Politics & Government

27th Street On-Ramps Causing Confusion Among Motorists

Changes that were part of the Mitchell Interchange project have drivers making illegal U-turns or using a small neighborhood street to correct their mistake of missing the ramps.

If you've missed the on-ramps for I-894 or I-43 while heading in either direction on 27th Street, you're not alone.

Since the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reconstructed the ramps, motorists have been confused, and that confusion is leading to dangerous, illegal U-turns and congestion in a small neighborhood just off 27th Street.

Motorists can now head either east or west from either side of 27th Street, but many are missing the ramps (see video) and try to correct their mistake by heading north on 27th and executing an illegal U-turn in the median break at Bottsford Avenue. If the motorist doesn't do the U-turn, he or she likely turns west onto Bottsford and does a Y-turn in the street, or even pulls into one of the residential driveways.

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At a Board of Public Works meeting Tuesday, DOT representatives handed out flyers that indicated the department has placed permanent signing to direct motorists to use the right lane to access the ramps. The DOT has also been in touch with Google Maps and additional GPS providers in regards to updating the area for commuters.

The flyer also indicated that the department is considering a short-term closure of the median opening at 27th and Bottsford, and that law enforcement have identified an estimated 40 percent drop in U-turning. The "drop" does not, however, indicate what baseline was used to determine that figure.

Find out what's happening in Greenfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In addition, Greenfield Police Chief Brad Wentlandt told Patch that drop rate did not come from his department, the unit responsible for policing the intersection thusfar. He said his officers have at times counted one illegal U-turn every 30 seconds.


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