Southern Bridge Project

Troy StreckenbachBrown County Executive

Project BackgroundThe 1996 Brown County Land Use and Transportation Plan recommended a two-phase strategy to handle existing and projected travel demand in the southern part of the metropolitan area.

Phase 1: Replace the two-lane Claude Allouez Bridge with a four-lane bridge to improve bridge’s condition and reduce existing traffic congestion in downtown De Pere. This bridge was completed in 2008.

Phase 2: Construct a new Fox River bridge south of downtown De Pere to handle traffic generated by development in southern De Pere, Ledgeview, Lawrence, Bellevue, Rockland, and other area communities.

(pic of CA bridge here?)

Brown County is now working with the Wisconsin DOT, Federal Highway

Administration, and southern metro area communities to complete the environmental

and other studies required for the new Southern Bridge, connecting streets, and a

new I-41 interchange.

Project Background

Project Overview

• A new Fox River bridge and divided four-lane street between County Highways GV and X in Ledgeview and County Highways EB and F in Lawrence.

• A new full-access interchange at Interstate 41 (if justified by results of traffic and engineering studies).

• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

The Southern Bridge project will include:

County Highway GV in Ledgeview

Project Benefits

Economic Development. The Southern Bridge project will:

Significantly reduce shipping costs by providing another east-west link between business centers and major highways.

Help attract and retain businesses and the talented people they employ by offering them many safe and convenient transportation options.

Assist with efforts to develop De Pere’s Main Street Downtown by providing a convenient alternative route for large trucks and other vehicles.

Project Benefits

Congestion Relief and Cost Avoidance.

The plan for the Southern Bridge helped the state to rebuild the Claude Allouez Bridge (State Highway 32) as a four-lane structure instead of a more expensive six-lane structure in 2008.

The Southern Bridge will also enable the state to avoid the high cost of expanding the Claude Allouez Bridge and Broadway south of this bridge by providing another Fox River crossing option as the area grows.

Project Benefits

Safety.

Traffic congestion forecasted for the Claude Allouez Bridge & nearby highways/streets will likely result in more congestion-related crashes on and near the bridge.

The Southern Bridge will minimize congestion-related safety problems by allowing traffic to be distributed between two Fox River crossings instead of one.

The communities in the southern metro area have grown significantly since 2000, and they are projected to grow much more by 2030.

Why is the Southern Bridge Project Needed Now?

Sources: 2000 United States Census, Wisconsin Department of Administration Population Estimates.

2000 Population

2014 Population Estimate

Increase (2000 to 2014)

Percent Increase (2000 to 2014)

Projected 2030 Population

De Pere 20,559 24,180 3,621 17.61% 29,550

Bellevue 11,828 14,760 2,932 24.79% 19,140

Rockland 1,522 1,753 231 15.18% 2,210

Lawrence 1,548 4,634 3,086 199.35% 6,900

Ledgeview 3,363 7,337 3,974 118.17% 10,810

Totals 38,820 52,664 13,844 35.66% 68,610

Why is the Southern Bridge Project Needed Now?Development has progressed beyond the southernmost Southern Bridge corridor location alternative.

Why is the Southern Bridge Project Needed Now?Traffic volumes on the Claude Allouez Bridge and Broadway south of the bridge increased after the new bridge was completed in 2008.

Claude Allouez Bridge

2006 2009 2012 20150

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

17,900

21,00022,300

25,900**

2006 2009 2012 2015*0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

24,700

29,80027,700

Annual Average Daily Traffic Volumes

2006 Volumes = Before New Bridge2009 & 2012 Volumes = After New Bridge

*2015 Preliminary Volumes Not Available

Broadway South of the Claude Allouez BridgeAnnual Average Daily Traffic Volumes

2006 Volumes = Before New Bridge2009 & 2012 Volumes = After New Bridge

**2015 Preliminary Volumes

Source: Wisconsin DOT.

Current Project Schedule

• Environmental & interchange studies currently scheduled to be completed by 2018.

• Development activities for first project segment currently scheduled to begin in 2019.

How do we guarantee that this project will remain on schedule?

Southern Bridge Coalition

Southern Bridge Coalition Goals

• Ensure the Southern Bridge project becomes and remains a priority to the Wisconsin DOT and Federal Highway Administration during the environmental and interchange studies.

• Identify and obtain state and federal funding to contribute to the development of the Southern Bridge, connecting streets, and I-41 interchange (if acceptable).

We Need Your Help to Achieve These Goals!