The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is proposing a highway safety project to improve US 12 (Wisconsin Dells Parkway), between WIS 13 and E. Adams Street. This stretch of US 12 is located in and between Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells.
This project is designed to alleviate the large number of crashes and the poor pavement conditions on this part of US 12. If the project is fully approved and completed, the improvements will include creating a five-lane road. The road will have two lanes in either direction, separated by a two-way left turn lane in the median.
To accomplish these goals, US 12’s pavement, curb and gutter will need to be replaced. WisDOT also proposes upgrading signals and pedestrian crossings, and adding a shared use path on the west side of the road. The multi-use path would stretch between County A and Olympus Road, the site of a future roadway. This multi-use roadway will include urban shoulders, designed to improve bicycle travel within the designated corridor. It will also include wider, paved terrace areas for pedestrians in the south and central segments.
The project has been in the pipeline since December 2021, when WisDOT met with individual landowners to discuss the potential impact. According to the environmental impact report, this project will not significantly impact current land use or planned growth, and does not harm air, noise or water quality. The report notes that this roadway rehabilitation and improvements also will not have a significant impact on travel patterns. Overall, the project requires about 1.53 acres of permanent land acquisition, and an additional 7.2 acres for a temporary limited easement during the construction process. The project will not require any people or businesses to relocate.
Throughout the project, several alternatives were proposed: pavement replacement to create a narrow five-lane road, and a smaller, “monolithic” sidewalk without the urban shoulder and paved terrace pedestrian areas. WisDOT is also considering access management alternatives at this time.
The US 12 improvement project is currently in the design phase. The most recent stage included a public hearing in August 2022, in which members of the community were invited to provide comment. The design completion is projected to finish in 2024 to 2025, and construction is currently scheduled for 2025 to 2026.
Contact us if you have more questions about the project, any questions about the eminent domain process and/or if you want a personalized map of how your property may be impacted.