City of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
Hickory Street to Main Street
The need for the project was driven by the at-grade crossing with the CN railroad. Significant delays occurred on CTH VV during train movements, with vehicles often backing up to the east past the Fond du Lac River bridge and to the west through the intersection with Hickory Street. Furthermore, once the trains cleared CTH VV, long queues of vehicles were stopped again by the traffic signals at Hickory Street and Morris Street, which created a safety hazard at the CN railroad crossing.
The CTH VV project is located along the southern portion of the City of Fond du Lac between Hickory and Main streets and was first conceived in 1998 with an engineering study.
From its beginning, the CTH VV project has been a cooperative effort between the Federal Government, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Fond du Lac County and the City of Fond du Lac.
The project consisted of expanding the rural 2-lane roadway to an urban 4-lane roadway. The roadway typical section consisted of a 4-lane divided roadway with a raised median from the beginning of the project to 300’ east of Morris Street and a five lane section (4 traveled lanes and a center two-way left turn lane) from 300’ east of Morris Street to the end of the project. The genesis of the project was to replace the existing at-grade railroad crossing with a new railroad grade separation structure (CTH VV under the Canadian National Railroad) as well as to replace the deteriorating structure carrying CTH VV over the East Branch of the Fond du Lac River. The project also included approximately 3000’ of new railroad alignment and the installation of four significant retaining walls. The project converted the existing crest vertical curve at the railroad crossing to a large sag vertical curve under the new railroad structure. Additionally, each end of the project featured new roundabouts that replaced existing signalized intersections. The project also included a separate bicycle/pedestrian trail that extended along the south side of CTH VV, providing connectivity from the Wild Goose State Trail to the heart of the City of Fond du Lac.
The project has eliminated the congestion on Pioneer Road and will provide for easier and safer travel around the south edge of Fond du Lac; better serving the businesses on that corridor as well as the travelling public and local emergency response entities.
Rogersville Road to Hickory Street
As a result of the successful project from Hickory Street to Main Street, Fond du Lac County moved forward with the next phase to improve the CTH VV corridor.
The next phase of CTH VV (Pioneer Road) begins approximately 800’ northwest of Rogersville Road and continues southeasterly to approximately 500’ northwest of Hickory Street connectiing to the previously built project. The proposed project includes reconstruction of Pioneer Road as a 4-lane urban divided roadway aimed to improve operations, safety, bike/pedestrian accommodations, drainage, and pavement condition. Proposed improvements include: raised medians, sidewalks, multi-use paths, bike lanes, a new roundabout to replace the existing signalized intersection at Pioneer Road/Military Road, storm sewer system, and street lighting. In addition, the Mercury Marine employee plant entrance driveway will be relocated to (and combined with) the south Mercury Marine employee plant exit driveway to make the lot fully accessible at one intersection. New traffic signals will be installed at this access location. The traffic signals will allow for safe and efficient operation of this access point, as well as allowing for safe pedestrian and bike passage across CTH VV, which is important for Mercury Marine employees traveling between the campuses on either side of CTH VV.
The project is scheculed for construction in 2017. For an aerial overview of the proposed project please click here.
For updates on this project or other county highway construction projects, check out the Fond du Lac County Highway Construction Projects webpage.