| By Big Radio News Staff |
Janesville officials say changes to one of East Milwaukee Street’s three-way intersections would improve safety and access for emergency vehicles.
A city engineering plan would overhaul the triangle intersection next year so East Milwaukee and Centerway fully merge at Garfield Avenue.
The change would turn the intersection into an all-way stop that knocks out a 150-foot segment of East Milwaukee that now has traffic flow straight through Garfield without stopping.
A city traffic study says the three-way has highest crash rate of any intersection in the city. Traffic studies show the intersection has seen 22 crashes since 2021, and six of those crashes have resulted in motorists being injured.
State traffic counts show about 8,800 vehicles pass through the intersection daily.
The main impact would be to traffic heading west on East Milwaukee into downtown. Drivers would have to make a gooseneck left-turn, right-turn combination to stay on East Milwaukee Street.
City Engineer Brad Reents says the city’s fire and police departments prefer the proposed change to a second alternative that would keep East Milwaukee Street a straight shot and require turns at Centerway instead.
In an email, Reents in an email that public safety officials have told city staff they would not prefer a reconfiguration that would force ambulances, fire trucks an other emergency vehicles to make multiple turns off Centerway during emergency runs.
The proposed change is part of a full reconstruction of a 1-mile stretch of East Milwaukee between Ringold Street and Atwood Avenue.
The city council takes a first look at the plan Monday, and could hold a public hearing on the change as early as Dec. 9.
Prior to that, the city plans a neighborhood open house for the proposal from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Central Fire Station, which is at 303 Milton Ave.
The city aims to mail property owners near the intersection of notice of the proposal, the possible changes, and the open house.
