SHAWANO, WI- Shawano police are studying whether lowering the speed limit along a busy stretch of East Green Bay Street could help reduce crashes and improve safety for drivers and businesses in the area.
The traffic study focuses on East Green Bay Street between Eberlein Park Drive and Airport Drive. Shawano Police Chief Mike Musolff says the corridor has been a concern for the department for years due to the number of crashes reported there.
“There’s a significant amount of crashes through the area, especially by Kwik Trip that we’ve been monitoring over the years, and it’s concerning,” Musolff said.
The traffic study itself had to be conducted over two different timeframes after a crash occurred during the initial data collection study, temporarily interrupting the process.
According to Musolff, one possible issue is the change in speed limits drivers encounter as they travel through the corridor. Currently, the speed limit drops from 40 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour
“I think one of the issues is the speed limit going changing so much in that area is causing a significant confusion,” Musolff said.
Preliminary numbers from the study show that drivers are often traveling at, or just above the posted limit. Musolff says the average speed for both eastbound and westbound traffic currently sits around 41 miles per hour.
Because of that, the department is exploring whether adjusting the speed limit to 35 miles per hour before the 25-mile-per-hour zone could create a more gradual transition and help slow traffic sooner.
Musolff also points out that the area includes a number of businesses, making it challenging for drivers to safely enter the roadway.
“With all the businesses that are through there, anybody that tries to get out of a business realizes that it’s difficult to do so because of the speed or the speeds that cars are going through there,” Musolff said.
One of the intersections that has seen the most issues is near Eberlein Park Drive, where vehicles frequently enter and exit the roadway. Musolff says some drivers may still be traveling near highway speeds even as they approach the slower zone.
“I think a lot of people are just driving into the 25 going 40, and that’s one of the biggest intersections that we have that has the most issues.”
Wildlife also adds another element of risk along the corridor. Musolff says deer frequently cross near the nearby cemeteries along Green Bay Street.
“They like to cross at the Sacred Heart Cemetery by McDonald’s too that people don’t expect. They run through there to the other cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery at times,” Musolff said.
Musolff says the department will continue reviewing the full data from the traffic study before making any recommendations. However, he notes that under state statute, roads without a frontage road system are often set at a 35 mile-per-hour limit, which could support the proposed adjustment.
Officials say the goal is to determine what changes, if any, could help improve safety along one of Shawano’s busiest commercial corridors.
“There’s something going on there that’s causing accidents,” Musolff said. “Whether it’s people not paying attention or other dynamics, that is one area that we have a significant amount of crashes.”
Police say the results of the study will help guide any future decisions on potential speed limit changes or other safety improvements along the roadway.
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