Mequon Clog: The Blog of the Clog!

First, my apologies for lack of postings recently -- very busy.

While the Mayor sent a note stating that project would be completed the Wed. before Thanksgiving, evidence proves otherwise.

• I see that the white line painting at Mequon Rd/Port Rd was completed yesterday -- good thing for "global warming" to hold the typical WI weather off!
• Yesterday, getting of at Mequon Rd from Hwy 43 proved to be complete chaos. Yes, people were trying to get around the issue, but no signs indicating what to anticipate. Mequon Rd just west of the Hwy 43 offramp at the gas station was closed to one lane due to some major work on the side of the road.
• There are still numerous orange barrels on both sides of the road and equipment at various locations.
• I don't know if there is to be a right-hand white line painted on the road, but there isn't one now except at turns onto side streets.

Is the project done or not?

And a total aside -- and I've been told that this not a requirement on rework on existing roads -- I'm surprised that there was no attempt at all to put in even a narrow bike lane. It would have been a good opportunity given that many curbs were torn up. At this time, when there is an increase in biking both because of fitness and gas prices, one would think that this would have been a potential at the time of the project design. Probably would have resulted in additional gov't support to boot! Instead, it will be a huge $$ cost if that ever gets pushed forward.

So, this project will be completed before Thanksgiving -- I don't think that the Vegas odds would be too good on that one despite the obvious increase in work over the past several weeks.

Will "Businesses be open as usual" or will they be near bankruptcy from losing customers and business over the past 4-5 months and not having much better luck on Friday?

Just received this email from someone

A beautiful moment the other night...coming off the exit from 43, go down to Port and Mequon Road...Two construction guys standing in the middle of the intersection. One guy yelling at the other "control the intersection, control the intersection!" Then he starts yelling "Get the girls (with the signs) over here"

He then proceeds to direct all traffic the wrong way on Mequon Road, directing them to go westbound in eastbound lane. About four cars start on that lane, and then stop dead, and were still in that position after I was finally able to go. This is all the while totally neglecting every other line of cars waiting at the lights, and totally ignoring the traffic signals.

It was actually hilarious, except for the fact that I waited at the light for over 15 minutes.

I heard this story tonight and am posting the details. While this has nothing to do with Mequon Road, there may be someone out there that drives the I-43 section and can help with information with this unfortunate accident. Story from jsonline.com below:

Mequon man killed in accident

A Mequon man was killed Thursday night on Interstate 43 when a tire from a semitrailer truck dislodged and struck the man's vehicle, police said. The 55-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical examiner. There were no other passengers in his car.

Police said the man was driving his 2007 BMW northbound on I-43, just south of Silver Spring Drive at about 6:43 p.m. when the tire came off the southbound truck, bounced over the retaining wall and hit the BMW's windshield on the driver's side. The sheriff's department said the truck involved didn't stop and deputies are searching for the driver. Authorities have no descriptions of the truck at this time.

"Maybe he doesn't know what happened. We're desperately asking for the public's help," said Kim Brooks, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's department. Anyone with information is asked to call (414) 278-4788. Glendale police and the North Shore Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Clog received this incident that happened in September

I may have been the first to get stuck in wet concrete on Mequon Rd at the intersection of Parkview Dr. Back on September 14, at 6 pm, I was going east on Mequon Rd. and was stopped in the median at the entrance to Parkview Dr. I was waiting for a gap in the continuos traffic going west. Finally the traffic came to a standstill and a car stopped short of the intersection to let me pass through. I turned into the Parkview Dr. entrance and dropped off into over a foot of fresh poured concrete.

There were no barricades or tape across the lane I was in. One of the workmen pointed to the east and said "didn't I see the barricade?" I said "I was coming from the west not the east so how would I see any barricades to the east?" They had also sprinkled dry cement on the fresh surface that made the dark concrete look white and dry. I think this was meant as part of the trap.

Gierach's Service spent hours trying to chisel off as much as they could but because the frame of my car is a box beam construction with two inch holes in the bottom, the concrete went up inside the beams and solidified. Now it is permanently part of the car. My car weighs several hundred pounds more now and drives like a tank.

On another subject, in my opinion the rebuilt road will last about five years before it becomes the bumpy mess it was before they started. I am a registered professional engineer and in my military years I did inspections of airfield runways. The workmanship and lack of proper rebaring will lead to rapped deterioration of the underlayment. Won't it be great to go through this again in a few years.

Clog comment: Why aren't the police ticketing the company for this one?!!!

I just received info from someone saying that Mequon Rd would not be finished this Fall as anticipated but will be picked up again in Spring. Anyone else hear this?

Update 11/13: While the main project is to be completed by the 21st, there will be many "islands" of construction that will continue for another couple of months.

Clog: While this was an anonymous comment posting, it highlights the confusion and problems for the typical driver

Last night, 11/7/07, I returned back to Mequon at around 10pm. I took exit 85 Northbound and got off the ramp. As I am turning left, I can see ahead bright construction worklights working on Mequon Road/Port Washington. Now for those who travel here, the most recent change for those crossing Mequon Road and Port to go West on Mequon Road have two choices: a LEFT TURN ONLY lane and the right hand side lane for going straight and making a right.

So following the signs and markings, I go to the right hand lane to go straight. The problem is the workers on Port and Mequon road have blocked off my lane in the middle of Port rd, and now I have to move in to the LEFT TURN LANE to go straight ahead.

The cars in the LEFT TURN ONLY lane realise that cars going straight will COLLIDE with their cars so they start moving over.

This debacle gets going with the green light and we have two lanes of traffic trying to work in one tight lane.

There were three workers, two standing around, no signage, guidance or clue as to what to do.

These are city streets that must be governed by some directives for health and safety.

Cars having no clear routes are going to cause accidents that could injure those working and those on the road.

Does anyone care? What does OSHA say?

Someone forwarded this link for the $10 million Port Washington Rd expansion project to be completed in 2009. Is everyone ready to go through this again?!

I was supposed to get a response from the DOT per our representatives email. Nothing for 2 weeks and counting. Great accountability.

Mr. *******,

I share your frustration with this poorly handled project. I have contacted the DOT and asked them to respond to your complaint. If I don't have a response by Thursday morning I will contact them again.

Jim Ott

To: Project Manager 167 project, DOT

I am really appalled at how the Mequon Rd. 167 project is progressing. I feel one of the major problems is the horrible traffic markings and barricade placements. I think if this could be improved it would make a big difference. I live right off of 167 and have to make a u turn to turn into my street. Every day, it is a different traffic pattern, that is virtually unmarked. During the darkness, it is truly extreme and I am thankful that I have not fallen into a pit since this project started.

Non reflective "caution" tape is NOT sufficient to alert drivers where to turn at u-turns, especially at night. It is ridiculous, and every night I am confused. This is going to get even worse as the days are shorter.

This project has become a real nightmare for those of us living on or near 167. Why can't you implement incentives to the construction companies to work at night and/or weekends, and faster. Most days I see just a few workers. The progress is ridiculously slow, and the driving conditions are not only hard on one's car but dangerous.

Just the other day, there were NO indications of a left turn lane in both directions on Mequon Road. It was finally rectified over the weekend, but not until I saw numerous near accidents and traffic tie ups because of it.

Why don't you get a traffic engineer to go out and drive the road to give you some feedback about how to better mark the road.

I am really fed up!