freeway is being depressed, the retaining walls will help contain some of the noise caused by trucks, particularly when stopping or accelerating from a traffic signal. With this alternative, 2020 traffic noise levels along the corridor are projected to remain the same or slightly decrease from noise levels under the no-build condition.

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Questions about the content of this page:
Southwest Transportation Region, madison.dtd@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: May 13, 2008