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The following text has been copied from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's (WisDot) response to ATC's proposed Northern Route (March 2007):
"WisDOT expects the number of crashes and the crash-induced delay for motorists to both increase because of the barriers." (p.4)
"Barriers also diminish the availability of distress lanes for disabled vehicles, incident response, and law enforcement use." (p.4)
"R/W contstraints in this segment leave little (if any) opportunity to erect an overhead transmission facility within the R/W while locating poles outside the highway clear zone. This would result in extensive use of crashworthy barriers to protect motorists and the transmission facility. This is very undesirable for WisDOT given the added hazard to motorists created by the bariers as opposed to preserving the highway clear zone, which provides safe recovery areas for errant vehicles. This accommodation would devalue the investment in the highway that was designed to protect safety through the preservation of that clear zone." (p.8)
"Use of barriers would also create concerns or highway operational activities such as incident response/management and snow removal since the barriers would constrain the area available for disabled vehicles, law enforcement stops, and snow storage...There are also motorist costs (e.g., property damage and injury) for vehicles that woud hit a barrier in addition to the motorist delay associated with the required repair and maintenance efforts for the barriers. Highway maintenance workers are also put at-risk every time they would need to repair damaged barriers. WisDOT does not allow unprotected hazardous objects in the clear zone on high-volume freeways to ensure a safe and cost effective highway corridor for the motorist. A clear zone unobstructed by hazardous objects or protective devices is always the safest product." (p.8-9)
To read the WisDOT report in its entirety, click here.
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