Project location

48 miles of WIS 26, between I-90 (Janesville) and WIS 60 (north of Watertown), in Dodge, Jefferson, and Rock counties.

Project overview

• WIS 26 is an important route connecting communities and major highways in Rock, Jefferson and Dodge counties.
• It is designated as a long-truck route in the National Highway System (NHS) and as a connector route in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) State Highway Plan 2020. Under the plan, connector routes are given higher priority funding since they connect major regions and economic centers.
• About half of the expansion will be constructed alongside the existing corridor. The other half, mainly the bypasses, will be constructed on new location. Bypasses will be constructed around Milton, Jefferson and Watertown with interchanges providing easy access to the cities.
• The overall cost to purchase real estate, design, and construct the roadway represent an estimated $464 million investment in Wisconsin’s transportation system.

Status/phase

The studies for this project have been completed and the project segments are in various stages of construction:

• Segment 3 (Milton to Fort Atkinson) – Scheduled for construction 2012-2014
• Segment 8 (Watertown to WIS 60 East) – Scheduled for construction 2013-2015
• Segment 1 (Janesville to Milton) – Completed in 2012
• Segment 2 (WIS 59 relocation at Milton) – Completed in 2009
• Segment 4 (Fort Atkinson bypass) – Completed in 2011
• Segment 5 (Jefferson bypass) – Completed in 2011
• Segment 6 (Jefferson to Johnson Creek) – Completed in 2011
• Segment 7 (Johnson Creek to Watertown) – Completed in 2012

Segment 8 Location

Segment 8 consists of reconstructing 6.5 miles of the existing highway between County Q and WIS 60 East, in Dodge County, north of the city of Watertown.

Project overview

The highway will be expanded to two lanes in each direction with a grass median. North of the city of Watertown, at-grade side road and driveway intersections will remain, although driveways will be combined to a single access point or moved to a side road where possible. Median crossing points will be widely spaced to improve safety, so some intersections and driveways will be limited to right in/right out movements. Right turn lanes will be added at all side road intersections and left turn lanes will be added at each median crossing.

The east leg of WIS 60 will be rebuilt on new alignment, beginning about three-fourths of a mile east of the current intersection with WIS 26. It will connect directly with the west leg of WIS 60 at the interchange with WIS 16 and WIS 60 West. The interchange will be rebuilt as a standard diamond and accommodate traffic in all directions.

The estimated construction cost is at $43 million in 2011 dollars.

Status/phase

Construction scheduled for 2013 – 2015