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US 14/61 (Westby-Viroqua) Improvements - Need/purpose

Purpose

Address the safety and capacity deficiencies along the existing two-lane roadway between Westby and Viroqua along with the added capacity of through and truck traffic in both Westby and Viroqua.

Crash history

Crash information for the study area was derived from WisDOT data for the four-year period, 1995 - 1998.

• Total of 231 crashes (excluding deer collisions) occurred.
• Five locations exceeded statewide average crash rates in 1995, 1996, 1997 or 1998.
• 43 percent of crashes occurred outside Viroqua and Westby
• 38 percent of crashes occurred in Viroqua
• 19 percent of crashes occurred in Westby

Number and severity of crashes, particularly at intersections, can be expected to increase as traffic volumes increase.

Roadway and capacity deficiencies

The term "capacity" refers to the number of vehicles that can safely travel on a segment of roadway under varying weather conditions. The capacity status of a highway is affected by its traffic volume, the kind of traffic and the geometric layout of the roadway.

Based on traffic forecasts for 2025, volumes on the entire rural portion of US 14/61, except for a short segment west of Westby, will exceed the 8,200 threshold for a two-lane rural corridors 2020 route. Future volumes in Viroqua will be over the 13,000 threshold for a two-lane urban roadway.

Future volumes in the Westby central business district will be near the 13,000 threshold. Total truck traffic in Westby is expected to be 1,300 per day (a 30 percent increase over present volumes). Through trucks will increase to 950 per day (a 52 percent increase).

In 2025, total truck traffic in Viroqua is expected to be 2,300 per day (a 90 percent increase). Through trucks will increase to 750 per day (a 65 percent increase).

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Questions about the content of this page:
WisDOT Southwest Region Office-Madison, swr.dtsd@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: November 5, 2012