The Highway Committee put the brakes on its attempt to increase the speed limit on Highway HH/McDill Avenue through the village of Whiting from 25 mph to 35 mph.
Highway Committee members voted Tuesday, Aug. 10, to keep the 35-mph speed limit between 45-mph zones near the Wisconsin River bridge and Interstate 39, but leave the speed limit at 25 mph between Post Road and Feltz Avenue.
The committee members had voted earlier this month to set a 35-mph limit on the entire length between the 45-mph zones. The past action was invalid because it went beyond the scope of how it was listed on the agenda for the previous Highway Committee meeting. The Aug. 10 agenda item was for establishing the speed limit on Highway HH between Highway P and Water Street. At Tuesday's meeting, the agenda called for discussion and possible action to reestablish speed limits on Highway HH between West River Drive and Feltz Avenue.
Between Feltz Avenue and Post Road, Highway HH is residential corridor with several private driveways accessing it, unlike the other stretches where there are few access points, said Whiting Village President Charles Kell. Most residents must back out onto Highway HH.
"I can't tell you how many times I almost got clobbered backing out," said William Horvath, who has lived on McDill Avenue for 12 years.
By his calculations, increasing the speed limit from 25 mph to 35 mph between Feltz Avenue and Post Road would only save drivers 10 seconds, Horvath said.
The speed limit was an issue when McDill Avenue was widened to four lanes.
At that time, the village came forward and cooperated with the widening project after it felt it had a commitment from the county to keep the speed limit at 25 mph, Kell said. To change the speed limit after it had an agreement would be wrong.
Kell said he would take the compromise to the Whiting Village Board to see if trustees accept it. The village hasn't yet transferred the portion of Highway HH now under construction to the county.
Highway Commissioner William Weronke said school district officials were comfortable with having a 35 mph speed limit near Ben Franklin Junior High School. The speed limit in the school zone would be 15 mph when children are present.
In other business before the committee, Kell, the county Planning and Zoning Director, gave an update on the Highway HH project.
The McDill Pond dam should be completed Thursday, Aug. 26, Kell said. The pond should start to be refilled the next day. Because a couple of small islands have formed below the dam, the Department of Natural Resources is requiring the contractor to remove the downstream siltation.
Construction on the new Highway HH roadway should be completed in time for a mid-October road opening, Kell said.