Traffic Issues on Highway 88 – Make Highway 88 Safe

by Dave & May Nelson

Do you know what is on the 22 miles of highway between the proposed R&J sand mine and State Hwy 35?

(State Patrol says it is NEVER legal to pass on a yellow line)

13.8 miles of double yellow no passing lines
2.5 miles of single yellow no passing lines going south
2.1 miles of single yellow no passing lines going north
18.4 total miles of no passing lanes
This makes 16.3 miles yellow no passing going south out of 22 miles total, and 15.9 miles yellow no passing going north.

There are approximately 186 entrances to the highway in this 22 mile distance.
7 county roads
21 town roads
90 private entrances (some farms have 2 entrances in this count)
68 field roads (showing use)  where farm machinery enters and leaves the highway

14 town roads with no signing showing a side road entrance
7 town roads that are marked
(State Patrol Office said they should all have signs)

There are 54 mailboxes
(safe means there should be enough shoulder to get a mail vehicle off the road so traffic can pass legally)
8 are safe with no yellow line
8 are safe with a single yellow line
11 are safe with a double yellow line
(TOTAL 27 mailboxes have safe passing)
(NOT SAFE means there is not enough shoulder at the mailbox for mail vehicle to be passed legally)
5 are NOT SAFE – with a single yellow line, no passing
22 are NOT SAFE – with double yellow lines, no passing
(TOTAL 27 mailboxes are NOT safe for passing)

There is a concrete porch 3 feet high and 19 feet from the center of the double yellow line. At this same location there is only 41 ft from center line to building across road.

The Town hall where voting and town meetings are held has no entrance – people must just drive off the road or park along the road.

Farm machinery and equipment is moved up and down Highway 88 from planting until the end of fall harvest, most of which is wide and slow moving.

Schools

Alma Area Schools has 2 buses on Hwy 88:

  • One bus enters Hwy 88 from county T and goes South toward Cream for .6 miles, stops and picks up a student, then travels 1.7 miles to Engstrand Road, and goes in and out.  Then it travels .7 miles to XX.  It travels XX to U, and U to the junction of U and 88.  It travels 88 south 3.2 miles to the next student stop, and then .6 miles to the next stop.  The next turn is 1.6 miles, off 88 to T.  For a total of 8.4 miles on 88, times 2, making 16.8 miles.
  • The next bus comes off County E, goes South .4 miles and turns around on 88 and goes back to E for a total of .8 miles, twice a day.

This information was supplied by Steven Sedlmayer, Alma School Superintendent, who also said he does drivers training on Hwy 88 as he likes to take students to the area where they live for training.

Cochrane-Fountain City distances were measured by minutes on Hwy 88:

  • Bus 7 Rt. 12 from home of driver at 6:30 am to left turn on Blank Road, 6:35 am, reenters Hwy 88 at the junction of 88 and 35 at 8:05 and travels North to County E at 8:20 am, going to Waumandee.  Reenters 88 from Waumandee at 8:30 am.  Returns to home at 8:35 am and backs off Hwy 88 into driveway to park bus.  Total of 25 minutes on Hwy 88.  PM route is from home of driver at 2:35 pm to 2:40 pm to County E.  Back on 88 at 2:53 to Hwy 35 at 3:10.  At 4:30 pm reenters Hwy 88 at Blank Hill Road and returns home on 88 at 4:35, and backs into driveway to park bus.  Total of 27 minutes on Hwy 88.
  • Bus 15 enters Hwy 88 at 6:37 am to County E at 6:47 am and returns back to Hwy 88 at 7:16 am and travels back to Hwy 35 and enters 35 at 7:48 am.  There are 7 stops on 88 and it goes in and out on 5 side roads on 88.  Total of 32 minutes on 88.
    PM route is North on 88 from 35 at 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm to County E, this includes 9 stops and 2 side roads.  Reenters Hwy 88 at 4:20 pm and back to Hwy 35 at 4:30 pm. Total of 40 minutes on Hwy 88.
  • Bus Rt 7 off 35 to Hwy 88 to Schoepps Valley 6:37 am to 6:47 am, Schoepps Valley Rd 6:53 am and on 88 to Oak Valley 6:58 am.  Exit on Lower Waumandee Creek Rd to Hwy 88 at 7:45 am, arrive at Hwy 35 at 7:50 am.  Total of 20 minutes on Hwy 88.
    Pm route is Oak Valley 4:15 pm to Schoepps Valley at 4:18 pm.  Schoepps Valley at 4:24 pm to Hwy 35 at 4:30 pm.  Total of 9 minutes on 88.  

Information from CFC bus drivers.  Also, driver training done on Hwy 88.

Gilmanton Schools makes one trip morning and night for 1/2 mile south on 88, and the bus turns around in their yard.  Children are not always picked up at their home.  Information supplied by Corey Rud, Gilmanton School.

There are 3 school districts on this 22 miles of highway.