5.1     TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT

 

The Transportation – Land Use Connection

The “Transportation – Land Use Connection” is an important concept in land use and transportation planning. On the one hand, land uses affect transportation by physically arranging the activities that people want to access. Changes in the location, type, and density of land use change people’s travel choices, thereby changing transportation patterns. On the other hand, transportation affects land uses by providing a means of moving goods, people, and information from one place to another.

 

Transportation systems play a very important role in affecting urban structure. The debate over the “chicken and the egg” issue of whether transportation influences land use development or whether land use dictates transportation continues. The effect of past transportation decisions and investments are evident in today’s development patterns with less than 10% of the total population working in the central business districts of traditional cities (Lowery, 1988). Thus, the transportation – land use connection is one that cannot be ignored.

 

There are two important concepts that are central to understanding the land use – transportation connection - accessibility and mobility. Accessibility refers to the number of opportunities, also called activity sites, available within a certain distance of travel time. Due to the low-density development patterns that we see today in most communities, the distances between activity sites such as home, school, grocery store, etc., is increasing. As a result, accessibility has become increasingly dependent on mobility, particularly on privately owned vehicles. On the one hand, mobility can be seen as the consequence of spatial segregation of different types of land uses, while on the other hand, it can also be seen as contributing to increased separation of land uses. Improvements in the transportation field have enabled people to travel longer distances in the same amount of time, which has resulted in the growing segregation between activity sites, especially between home and work. In today’s urban scenario, the value of land is heavily dependent on the transportation network providing access to it. Or in other words, the location of a place within the transportation network determines its value and use.

 

Land development is influenced by a large number of forces shown in the figure below. Infrastructure, which is comprised of sewer, water, utilities and transportation play an important role in influencing land use patterns. Transportation in turn is affected by individuals, private sector, federal government, state and local governments. As mentioned earlier, the most significant role that transportation plays in land development is affecting access to land. Transportation systems have the potential to indirectly affect land development by either inducing new development or altering the pattern of development. Even through a transportation improvement may not bring growth to a region in terms of number of households or square feet of developed area, it may affect the location pattern of land uses. However, due to the large number of factors affecting land use patterns, transportation may be considered just a part of a complicated process of land development.


 

Transportation’s Role in Land Use

Sewer

Water

Utilities

Transportation

 

Should Urban Sprawl be a Concern?

Most metropolitan communities that have become the victims of urban sprawl are paying a heaving price through the increase in congestion, long commutes, loss of natural resource land, vanishing open spaces, air and water pollution, neighborhood and inner city deterioration, and the rising cost of public services. In 1950, 70% percent of the population in metropolitan areas lived in central cities. By 1990, that situation had reversed, with more than 60% percent living in suburbs (Rusk 1993). Over the past few decades, developed land area and vehicle use increased at a pace faster than population growth (Federal Highway Administration 1993).

 

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration published a report on the “Costs of Sprawl – Revisited” (report 39) in 1988. The following are a few key points from this report on the positive and negative impacts of sprawl:

 

Negative Impacts of Sprawl:

·        Higher infrastructure and public operating costs: This includes the cost of local and regional roads, water, sewer, school systems, etc. and was found to be higher in low-density developments than in compact developments with centralized services.

·        Higher aggregate land costs: The total land costs associated with sprawl driven development is higher as more land is consumed then under compact development patterns.

·        Consumes prime agricultural land: Sprawl consumes prime agricultural land from farming use than more compact forms of development. This also lowers the productivity of the farmland near sprawl developments due to the difficulty of conducting efficient farming operations.

·        Lack of community sense: Sprawl driven developments do not lend themselves easily to the formation of cohesive communities. The households lack a sense of belonging to the community in such environments.

·        Worsens pollution: Sprawl worsens the overall air pollution in a metropolitan area due to the increased number of vehicle miles traveled. It also lowers water quality by increasing the amount of impervious surface, thereby increasing runoff and erosion.

·        Encourages deterioration of the inner city: Sprawl encourages businesses and households to leave the inner city allowing them to move to the suburbs in search of cheaper land. As a result, the economic base of the inner city is weakened.

 

 

 

 

 

Positive Impacts of Sprawl:

·        Lower housing costs: Sprawl has lower housing costs because it does not limit the amount of development and land is also cheaper in the suburban fringes than within the city limits.

·        Supports the American dream of low-density living: Sprawl encourages the growth of low-density residential neighborhoods, which are preferred by a large percentage of the population.

·        Enhances personal and public open space: Sprawl provides more open space directly accessible to the individual households in the form of larger private yards than may be possible in more compact forms of development. It promotes the American dream of a big yard and a house set back from the street.

·        Lower crime rate: Low-density development patterns have lower crime rates.[i]

 

 

How Does Transportation Impact Us?

Transportation touches the lives of nearly everyone every day. Whether traveling to work, school, or to a favorite vacation spot, Wisconsin's transportation network will provide the means to get here. Working for Wisconsin's future Wisconsin's transportation infrastructure has come a long way in a single generation. It has developed from a system of two-lane roads and highways, grass landing strips, wooden piers, and locomotives, to a network of multi-lane divided highways, airports, modern water ports, efficient transit systems and rail lines linking the state with markets throughout the world.

 

For the traveling public, Wisconsin had 3,733,077 licensed motorists at the end of 1999 and more than 4.7 million registered vehicles can travel on over 111,500 miles of highways, roads, and streets. This includes 12,000 miles of state and interstate highways, and 98,000 miles of locally-owned county, town and municipal routes with 13,300 bridges spanning over these roadways.

 

Within the state's communities, 68 public bus and shared-ride taxi systems connect people with economic opportunities while reducing traffic congestion. The State Airport System Plan includes 131 public access airports, 9 offering scheduled flights that carry over 4 million passengers annually. Amtrak transports more than 425,000 people to Chicago, Minneapolis and other points across the country every year.

 

For business and industry, Wisconsin provides efficient and cost-effective transportation alternatives to get products to market. In addition to its safe and efficient network of highways for trucks, Wisconsin has 4,500 miles of track and 12 railroads handling 94 million tons of cargo along with 15 major ports. And if it has to be there fast, Wisconsin's airports handle 120,000 tons of cargo annually.

 

Currently, nearly 12% of all Wisconsin work trips are made by walking and bicycling. In several cities, almost 20% of trips are made by these modes. WisDOT has recently partnered with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin to provide the state bicycle map. The Rustic Roads System, created in 1973, provides bikers, hikers, and motorists an opportunity for leisurely travel through some of Wisconsin's scenic countryside. To date, 86 rustic roads have been preserved for purposes of recreational enjoyment covering 461 miles in 49 Wisconsin counties.

Wisconsin Traffic Crash Facts

1999 Facts and Figures

 

·        744 persons were killed in Wisconsin motor vehicle traffic crashes. (36% involved Alcohol, 27% involved Speed, and 14% involved both Speed and Alcohol).

·        61,577 persons were injured in 41,345 reported injury crashes and 674 fatal crashes.

·        An average of 2.0 persons were killed every day on Wisconsin highways.

·        The fatality rate per 100 million miles of travel was 1.31 in 1999, compared to 1.26 in 1998.

·        Of the 439 drivers who were killed and tested for alcohol concentration, 159 drivers (36%) had an alcohol concentration of .10 or above and were legally intoxicated.

·        55 pedestrians were killed, compared to 64 in 1998.

·        Of the 55 pedestrians killed, 9 (16%) had an alcohol concentration of .10 or above.

·        18 bicyclists were killed, compared to 11 in 1998.

·        65 motorcyclists were killed, the same number as in 1998.

·        39% of persons killed in passenger cars (for whom belt use was reported) were using safety restraints.

·        73% of all motorcyclists killed in crashes (for whom helmet use was reported) were not wearing helmets.

·        60% of all crashes occurred on county trunk highways and local roads.

·        The total number of registered vehicles was 4,713,643 compared to 4,449,217 in 1998 (a 5.9% increase).

·        The total number of licensed drivers was 3,733,077 compared to 3,709,957 in 1998 (a 0.6% increase).

 

A good transportation system is fundamental to the physical and economic functioning of any community.  Spatially, a transportation system is evaluated on how well people, goods, and services are distributed from one place to another.  In economic terms, a transportation system can be viewed as to how much traffic volume and access is available to support local business activity.  Since a majority of residents in the Town of Rushford commute outside the town for employment opportunities, the current transportation network is important to town officials and residents. On December 31 of 1998 the WIDOT reported a total 107,321 licensed drivers in Winnebago County.

 

The transportation network in the Town of Rushford consists of a combination of state, county, and town roads containing almost 70 miles of roadway.  The distribution of state, county, and local road mileage in the Town of Rushford can be seen in the accompanying graphic.  Town roads dominate the amount of road miles in Rushford by a significant margin.  A total of 44.73 miles of town roads exist in the Town of Rushford, while 14.23 miles are county highways, and 9.60 miles are state highways.  Recognizing the amount of roadway miles attributed to local roads is especially important because public services such as general road maintenance and snow removal can present fiscal concerns for communities such as Rushford. 

 

STATE HIGHWAYS

The primary regional highway serving the greater Rushford area is Highway 21, which passes through the northern portion of the town extending west to Redgranite and east to Oshkosh.  A secondary regional highway also serves the Town of Rushford, which is Highway 116/91.  Highway 116/91 passes through the southeastern tip of Rushford and extends west to Berlin and east to Oshkosh[1].  These two highways are the primary thoroughfares serving the City of Oshkosh from western and central Wisconsin.  Neither of these highways are under construction within the Town of Rushford, nor have they been recently worked on.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT) does not have any proposals for future construction of Highways 21 or 116. A review of Wisconsin Department of Transportation 2000 Class II Roadway's determined that the Town of Rushford currently contains none of these classified roadway's[2].  Proximity to urbanized areas such as Oshkosh, Appleton, Berlin, and Omro have been viewed as a strength of the current transportation network which includes state, county, and local roads.


COUNTY HIGHWAYS

The county highways serving the Town of Rushford are Highways K and E.  Highway K begins at the intersection of Highway 21 near the northern part of Rushford, passes through the unincorporated Village of Eureka, and extends east into the City of Oshkosh.  Highway E, on the other hand, enters the Town of Rushford from the south, passes through Eureka, and extends east into the City of Oshkosh.  These two highways intersect in Eureka, making them the primary roads serving the Town of Rushford.   Currently, there is no construction occurring on either of these roads, nor are there any future proposals for construction.

 

LOCAL ROADS

Local roads in the Town of Rushford consist of an interweaving grid pattern serving residences, town facilities, county parks, public landings, county highways, state highways, etc.  Local roads primarily serve as "Collectors"[3] that connect residences, public facilities, parks, county or state highways, town centers, or major activity centers.  As local roads make up the abundance of road mileage in Rushford, it becomes very important to consider maintenance, capacity, volume, and access of these roads, as they pertain to costs and other fiscal capabilities of the Town of Rushford.

 

Text Box: A Master Thoroughfare Plan identifies the “Through” streets in a communities street network consisting of freeways, strategic regional arterials, major and minor arterials, and neighborhood connector streets.

The Master Thoroughfare Plan directly answers the question posed by residents of “why is traffic routed onto one street and not another”. The plan clearly identifies the arterial and collector streets which by function will be wider, have more lanes, have higher speed limits, and be signed and marked to carry more traffic than the residential streets. The Master Thoroughfare Plan directly addresses the “Volume of Traffic” concern.
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION

The Town of Rushford enjoys a diverse base of roadway types with a verity of usage within its municipal boundaries. A Classification of the roadway network for planning purposes generates four specific roadway types for use in "Master Thoroughfare" mapping of the roadway system. Roadway classification by type in the Town of Rushford includes:

 

1.    STATE HIGHWAYS - State Highways within the Town of Rushford have limited access with a primary function of inter-town traffic movement and travel to out of town destinations. Direct access is restricted to periodic interchanges with ideally no direct access to fronting properties.

2.    PRINCIPAL ARTERIALS - Principal arterial "primary" streets within the Town of Rushford roadway network are for the provision of both inter-town and intra-town traffic movement within the region. The principal arterial provides for efficient traffic flow and a restricted level of access to fronting properties. Access is limited in order not to impede the movement of traffic - full access points are spaced no closer than 1/8 of a mile with full access points at the 1/4 of a mile spacing typically traffic signal controlled or traffic signed controlled.

3.    MINOR ARTERIAL - Minor arterial "secondary" streets within the Town of Rushford roadway network are for the purpose of traffic movement between the neighborhoods and other areas within the township. While a major function of this arterial is efficient traffic flow, access may be somewhat restricted to ensure functional purpose. These roadways are typically traffic signed controlled.

4.    COLLECTOR STREETS - Collector streets within the Town of Rushford roadway network are for the provision of connecting residential areas through to adjacent neighborhoods and have continuity between arterial streets. Collector streets convey traffic out of the neighborhoods to the arterial streets.

 

The "Thoroughfare System" provides the framework of streets and access upon which the Comprehensive Plan is based. There is a direct relationship between the location of specific sites within this system and the intensity of land use, which is appropriate for that area. The Town of Rushford's Master Thoroughfare Plan/Map provides for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the community and the region.


With respect to sound traffic planning, rule of thumb principals for traffic demand can be evaluated by considering the following capacity values for passenger cars on a given roadway:

Road Size

Average Daily Traffic Capacity

2 Lane

8,000 – 12,000 ADT

4 Lane

16,000 – 24,000 ADT

6 Lane

24,000 – 36,000 ADT


ROADWAY USAGE

Text Box: Annual Average Daily Traffic		Year		% Change
Location	1991	1994	1997	1991 - 1997
Hwy 21, west of K	5040	5400	6300	20.0%
Hwy K, south of 21	550	720	790	30.4%
Hwy K, east of Eureka	380	630	640	40.6%
Hwy E, south of Eureka	1000	1300	1300	23.1%
Hwy E, east of Eureka	1150	1400	1300	11.5%
Hwy 116, west of E	3390	4000	4800	29.4%

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has assumed the role of obtaining traffic counts along various federal, State, county, and local roads throughout Wisconsin.

Text Box: Table 2, Annual Average Daily Traffic (ADT), 1991 to 1997

 The department usually obtains these counts every three years, the last being in 1997.  Recognizing the amount of traffic that nearby roads and highways endure on a daily basis is a good indicator regarding longevity and capacity.  Also, traffic counts are a sign of how timely it is for residents commuting to nearby employment centers.  An analysis of travel times from the U.S. Census, concluded that most residents travel between 20-29 minutes to their place of work.  Being that Oshkosh is the major employment center in the region, and is less than 20 miles away from Rushford, there is reason to believe that traffic volumes are a concern to Rushford residents.

 

At the County level significant increases in rural roadway usage have taken place between 1982 and 1994. There has clearly been a correlating impact to the usage of the roadway system with respect to the increase in rural residents in the outlying areas of Winnebago County. These impacts include the need for additional attention by local units of government in the areas of safety, maintenance and upkeep costs related to their roadway networks.




Understanding that traffic volumes have increased significantly on Rushford’s major arterial and connector roads raises future concern with respect to the safety, capacity and longevity of the towns roadway system. It is clear from 1991 – 1997 average daily traffic counts that STH 21, CTH K, CTH E, STH 116, and STH 91 are serving as commuter travel routs of choice. As development continues to occur the town should undertake measurers to limit new access onto these major travel corridors in order to ensure safety.

 

Table 2 shows various traffic counts taken at select places in the Town of Rushford for the years 1991, 1994, and 1997.  The largest increase observed was east of Eureka on Highway K, which experienced a 41% increase in average number of vehicles per day. 

Text Box: Figure 20Other significant increases occurred south of Highway 21 on County Trunk K (30.4%), and west of County Trunk E on Highway 116 (29.4%).  These traffic increases could certainly pose a threat to current traffic patterns and infrastructure conditions in the Town of Rushford.  Figure 20 presents the percentage change in traffic counts at select locations from 1991 to 1997, in graphical form.  Past and current trends are apparent.

 

Given the moderate growth in the county over recent years, and the growth that Oshkosh has experienced due to retail business and manufacturing employment opportunities, one can only assume that this trend will persist in future years.  As a result, additional pressures on existing roads in the Town of Rushford will likely occur in the future, presenting increased maintenance and construction costs.

 

As this growth occurs town officials will want to be cognoscente of the creation and placement of new arterial roadways and collector roadways within the community. Maintaining fluid traffic movement through the community to avoid traffic problems such as congestion, safety, speed, noise and others is the objective of sound transportation policy. As a rule of thumb, arterial spacing should follow the following guidance:

 

Arterial Spacing Principals

 
 


Net Residential Units Per Acre Being Served

Location

Spacing Distance

 

Downtowns

1/8 mile or less

6-10 units per acre

High Density

¼ to ½ mile

4-6 units per acre

Medium Density

½ to 1 mile

2-4 units per acre

Low Density

2 miles

 

Semi - rural

3 miles

 

 

ROADWAY SAFETY

With mounting pressure on the existing roadway system due to growth and development the Town of Rushford has experienced its share of safety issues.

Accidents at many Rushford intersections have reached levels of concern that are cause for the careful planning of future loading that could occur through new developments. When intersectional accident statistics are overlaid on top of the roadway map it can be noted that a majority of recorded accidents since 1992 have occurred at intersections involving the State and County highway system within the township.

 

Accident Type

1992 Reports

1993 Reports

!994 Reports

1995 Reports

1996 Reports

1997 Reports

1998 Reports

1999 Reports

2000 Reports

Average Through 1999

Total Average

ACCIDENT FATAL

1

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

1

0.38

0.44

ACCIDENT HIT & RUN

0

2

2

2

0

3

0

2

0

1.38

1.22

ACCIDENT INFORMATION

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0.25

0.22

ACCIDENT INJURY

17

6

13

12

14

12

14

12

3

12.50

11.44

ACCIDENT PROPERTY DAMAGE

34

44

59

61

70

49

47

53

23

52.13

48.89

ACCIDENT UNKNOWN

0

2

1

2

0

1

2

0

0

1.00

0.89

 

 

 

 

As safety issues grow as a concern within the township, consideration of speed control measurers and traffic controlling signage and lighting must also be undertaken. According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, December 2000, Winnebago County, “Workforce Profile”[ii]:

 

“Winnebago County workers are very mobile. Of the 94,200 residents of the county who have jobs, 40.2% (37,883) work outside the county. The largest number commute to jobs in Outagamie County, and that is mostly within the Fox Cities area. Winnebago County actually gains 2,471 workers in the exchange with Outagamie County. A large part of this inter-county commute around the Fox Cities relates to jobs in the paper industry.

 

Commuters get around Winnebago County via Highway 41, the main corridor running through the hart of the Fox Valley. The 441 express way makes the commute for over 2,500 from Calumet County to Winnebago County much easier than at any time before completion of that route. It also affords faster access from the Green Bay area.

 

WINNEBAGO COUNTY COMMUTING PATTERNS

 

Commute Into

Commute From

Net Commute

Outagamie County

8,942

11,413

2,471

Fond du Lac County

1,316

1,925

609

Waupaca County

351

931

580

Calumet County

375

2,622

2,247

Elsewhere

2,168

3,604

1,436

Total

13,092

21,238

8,146

 

 

 

 

Work in Winnebago County

56,317

 

 

 

Commuters to Winnebago County come from a 16 county area. They travel from Oconto County in the north, Portage County to the west, Columbia County to the southwest, Door County from the northeast, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Calumet Counties to the east and Fond du Lac County to the south of the area. Outbound commuters travel to seven other counties, but most traffic is to Outagamie and Fond du Lac counties. While most commuters are manufacturing workers, in recent years we have seen an increase in professional and technical workers expanding their commuting areas from work. From the Fox Cities to Oshkosh is one of the state’s hottest job growth areas.” As these commuter patterns continue to expand, further evidence of the to maintain the safety of Rusford’s roadway system is established.

 

As a working Philosophy the Town of Rushford will seek “the least control that provides good operations and a satisfactory level of safety” when implementing traffic control policies and stratigies.

 

Access management

The purpose of access management at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is to maintain the operational efficiency and safety of state highways by controlling the type, number, and location of access points to the highway system.

 

Wisconsin's state highway system comprises 12,000 miles of state and Interstate highways.

·        Access points to the state highway system automatically increase the potential for crashes by introducing cross traffic on a free-flowing highway.

·        Access points create operational problems by slowing the overall traffic flow to allow for slower vehicles that are pulling off the highway or onto the highway. High volumes of vehicles such as large trucks or farm machinery can further add to these operational problems.

·        Cost impacts of access are placed on the individual/organization requesting the access.

 

In the 2000 State Highway Plan, WisDOT concludes that current funding levels will not alleviate all the highway system's congestion problems. With higher capacities and increased congestion, one of the major tools that will allow our existing highway system to perform with acceptable efficiency and safety is access management.

WisDOT uses the following tools to manage the highway system:

·        Driveway permits

·        Trans 233

·        Controlled access projects

 

Managing access is key to highway safety. More access points on a roadway means an increased number of crashes.

 

Access points per mile

Crash rate per million vehicle miles traveled

.2

2.0

20.0

1.3

2.7

17.2


Access management - driveway permits

Driveway permits:

·        Any private access to the state highway system requires a permit.

·        The permit grants the right to work on state highway right of way, and the right to access the highway under certain conditions or restrictions.

·        Driveway permits are not permanent rights and may be revoked by WisDOT if misuse occurs. Permits may also be revoked if a highway improvement project requires the elimination of access points to maintain or increase the free flow of traffic for capacity and safety reasons.

·        Issuing or denying a driveway permit is based on specific standards such as highway geometry, sight distance, and proximity to other access points.

 

The type and maximum size of access is determined by the intended use of the property. A single-family dwelling may only require a simple driveway while a commercial property may require more extensive access.

Costs of constructing and maintaining private access points are borne by the property owner and not by WisDOT.

 

Determining the type of access required is based on standard land-use trip generation guidelines.

 

Access management - Trans 233

Any division or assemblage of lands abutting existing state highways is subject to review by WisDOT. This includes subdivision plats, county plats, condominium plats, certified survey maps, plats of survey or a plain legal description with no survey.

The review ensures:

·        Any access and internal-street system to the land division serves the maximum amount of landowners, which in turn will limit future access requests to the state highway.

·        Drainage impacts to state highways are minimized or controlled.

·        Proper setbacks are used to minimize future disruptions to the landowner or costs to the public if a highway expansion is needed.

 

For more information on Trans 233 visit http://www.dot.state.wi.us/dtid/bhd/trans233.html.

 

Access management - Controlled access projects

Entire segments of highways can be access controlled through the completion of controlled access projects. These projects require a public hearing process to inform all impacted parties and to solicit their input. This type of project allows WisDOT to then readily manage public and private access in the future along those segments.

 

By applying uniform standards such as these, property owners can be ensured of a fair and equal review.

 

Effective access management makes our highways safer, reduces the need for major road expansion by extending the usefulness of existing highways, and produces a more consistent travel flow. This helps limit congestion, reduces fuel consumption and improves air quality.

 

 

Wisconsin's Rustic Roads

A Positive Step Backward

Creation

The Rustic Roads System in Wisconsin was created by the 1973 State Legislature in an effort to help citizens and local units of government preserve what remains of Wisconsin's scenic, lightly traveled country roads for the leisurely enjoyment of bikers, hikers and motorists.

Unique brown and yellow signs mark the routes of all officially-designated Rustic Roads. These routes provide bikers, hikers, and motorists with an opportunity to leisurely travel through some of Wisconsin's scenic countryside.

 

A small placard beneath the Rustic Roads sign identifies each Rustic Road by its numerical designation within the total statewide system. Each Rustic Road is identified by a 1- to 3-digit number assigned by the Rustic Roads Board. To avoid confusion with the State Trunk Highway numbering, a letter "R" prefix is used such as R50 or R120. The Department of Transportation pays the cost of furnishing and installing Rustic Roads marking signs.

An officially designated Rustic Road shall continue to be under local control. The county, city, village or town shall have the same authority over the Rustic Road as it possesses over other highways under its jurisdiction.

A Rustic Road is eligible for state aids just as any other public highway.

Program Goals

·        To identify and preserve in a natural and essentially undisturbed condition certain designated roads having unusual or outstanding natural or cultural beauty, by virtue of native vegetation or other natural or man-made features associated with the road.

·        To provide a linear park-like system for vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian travel for quiet and leisurely enjoyment by local residents and the general public alike.

·        To maintain and administer these roads to provide safe public travel, yet preserve the rustic and scenic qualities through use of appropriate maintenance and design standards, and encouragement of zoning for land use compatibility, utility regulations and billboard control.

What is a Rustic Road?

To qualify for the Rustic Road program, a road:

·        Should have outstanding natural features along its borders such as rugged terrain, native vegetation, native wildlife, or include open areas with agricultural vistas which singly or in combination uniquely set this road apart from other roads.

·        Should be a lightly traveled local access road, one which serves the adjacent property owners and those wishing to travel by auto, bicycle, or hiking for purposes of recreational enjoyment of its rustic features.

·        Should be one not scheduled nor anticipated for major improvements which would change its rustic characteristics.

·        Should have, preferably, a minimum length of 2 miles and, where feasible, should provide a completed closure or loop, or connect to major highways at both ends of the route.

·        A Rustic Road may be dirt, gravel or paved road. It may be one-way or two-way. It may also have bicycle or hiking paths adjacent to or incorporated in the roadway area.

 

 

The Town of Rushford is currently home to three state designated rustic roads. Eureka Lock Road, Archery and Edgewater Ridge have each been designated by the program. By being designated by the rustic roads program, these roads serve the town by protecting its rural character by the restrictions that have been placed on them. As the town continues to grow and develop, additional attention should be given to designating new roadways as rustic roads as a means to preserve rural character and to continue to provide a safe transportation system throughout the township.

 

One of the primary functions of Town Boards is to maintain the local roadway system. This includes construction, resurfacing and maintenance. As the number of rural non-farming residents continues to increase throughout Wisconsin, communities find themselves taking the opportunity to approach roadway management from a new perspective. With existing residents wanting to preserve and maintain rural character and new residents placing a greater emphasis on “scenic quality” the notion of establishing a scenic rural roads program is gaining favor.

 

Road management that takes into account the scenic/rural character of roads in a way that is much like how a tourist would view a roadway, placing emphasis on more than just road width, line-of-site, and pavement conditions. To this end it may be beneficial for local officials to identify “scenic rural roads” and develop “roadside construction/maintenance” policies to guide roadwork on these roads, as well as other local roads. One method to accomplish this and to consider which local roads might be appropriate for submission and designation as rustic roads would be to conduct the following exercise[iii]:

 

Spend some time reflecting on your travels throughout the country. As the images of those excursions run through your mind think about the roads that you were on and what you viewed as you where traveling them. Now think about the traits and characteristics that those roads, and segments or sections of roadways had and or shared. What made them special? What made them unique? What made them enjoyable enough to leave a lasting impression in your mind?

 

Next, with the aid of a county and or community map(s), highlight those segments of roads that you believe are capture a scenic rural character. Once identified, using the scorecard evaluations on the following page(s), take the time to go and re-travel each of the roads and road segments that you have identified. As you travel each road or road segment fill out a score card for it. When you are done with all of your identified roads and road segments total your scores and compare them with others performing the exercise.


Scenic Rural Roadway Evaluation Scorecard

 

Name of road __________________________________________________

 

          Evaluating entire road      Evaluating a segment of the road

 

Location of road segment if appropriate ___________________________

 

Name of Evaluator ______________________________________________

 

*         Read the criteria statement in each of the following boxes. Record the appropriate points in the box provided for each of the criteria that apply to the road or road segment being evaluated. When done with both the positive and negative evaluation scoring, total the points given and write that figure in the total box provided. Half points may be applied to the below features that are not equal to the “norm” but deserve some recognition, as long as the total points possible per attribute is not exceeded.

 

Positive Attributes:

 

Attribute
Point Value

Points Given

Continuous or intermittent large trees on one side of the road for less than 100 yards

1

 

Continuous or intermittent large trees on both sides of the road for less than 100 yards

2

 

Continuous or intermittent large trees on both sides of the road with canopy over the road for less than 100 yards

3

 

Continuous or intermittent large trees on one side of the road for more than 100 yards

2

 

Continuous or intermittent large trees on both sides of the road for more than 100 yards

4

 

Continuous or intermittent large trees on both sides of the road with canopy over the road for more than 100 yards

6

 

Pond adjacent to the road

2

 

Mass of wildflowers or ferns

1

 

Bridge on the road

1

 

Stone, covered or historic bridge on the road

3

 

Stone wall or wooden fence

1

 

Picturesque farmstead or unusual building

2

 

Historic structure or archeological site

2

 

Wildlife viewing are from road (domestic buffalo, elk, etc., or natural deer, turkeys, etc.)

2

 

Agricultural pattern (orchard, contour plowing, etc.)

1

 

 


 

Attribute
Point Value

Points Given

Curve on the road

1

 

Vista of hill on the road

2

 

Vista “variety” (trees, fields, wetlands, hills, water, etc.) from road

2

 

Hill on road

1

 

Vista variety (trees, fields, wetlands, hills, water, etc.) from top of hill on road

3

 

Enframed, enclosed or valley view

2

 

Panoramic or distant view

2

 

Ephemeral effect (sunset, mist, reflection)

2

 

Seasonal effect (ice formations, brilliant foliage)

2

 

View of lake or river from road

2

 

View of waterfall, cliff or rock outcrop

2

 

View of wetland, bog, or remnant prairie from road

2

 

Park like area (including cemeteries) adjacent to road

1

 

Public park adjacent to road

2

 

View of “specimen tree” from road

1

 

Hill with limited roadway visibility (traffic hazard – slow down)

2

 

Curve with limited visibility (traffic hazard – slow down)

2

 

 

 

 

TOTAL POINTS AWARDED

 

 

 

Negative attributes:

 

Attribute
Point Value

Points Given

Sever/significant erosion

 

 

View of gravel pit or sand mining operation

 

 

Utility line, corridor, or substation

 

 

Strip development

 

 

Incompatible building (style, material, lot size, non-farm, non-residential)

 

 

View of junk yard or landfill

 

 

Storage tanks

 

 

Obtrusive signage (size, too many, flashing)

 

 

View of unkept buildings

 

 

Monotony – “same old same old” landscape

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL POINTS AWARDED

 

 


RAIL SERVICE

Rail service is available in the City of Oshkosh via Wisconsin Central Ltd., and Wisconsin and Southern Railroad Co.  Both rail lines operate with multiple trains on a daily basis to move products throughout the United States and Canada.  No commuter service is available.

 

Significant changes are taking place with railroads in Wisconsin. Both freight and passenger rail are constantly evolving to meet changing needs. WisDOT needs to continue rail planning to enhance the Wisconsin Rail System and to meet the future transportation needs of the state. With an increasing population and a steady growth in highway traffic congestion, freight and passenger rail will become even more vital to the state’s transportation system.

 

Freight Rail

Railroads have been part of Wisconsin since 1847, twenty years after the origin of rail in the United States. Two factors greatly influenced rail development in Wisconsin. The first factor is the state’s geographical position between the Great Lakes and the Northwest. The second factor is the timber resources in the northern half of the state. The partial depletion of the forest lead to many miles of abandon railroad in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. However, the substantial agricultural and industrial traffic, plus the link to the northwest, kept railroads an important form of freight transportation in the state.

 

Wisconsin railroad mileage peaked in 1920 at 7,327 miles. But from 1920 to 1929, abandonments exceeded new construction and this pattern continued, and accelerated, for many decades. The 1970’s proved especially difficult for the freight rail industry. Intermodal competition, economic regulation, the energy crisis, and a recession all contributed to the distress of the railroad industry. In the early 1980s, deregulation of the rail industry improved rail’s position to offer competitive rates for freight service. The number of abandon miles finally slowed reflecting a growing stability in freight rail. In Wisconsin, larger railroads abandon or sold large percentages of their lines to newly formed regional railroads. Also, the state acquired nearly 600 miles of abandon lines for operation by short line carriers.

 

Today Wisconsin has 12 railroads operating on nearly 4,500 miles of track. The state has three class I Railroads, five regional Railroads, two local Railroads, and two switching & terminal Railroads. These railroads combine to carry nearly 94,000,000 tons of freight in 1988, more than 1,046,000 carloads. The leading commodity originating within the state was nonmetallic minerals (over 3,833,000 tons). The leading commodity to terminate by rail in Wisconsin was coal (nearly 42,000,000 tons).

 

 

 

Passenger Rail

The first rail passenger service in Wisconsin began in 1851, carrying passengers from Milwaukee to Waukesha. The wood burning locomotive of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Company traveled at speeds of up to thirty mile an hour during the short trek. By 1867, passenger rail connected Milwaukee with Chicago, as well as the Twin Cities. From this time until the end of World War I (1918), rail passenger service continued to prosper and became the predominant mode of travel.

 

Following World War I, the automobile became a major competitor of the train. Railroads continued improving the quality of passenger service into the 1940s, but the number of miles was declining. Beginning in the 1950s, railroads de-emphasized passenger trains and rapidly abandon services, to the point that in the late 1960s, people feared train service would be reduced to just a few routes in the Northeast.

 

In 1970, concern over the possible extinction of passenger trains in many areas of the country prompted Congress to create Amtrak to operate a national system. Since this time, Amtrak has experienced a number of staff reorganizations and route changes. Two Amtrak routes currently run in Wisconsin. The Hiawatha service runs between Milwaukee and Chicago six times daily. The Empire Builder runs once a day between Chicago and the Twin Cities, and out to the West Cost. Wisconsin Amtrak rail stations are found in Sturtevant, Milwaukee, Columbus, Portage, Wisconsin Dells, Tomah and La Crosse. Amtrak recently announced plans to extend passenger and express cargo rail service to Fond du Lac and Janesville as part of a comprehensive effort to preserve and expand existing rail networks.

 

Midwest Regional Rail System

The major plan elements of the Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS) include:

 

·        Use of 3,000 miles of existing rail rights-of-way to connect rural, small urban, and major metropolitan areas.

·        Operation of a “hub-and-spoke” passenger rail system providing through-service in Chicago to locations throughout the Midwest.

·        Introduction of modern train equipment operating at speeds up to 110 mph.

·        Provisions of multi-modal connections to improve system access.

·        Improvement in reliability and on-time performance.

 

Within the context of the larger MWRRI, Wisconsin is involved with the Tri-State II High Speed Rail Study. This study is nearing completion and evaluates various high-speed options in the Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities corridor. The analysis has built on the results of two previous corridor studies: the Tri-State High Speed Rail Study, and the Chicago-Milwaukee Rail Corridor Study. The Tri-State II Study has looked beyond the MWRRI and will provide policy makers with information needed to evaluate and choose among route and technology alternatives in the tri-state area.

 

As part of the MWRRI, WisDOT began analysis on the high speed rail corridor between Milwaukee and Madison in November of 1999. This corridor is part of the first phase of the initiative and proposed train speeds are up to 110 mph. WisDOT is conducting planning, engineering and environmental studies along the existing 85 mile long rail corridor. Service could begin as early as 2003, with six trains daily in each direction (three of them are proposed to be express service with no stops). Service (110 mph) between Madison and the Twin Cities could begin in 2005, while service (79 mph) between Milwaukee and Green Bay is scheduled to begin in 2007. The Milwaukee-Chicago corridor is scheduled for upgrade to 110 mph in 2009, with 10 trains daily in each direction.

 

 

 

 

AIRPORT SERVICE

Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh is the primary air service for the region.  Wittman Regional offers daily commuter flights to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport including charter and daily freight service.

 

Aviation activity in Wisconsin is measured through the use of information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and developed from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisD0T) records and files. Reporting sources include Air Traffic Control Facilities, Flight Service Stations, Airport Managers and Scheduled Air Carriers.

This report concentrates on activity changes that took place during 2000 as compared to 1999. The yearly totals for aviation activity at airports with control towers were taken from the monthly data reports submitted by the FAA control towers.

The following summarized data is used in developing and measuring Wisconsin aviation trends.

 

LANDING FACILITIES

Currently, there are 720 aircraft landing areas known to exist in Wisconsin. Table 1 summarizes these landing areas.

TABLE 1
Landing Facilities on Record

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Airports open to the public

133

133

132

131

136

Publicly owned

95

95

97

97

98

Privately owned

38

38

35

34

38

Private use airports

408

395

403

419

426

Heliport

108

111

115

120

131

Seaplane bases

28

26

26

27

27

Military/Police fields & helipads

7

7

7

7

7

Total

684

673

683

704

727

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location on the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)

88

88

88

88

83

Location on the State Airport System Plan

100

100

100

100

100

Airports with Instrument Approaches

75

81

81

83

80

 

TABLE 2
Tower Reported Operations by Airport


Location/Airport

Tower
Hours


1996


1997


1998


1999


2000

% Change
(99-00)

Milwaukee-Mitchell

24 hours

200,963

212,609

219,087

221,866

221,855

0

Madison-Dane County

6 a.-11 p.

154,860

145,504

144,712

153,200

134,692

-13.7

Oshkosh - Wittman

6 a.-10 p.

84,027

83,260

88,809

115,500

104,393

-10.6

Waukesha - Crites Field

6 a. - 9 p

68,464

87,090

89,662

96,160

90,472

-6.3

Kenosha - Kenosha Regional

7 a.-9 p.

67,088

85,667

78,826

87,545

89,221

1.9

 

Statewide total operations for 2000 decreased by 4.87% or 51,487 operations. Only three out of eleven tower airports reported increases in 2000. Kenosha Regional, Appleton-Outagamie, and Central Wisconsin are the only airports that reported increases Air carrier operations decreased by 7.93% and air taxi operations increased by 7.86% statewide. General aviation operations increased by 6.12% for itinerant traffic and decreased by 7.96% for local operations.

In all there are basically three types of airports. 1) Large Municipal/Private airports that are state and federally funded such as Mitchell County airport in Milwaukee. 2) Small private airports that are for the owner’s use only, and 3) Small private airports that are used by the owner and only invited others. In the Town of Rushford one such private airport exists, Clausen Airstrip.

 

All airports must be state approved through the issuance of a certificate for site use in Wisconsin. This process involves the owner applying to the State DOT.  Once an application is received the state notifies the county and community that an application has been received and requests comment on opinion and if there are any local regulations are at issue. It is important to note that the state certificate does not pre-empt local regulations. As airports are approved the state forwards information on their location to the Federal Aviation Administration where they are officially noted on aviation maps.

 

If a local unit of government wishes, they may regulate local private airports by ordinance. Typical regulations include:

 

1.    Appropriate use within the zoning district.

2.    Size, location and number of housing/storage facilities.

3.    Hours of operation.

4.    Noise and pollution.

 

It is typical of most airports that they start out small and in rural locations. As time passes and development occurs around these facilities, inevitably conflict arises. Local governments can act proactively to avoid these conflicts by planning for growth around existing facilities. In addition, a regulatory approach can be considered if there is appropriate need.

 

 

SNOWMOBILE TRAILS & OPERATIONS

 

1999 - 2000 Snowmobile Program Report Summary

Wisconsin Law requires that a conservation warden or law enforcement officer be notified of any snowmobile accident that results in an injury requiring medical treatment by a physician. In addition, the operator(s) involved in these "reportable accidents" must file a written report with the Department of Natural Resources within 10 days of the accident, insofar as they are capable of doing so.

All fatal snowmobile accidents are investigated by Conservation Wardens. The 1999-2000 Snowmobile Program Report summary is compiled from those investigations. There were 38 fatal accidents reported for the fiscal year 1999-2000 (fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30).

CAUSES OF THE FATAL ACCIDENTS
The leading cause of death was colliding with an object (tree, bank, car, etc). The leading contributing factors were, excessive speed and alcohol consumption. In several cases, speed estimations according to witnesses were reported to be as high as 100 mph. There were 13 fatal crashes that Conservation Wardens could directly identify excessive speed as a contributin factor to the death of the operator/passenger. Of those 13 fatals, 10 of those who died consumed alcohol. Alcohol was identified as another contributing factor. The law expressly states a person is under the influence of alcohol once their blood alcohol level reaches 0.10. Sixty-six percent or 25 of the victims who had known toxicology reports performed, showed they had consumed some alcohol. There were 8 victims that were not able to be determined and only 5 victims had no alcohol in their system at the time of death. Of the total number of victims who had consumed alcohol, 80% had a blood alcohol reading of 0.10 or higher. With the blood alcohol readings, 8 were determined to be 0.20 and above.

WHO WAS INVOLVED
All but 2 of the fatal accident victims were males. The ages of all fatalities ranged 17-68 years, with the average age 34. Of the 38 fatal accidents, 35 of the victims were Wisconsin residents while 3 were from surrounding states, Illinois and Minnesota. The largest percentage of those people killed were age 21-29 (39%). The second largest age group was 30-39 (27%). No one 16 years old or younger were killed this reporting period. The majority of the victims had not received formal Snowmobile Safety Training. Of the 38 victims, 30 were known to have been wearing a helmet, 4 were not and 4 were not known.

WHEN DO THESE ACCIDENTS OCCUR
A correlation was observed by reviewing fatality statistics for the past five years. Inferences can be drawn as to the time of day these accidents occur and day of the week. Not surprising, the majority of the people killed while snowmobiling, were fatally injured on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The times that people were most likely to be involved in a deadly accident is between the hours of 8:00pm - 3:00am.

 

Sheriff Snowmobile Patrol Citations:

Conservation Warden Snowmobile Citations:

356

TOTAL CITATIONS

921

TOTAL CITATIONS

29

Operate Snowmobile w/o Valid Registration (S-1)

147

Operate Snowmobile w/o Valid Registration (S-1)

19

Failure or Improper Display of Registration Number or Decal (S-2)

40

Failure or Improper Display of Registration Number or Decal (S-2)

24

Operate Snowmobile w/o Possession of Valid Certificate (S-3)

62

Operate Snowmobile w/o Possession of Valid Certificate (S-3)

7

Failure to Transfer Registration of Snowmobile (S-4)

8

Failure to Transfer Registration of Snowmobile (S-4)

9

Give Permission to Operate a Snowmobile not Registered (S-5)

38

Give Permission to Operate a Snowmobile not Registered (S-5)

1

Transport Uncased Strung Bow on a Snowmobile
(S-09)

0

Transport Uncased Strung Bow on a Snowmobile
(S-09)

0

Shoot From a Snowmobile (S-10)

1

Shoot From a Snowmobile (S-10)

1

Operate in Prohibited Area on Lands Controlled By DNR (S-11)

19

Operate in Prohibited Area on Lands Controlled By DNR (S-11)

78

Highway and Roadway Violations (S-12)

112

Highway and Roadway Violations (S-12)

0

Equipment Violation (S-14)

6

Equipment Violation (S-14)

8

Permitting Operation by Person Incapable Because of Age, Physical or Mental Disability (S-15)

19

Permitting Operation by Person Incapable Because of Age, Physical or Mental Disability (S-15)

3

Failure to Report Snowmobile Accident (S-16)

2

Failure to Report Snowmobile Accident (S-16)

22

Unreasonable Improper or Careless Operation (S-17)

55

Unreasonable Improper or Careless Operation (S-17)

1

Fail to Display Lights when Required (S-18)

0

Fail to Display Lights when Required (S-18)

25

Trespass 'Sec. 350.10(6) through (13) Wis. Stats.'
(S-19)

35

Trespass 'Sec. 350.10(6) through (13) Wis. Stats.'
(S-19)

1

Miscellaneous (S-20)

2

Miscellaneous (S-20)

0

Dealers Failing to Collect Fee & Submit Registration Applications (S-12)

0

Dealers Failing to Collect Fee & Submit Registration Applications (S-12)

0

Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement Officer (S-22)

1

Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement Officer (S-22)

1

Failure to Render Aid (S-23)

1

Failure to Render Aid (S-23)

18

Operate Snowmobile while Intoxicated (S-24)

25

Operate Snowmobile while Intoxicated (S-24)

14

Operate Snowmobile with Alcohol Concentration Above .1% (S-25)

17

Operate Snowmobile with Alcohol Concentration Above .1% (S-25)

4

Refuse to Take Intoxicated Snowmobile Test (S-26)

3

Refuse to Take Intoxicated Snowmobile Test (S-26)

1

Absolute Sobriety for Persons Under 19 (S-27)

1

Absolute Sobriety for Persons Under 19 (S-27)

6

Operate Snowmobile that Makes Excessive or Unusual Noise (S-28)

153

Operate Snowmobile that Makes Excessive or Unusual Noise (S-28)

1

Operate Snowmobile w/o Muffler on Engine (S-29)

2

Operate Snowmobile w/o Muffler on Engine (S-29)

1

Cause Injury By Intoxicated Operation of Snowmobile (S-30)

0

Cause Injury By Intoxicated Operation of Snowmobile (S-30)

13

Operate w/o Trail Use Sticker (S-33)

127

Operate w/o Trail Use Sticker (S-33)

0

Operate (Manufacture or Seller) Snowmobile w/o Functioning Muffler (S-34)

9

Operate (Manufacture or Seller) Snowmobile w/o Functioning Muffler (S-34)

69

Failure to Comply with Regulatory Signs (S-35)

36

Failure to Comply with Regulatory Signs (S-35)

 

TRAILS

 

Within the State of Wisconsin there are approximately 22,000 miles of trails. In Winnebago County there are approximately 98 miles of trails. These trails are categorized as either state funded trails or club trails. In the Town of Rushford the Eureka Belt Busters maintain two segments of trail, which pass through the township. While not typically thought of as part of the transportation system, snowmobile trails provide a seasonal transportation network that can greatly impact a community.

 

 

 

Wisconsin snowmobilers are proud of the statewide trail system that ranks among the best in the nation. This trail system would not be possible without the generosity of the thousands of land owners around the state as 70% of all trails are on private land. Trails are established through annual agreements and/or easements granted by these private property owners to the various snowmobile clubs and county alliances throughout the state.

 

Snowmobile club members work closely with landowners in the placement of the trails. They also assist by performing pre-season preparation, brushing, grading, singing the trails, trail grooming, safety inspections of the trails and fund raising to support the trail projects. This cooperation results in the promotion of safe, responsible snowmobiling, and that benefits everyone. Under Wisconsin State law, Sections 350.19 and 895.52, landowners are not liable for injury on their property when they have granted permission for snowmobiling.

 

Registration fees and the gas tax on 50 gallons per registered snowmobile help fund nearly 16,000 miles of snowmobile trails. Specifically, registration fees fund a combination of trail aids, law enforcement, safety education, registration systems and administration. Gas tax revenues are dedicated solely to the trails program.

 

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS FOR SNOWMOBILE OPERATION

 

No person shall operate a snowmobile in the following manner:

 

·         At a rate of speed that is unreasonable or improper under the circumstances.

·         No snowmobile may be operated at a speed of greater than 50 miles per hour during the hours of darkness (1/2 hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise) This restriction applies to all lands. NOTE: there may be more restrictive speed limits posted by municipalities and within counties as needed to ensure the safety of riders.

·         Snowmobiles not registered in the State of Wisconsin must display a Trail Pass to use Wisconsin trails.

·         On the frozen surface of public waters within 100 feet of a person not in or upon a vehicle or within 100 feet of a fishing shanty unless operated at a speed of 10 miles per hour or less.

·         Between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when within 150 feet of a dwelling at a rate of speed exceeding 10 miles per hour.

·         In any careless way so as to endanger the person or property of another.

·         On private property of another without the consent of the owner or lessee. Failure to post private property does not imply consent for snowmobile use.

·         In any forest nursery, planting area or on public lands posted or reasonably identified as an area of forest or plant reproduction when growing stock may be damaged.

·         On a slide, ski or skating area except for the purpose of serving the area, crossing at places where marked or after stopping and yielding the right-of-way.

·         On or across a cemetery, burial ground, school or church property without consent of the owner.

·         On the lands of an operating airport or landing facility except for personnel in performance of their duties or with consent.

·         On Indian lands without the consent of the tribal governing body or Indian land owner.

·         On lands owned or under the control of the DNR and on federal waterfowl production areas, except where their use is authorized by posted notice or permit.

·         At a speed not to exceed 10 miles per hour and yield the right-of-way when traveling within 100 feet of a person who is not in or on a snowmobile.

 

UNIFORM TRAIL DESIGN STANDARDS

 

The Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, after public hearing, shall promulgate rules to establish uniform trail and route signs and standards relating to operation thereon as authorized by law. The authority in charge of the maintenance of the highway shall place signs of a type approved by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation on highways under its jurisdiction where authorized snowmobile trails cross.

 

LOCAL ORDINANCES

 

Counties, towns, cities and villages may regulate snowmobile operation on snowmobile trails maintained by or on snowmobile routes designated by the county, city, town or village.

 

LOCAL ORDINANCE TO BE FILED

 

Whenever a town, city or village adopts an ordinance designating a highway as a snowmobile route, and whenever a county, town, city or village adopts an ordinance regulating snowmobiles, its clerk shall immediately send a copy of the ordinance to the Department and to the office of law enforcement agency of the municipality and county having jurisdiction over such street or highway.

 

 

BOATING & SURFACE WATER TRANSPORTATION

 

The WiDNR boating program in the Bureau of Law Enforcement has a wide range of duties and responsibilities. The eight major areas of responsibilities are:

 

·        Boating safety education

·        Boating enforcement

·        Boat lien/theft investigation

·        Municipal ordinance review and administration

·        Waterway marker permitting and administration

·        Boat accident investigation, reporting and administration

·        Designated mooring area review and approval

·        Underwater archaeology protection

 

Boating Enforcement

State conservation wardens and municipal patrol officers provide on-the-water enforcement of boating laws. In recent years much emphasis has been placed on enforcement of boating while intoxicated laws and personal watercraft enforcement. The United States Coast Guard also provides enforcement in some areas of the state.

 

The boating program administers funding to municipal water safety patrols to reimburse them for up to 75% of their operating expenses. In 1999, municipal patrols received $1,100,00. In order to promote statewide uniformity and consistency among agencies conducting boating enforcement, the boating program also conducts yearly training sessions on new laws, policies and enforcement techniques for all municipal boat patrols.

 

Municipal Ordinance Review

This program, designed to address local boating concerns and conditions, assists local municipalities in drafting local boating regulations tailored to local conditions. Authority for local municipalities to enact local regulations is found in s. 30.77(3), Wis. Stats. Ordinances are then required by statute to be submitted to the Department for review. Ordinances are reviewed for consistency with State and Federal law. Any suggested changes and comments with regard to the legality of the regulations are provided to the local municipality. If a municipality enacts an ordinance which the Department has found to be inconsistent with statutory requirements, the Department may challenge the ordinance in court.

 

Waterway Marker Permitting and Administration

This program provides a permitting process for uniform marking of waters of the state through the placement of aids to navigation. Conservation wardens inspect individual sites and recommend approval or disapproval of applications for placement of waterway markers. The boating program then reviews the application for compliance with state and federal requirements and either approves or denies the permit. The boating program also retains a permanent record of all approved buoy applications[iv].

 

 

BIKEWAY & PEDSTRIAN MOBILITY ACCOMODATIONS

 

According to the 1991 “Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities”, the national planning and design standards published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), “Bicycle facility planning is commonly thought of as the effort undertaken to develop a separated bikeway system composed completely of bicycle paths and lanes all interconnected and spaced closely enough to satisfy all the travel needs of bicyclists. In fact, such systems can be unnecessarily expensive and do not provide for the vast majority of bicycle travel. Existing highways, often with relatively inexpensive improvements, must serve as the base system to provide for the travel needs of bicyclists. Bicycle paths and lanes can augment this existing system in scenic corridors or places where access is limited. Thus, bicycle transportation planning is more then planning for bikeways and is an effort that should consider many alternatives to provide for safe and efficient travel”.

 

Not all cyclists are alike – the needs of the experienced adult rider differ greatly from less skilled, casual bicyclists and children. The purpose of this section within the Town of Rushford’s Comprehensive Plan is to identify desirable bicycle facility routes within the Town of Rushford noting appropriate linkages between route and adjacent communities.

 

Various environmental factors combine to determine the suitability of streets and roadways for bicycle travel. However, personal factors also strongly influence the decision to bike or not to bike on any given roadway. Cyclists of differing skills will rate the suitability of the same street differently, based on their perception of safety along the route and their desire to ride for recreation or transportation purposes. For this reason, any methodology to rate roadway suitability must begin with an understanding of the different types of bicyclists.

 

The concept of a “design cyclist” is used to define three basic types of bicycle riders who have differing facility preferences and safety needs.

 

·        Group A, or advanced bicyclists, include expert adult riders who operate under most traffic conditions and typically ride on collector and arterial streets.

·        Group B, or basic bicyclists, are casual or new adult and teenage riders who are less confident and capable of operating in traffic without special provisions for bicycles.

·        Group C, or child bicyclists, typically refers to pre-teen riders who do not yet have a driver’s license and whose roadway use is limited to residential streets with low motor vehicle speed limits and volumes.

 

Due to similarities in riding skills and facilities preferences, the design bicyclist concept supports combining types B and C so that there are two basic classes of bicyclists: Group A riders and Group B/C riders. It is estimated that nationally Group A cyclists represent fewer than 5% of the population, while Group B/C riders comprise the remaining 95%.

 

Many methodologies have been recently developed to assist in assessing the suitability of urban streets for bicycle use. The stress level concept originated in Geelong, Australia and has been further refined to reflect accepted U.S. roadway engineering practices. The concept builds upon the idea that bicyclists wish to minimize physical effort in route selection, as well as mental effort or “stress.” It focuses on three primary factors that contribute to stressful riding conditions: the amount of traffic, speed at which the traffic is operating, and the amount of roadway space available for bicyclists to share with traffic. While other factors such as quality of pavement surface and aesthetics of adjacent land uses may contribute to the riding experience, these characteristics are not detrimental to route selection and are therefore not weighted as such in the stress level evaluation.

 


Reviewing roadway suitability for bicycle travel in the Town of Rushford utilized a roadway analysis of the following:

 

Stress Level Rating

Volume

Of cars using right lane per hour at peak travel time

Width

Of right lane, including bike lane/shoulder

Speed

At which motor vehicles are traveling

Stress Level Interpretations

Based upon the combine volume, width and speed characteristics

1

[50 vph

á15 ft

[25 mph

Very lowstreets are reasonably safe for all types of bicyclists.

2

150 vph

14 ft

30 mph

LowStreets can accommodate adult Group A and Group B bicyclists: may need to be altered or have compensating factors to accommodate younger Group C bicyclists.

3

250 vph

13 ft

35 mph

ModerateStreets can accommodate experienced Group A bicyclists: may need to be altered or have compensating factors to accommodate Group B bicyclists: not recommended for children.

4

350 vph

12 ft

40 mph

HighStreets can accommodate the most experienced cyclists: may need to be altered or have compensating factors to accommodate other adult riders: not recommended for Group C child bicyclists.

5

450 vph

11 ft

45 mph

Very HighStreets may need compensating factors to accommodate even the most experienced bicyclists.

 

The map that follows depicts the stress level ratings for evaluated roadways within the Town of Rushford. In addition, notation has been made of county and state plans and recommendations.

 


GOALS OBJECTIVE & POLICIES

 

Goal #1 – To classify roads in the Town of Rushford.

 

Objective - Maintain an accurate and up to date Master Thoroughfare Road Plan.

 

Goal #2 – To promote corridor planning and preservation.

 

Objective - Minimize development in areas which are likely to be required to meet transportation needs in the future.

 

Goal #3 – Work with neighboring communities to solve mutual problems.

 

Objective – Work with neighboring communities to solve problems along major arterials so that the entire corridor may be addressed, not just up to the border.

 

Goal #4 – Create setbacks for future road expansions on arterials.

 

Objective – Ask developers and individuals to dedicate a portion of their land for necessary transportation improvements.

 

Goal #5 – Map future roads and corridors.

 

Objective – Official mapping of future rights of way can be used to inform the public and prevent development in locations of future facilities.

 

Goal #6 – Preserve safety and mobility with access management tools.

 

Objective – The site design of new developments should be compatible with efficient movement of traffic, on to and off of public roadways and, at the same time are conducive to pedestrian movements, bicycle traffic and transit use. All new developments should be required to go through a site design/development review process.

 

Goal #7 – Regulate the location, spacing and design of driveways.

 

Objective – Wisconsin statutes give all levels of government the authority to require a permit for the construction of a private driveway onto a public road. The Town of Rushford shall amend its existing ordinance with appropriate standards to initiate its permitting process within the township according to the policies, goals and objectives as set forth by this Comprehensive Plan.

 

Goal #8 – Increase minimum lot frontages along arterials and collectors.

 

Objective – Minimum lot frontages along arterials and collectors should be increased to allow for greater spacing between driveways.

 

Goal #9 – Create subdivision regulations and site plan review standards.

 

Objective – Create and implement these regulations so that proper street layout in relation to existing or planned roadways occurs; adequate space for emergency access and utilities is provided; adequate water, drainage, and sanitary sewer facilities are provided; and appropriate site design is created. The administrative review and evaluation procedure for processing conceptual, perliminary and final plats shall include on the plat; design principals and standards for lots, blocks, streets, public places, pedestrian ways, and utilities; required improvements, including streets, sidewalks, water sewer and curbs and gutter; and financing and maintenance responsibilities. These regulations will help justify decisions made and help developers have a clear idea of what is expected in the community.

 

Goal #10 – Promote connected developments.

 

Objective – Require “stubs” in developments so that future developments may be connected to the roadway network.

 

Objective – Limit the use, length and number of lots for cul de sacs and dead ends.

 

Objective – Require pedestrian and bicycle paths at end of cul de sacs which connect to activity centers.

 

Goal #11 – Avoid flag lots on arterial streets and collectors to ensure appropriate spacing between driveways.

 

Goal #12 – Provide residential properties access within developments, not on arterials.

 

Goal #13 – Require review of all minor replats. Ensure that arterials and collectors are not lined with driveways from small lots by reviewing all minor splits.

 

Goal #14 – Monitor airstrip use within the township, taking action with appropriate regulation only if warranted.

 

Goal #15 – Work with WiDNR wardens and the Winnebago County safety patrol to enforce speed limits for safety along the Fox River.

 

Goal #16 – Consider the need to map official snowmobile routes within the township and work with local clubs to ensure safety.



[1] Exhibit 1 - State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation Official Designated State Highways and Other State Trunk Highway's Map.

[2] Exhibit 2 - State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation 2000 Official Designated Class II Roadway's Map.

[3] Collectors are streets with moderate traffic volumes that connect residential neighborhoods with other higher capacity highways or major activity centers.



[i] Transportation And Land Use Primer. By Smitha Vijayan, UWM Center for Urban Transportation Studies.

[ii] Winnebago County Workforce Profile, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Workforce Excellence, Bureau of Labor Market Information and Customer Services, December 2000, DWEI – 10663-P (R. 12/2000).

[iii] Developed by Brad Bauer, Vierbicher Associates, Inc. ãVierbicher Associates, Inc., 2001.

[iv] WiDNR 1999 Boating Program Report, PUBL-LE-314 (06/00 REV).