Flood Detour Thread (renamed 6/17)

[jhart05]

Has anyone found a better way to Madison from Milwaukee yet?

 

I need to go to Sun Prairie, Saturday morning.

 

Yesterday, I took 59 to Palmyra, 106 to Fort Atkinson, and 12 to Madison. Very little traffic, and it seemed pretty quick.

 

This sounds like it may be my best bet. But I can't decide if I should take 73 up to 19 then over to Sun Prairie, or stay on 12 'till N, then up to SP. I've never been on 73, 19 or N, so I don't know what's better.

 

Suggestions anyone???

[jhart05]

What about this? Does anyone have any info on these roads?

 

First can we get all the way to Watertown on 16?

 

Then HW A down to 89, and get on 94 westbound at 89.

 

The map doesn't show them as being closed.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

This morning they announced they will build a crossover lane.. not sure how long that will take.

 

It's ridiculous to close the road at Hwy 83. I'm not going to Jefferson County, I'm going to 67 and then heading south.

 

Crossover news: http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=6/17/2008&id=41676

[jhart05]

That would be cool. Hopefully it's ready by Saturday morning.

[Diskono]

jhart, I think either 73 or N will work. N may be a little quicker, but I don't go to Sun Prairie often, so I can't be sure. According to the DOT's map, neither road is closed:

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106714907945366530639.00044f3ec972fee85471d&ll=43.189158,-89.500122&spn=1.874356,3.383789&z=8

[jhart05]

Thanks, Diskono.

 

I think I'm going to try the 16 / A / 89 / 94 route thou. A couple of people suggested it here...

 

http://www.jsonline.com/content/forum/i94.asp

 

 

Also someone who lives in Sun Prairie and works in Milwaukee suggested this:

 

Yesterday I took 41 to 33 to 151. That ended up only being an extra 20 miles and 30 min.

[wallus]

I am driving back from Menomonie soon to get back to Beaver Dam. On Saturday, I took the awful 29 to Wausau and then 39 to Portage way (as suggested). I really do not want another 5 hour trip! Anybody have some better suggestions?

[makwaloon]

"I think I'm going to try the 16 / 19 / A / 89 / 94 route"

 

This route has served me well the last week. Really a relaxing drive. An extra 35 minutes. Make sure to take the part of 16 that goes around Oconomowoc instead of the business route going through Oconomowoc. Downtown Oconomowoc construction will slow you down otherwise.

[hawing]

Since this thread has expanded to include discussion on more detours than I-94, I changed its title.

[jhart05]

Make sure to take the part of 16 that goes around Oconomowoc instead of the business route going through Oconomowoc. Downtown Oconomowoc construction will slow you down otherwise.

 

I assume you're talking about the route that goes north around the lake.

 

Will do.

[burniebrewer]

We took the 83/Oconomowoc/Watertown/A/Lake Mills route on Sunday and it worked fine until we took a wrong turn somewhere in the Hwy Q/A range. We ended going a few extra miles and got back to Madison via Cottage Grove.

 

I was not navigating so I really don't know how we got where we did. I was just amazed at the water everywhere to the point of having no real idea where we really were.

[Dmiles23]

This morning they announced they will build a crossover lane.. not sure how long that will take.

 

I was pumped when I read this, but I just heard on the radio that 94 East bound is now down to 1 lane in that area because the water is still rising and now onto the interstate. I really feel for the people that have to commute that stretch to work every day.

 

[splitterpfj]

OK, wow.

 

I just got a call from Watertown, it doesn't sound good. Is there a way open from Madison to Milwaukee for tonight?

[hawing]

Hmm, what do you mean, doesn't sound good?

 

The last I heard, the eastbound lanes were open, though in the vicinity of the Crawfish and Rock rivers they're building crossover lanes so that both EB and WB traffic can cross the "EB" bridges over said rivers. So presumably traffic would be slowed down there.

 

The crossover lanes aren't expected to be ready until this weekend, so getting back to Madison from Milwaukee will require some detour, whether the long official one or one of your own creation.

 

If something's changed since last night, I haven't found evidence of it...yet.

[splitterpfj]

The person I spoke to was a bit panicked, his office is in a place that never floods, and the water is 7 ft away. He said they were closing more county roads, etc. I asked him about the interstate, he told me he wasn't sure what would happen, but that I may have to head to Beloit and then back up on the way home.

 

As I said, I caught him at a bad moment, he may have been overreacting, but he sure was rattled.

[hawing]

Well, not to minmize your phone contact's concern, but having to head to Beloit and back up on the way home has been the officially posted detour since last Friday or so. We took it Saturday night, mainly because we didn't want any flooding surprises in the dark (since we knew it had stormed while we were at Saturday's game, but didn't know how much rain had fallen).

 

Other posts in this thread have described unofficial detours that worked for other posters, though if county road closures increase in Jefferson Co, what worked in the last few days might not work tonight. The official detour is certainly lengthy enough to avoid the problem areas.

 

Still, I don't see where access from Madison to Milwaukee is disrupted, thus far, except for maybe a slowdown where the crossover lanes are being built.

[burniebrewer]

My Mom works in Madison (departed downtown around 4PM yesterday) and she said it took her over 2 hours to get to Watertown. I can imagine the construction is really going to slow things down eastbound.

 

As far as the Beloit detour goes, I see why the DOT set that up, but there's no way I'm going that far out of way. Luckily, we went to a day game on Sunday and were able to weave our way around the 94 closure in daylight. Until this is all cleared up though, I'm holding off on going to any games.

[Katuluu]

I still have a few days before I leave but I will be heading to Janesville this weekend from the Twin Cities. Is their any issues with the Hwy from say Tomah up to Madison on 94? Just need to know if I should be planning an alternate route instead of making one up on the fly Saturday morning.

[splitterpfj]

I think I'm going to try the 16 / A / 89 / 94 route

 

Is this still open for tonight?

[jhart05]

I'm sure everyone has heard but just in case...

 

I-94 opens 1 lane each way