Walworth County area changes

[jaybird2001wi]

Howdy all, I am considering a return to UW-Whitewater in September to get my degree and was wondering if any of the State Highways and other things surrounding Whitewater have changed since I last was there in 2005.

I was there during the bypass introduction on Highway 89 and Highway 12 and have often heard it was quite a mess due to fatal accidents at the intersection. Have they changed the speed limits around the intersection to decrease the likelihood of further accidents? I seem to recall that once you pass the lights going south on Highway, the speed limit was instantly 55 mph and the same could be said about the approach to the traffic lights was also 55 mph going west on Highway 12.

I was in Whitewater a few months ago for a short training session for my work but was not driving and saw they created a roundabout as you head into Whitewater. It seems to me they are making things more and more confusing since I was last there as a student.

When I return to Whitewater, I will likely use I-43 to Hwy 20 to US-12 to get to Whitewater if I am going there from work in Milwaukee, but if I am leaving from Racine, I will use Hwy 20 to US-12. I also sometimes use US-12 to Hwy 50 if I want to visit my grandpa in Kenosha right after a class or something. There are times when I prefer Hwy 50 over Hwy 20 because it is a two-lane highway in Kenosha County and I won't have to suffer through a slow moving tractor or a stereotypical old driver that prevents me from passing them.

Anything I should know about? When I lived in Whitewater and was a student, there were times when I got bored and decided to take random drives all through Walworth, Jefferson and Rock Counties so I am familiar with pretty much every Highway surrounding the campus.

I also heard something about Milton Ave (Hwy 26) towards Janesville is under construction. Is this true?

[Invader3K]

The intersection you are talking about where the fatal accidents occured is still 55 mph. They "rounded" the intersection out a bit more so that the turn coming onto the highway isn't as sharp, and there's a stop sign there now (I can't remember if there was before). There is also a weird new intersection on the southeast side of town (where that boating place used to be, which has since been torn down completely). It's kind of confusing, to be honest. One other nice thing is that there are a handful of new businesses and restaurants downtown. Nothing tremendous, but there is some development going on. There's supposed to be a Walgreens coming in to where the vacant Staples building is.

 

As far as construction between Milton and Janesville, I believe it's slated to start soon, but has not yet.

 

Whitewater is a weird area...it's kind of like...as far away from every major city as possible, as you know. No real direct routes to any major city.

[jaybird2001wi]

Invader, there also was an idea that Whitewater Student Government was floating around for awhile, but never really got passed the idea phase. The idea was to put a walkway bridge viaduct over Main St. near Prairie St. due to students darting across the street and getting hit by cars. There was a story my Royal Purple did of a female student getting hit by a car and the victim got mad when we reported it and she personally came into our office and said it was an accident and that we shouldn't have "berated" the driver of the vehicle because the driver apologized to her, etc.

I utilized Google Street View to see if they updated the pics of the construction and demolition of Sayles, Baker and Salisbury. It looked weird from the street view. I can honestly say that the campus has had some type of construction ever since I was a freshman there.

Freshman year - Starin Road construction

Sophomore year - Upham Hall renovation

Junior year - Upham Hall renovation cont'd/Winther Hall remodeling (they filled the ramp area so that the first floor is now "technically" the basement)

Senior year - Groundbreaking of UC project

 

I got kind of annoyed by all of the campus projects and road projects surrounding the campus. Now everything doesn't seem to make any sense.

[Invader3K]

They're continuing wtih the construction and stuff too. Doing some rennovations on at least one more residence hall this summer, as I understand it. Those old buildings probably all have to be gutted at some point, I suppose.

[berniebrewer4life]

. Nothing tremendous, but there is some development going on. There's supposed to be a Walgreens coming in to where the vacant Staples building is.

Any clue what is going to happen to the liquor store on the other side of the McDonalds? I heard it's closing down, which is shocking concidering how close to campus it is.

[Invader3K]

Steck's? I hadn't heard a thing about that, to be honest.

[Invader3K]

Stopped by there yesterday, and found out that while they are going to be closing that location, they will be in an all new building on the east side of town, connected with some kind of organic food store. Won't be happening until next year, though.