SURPRISING STUFF
Where are all these giant trucks coming from and going?
The trucks travel south, exiting from Interstate 94 onto Highway 50 and heading west toward Lake Geneva. They get off and head south on Highway 120 (more commonly known to the residents as the bypass). Where are they all going? This noisy, smelly mass of semis is avoiding the interstate weigh station. They are going around it and then avoiding the weigh station in Richmond when it is open, as well. The same is true for big trucks coming up out of Illinois.
What is it the trucks are avoiding? It’s not the weight of the rig. It’s the driver’s hours. Professional drivers are only allowed so many hours on the road. There is a shortage of big-rig drivers today, caused by the pandemic. Drivers are only allowed to drive 10 hours a day. Many drivers are violating this safety rule (they are required to go down for 8 hours before getting back at it following the ten hours behind the wheel). The drivers have logs they must keep and they can’t fake those as the logs are tied into the rig’s electronics.
So, what the drivers do is violate and then keep from being caught at weigh stations, where their logs are checked. When they reach a final destination, the logs can be cleared. This is the reason that backcountry roads in Wisconsin, not built for heavy semi-traffic, are being destroyed and the rural public is required to put up with the noise, the smell, and the brutish presence of these highway beasts.
Stoneridge.
Last week, at the public works meeting future agenda, items were listed and those included the potential traffic light where Center Street crosses Interchange North. This has become a very busy location and a difficult area to maneuver during heavy traffic times. The Stoneridge neighborhood utilizes this location as its only entrance and exit to the development. Originally the developer was required to create an additional access road to help eliminate the traffic congestion.
This did not happen and was never questioned until recently when the need for a traffic light was discussed. The city council met Monday night as well, and the issue was on the agenda. The discussion and action revolved around the approval of a traffic signal study to determine if a signal is warranted. The cost of the project is to be split equally by Walworth County and the City of Lake Geneva. The city’s portion of the project would be approximately $3,500.00, to be paid out of contingency funds. Again, this is an expense impact fees could potentially cover. The city council voted, and the study was unanimously approved. Mayor Charlene Klein did add a few words on the issue and believes that several other intersections along Williams and Interchange as well as other locations in the city are going to need to be looked at as traffic continues to become larger and more immediate and demanding concern.
Then there’s the giant elephant in the living room. Why is the developer not sharing the cost? Why is the additional roadway not being discussed or demanded? Why is Pollard being treated special? In fact, why are all the big developers being treated as special instead of the residents and taxpayers?
Business Of The Week
Lopez’s Anchor Inn on Racine Street is now open and for many, it is a sign that spring is here.
