Beloit staff detail past road diets, proposed reconfigurations and safety data

City staff presented a roughly hour‑long review on April 7 of recent and proposed road reconfiguration projects aimed at improving safety and multimodal access across Beloit.

The presentation, delivered by a city staff member identified as Bill, summarized why the city implements “road diets” (reducing four travel lanes to three with a two‑way left‑turn lane), the safety benefits observed in prior projects and several planned or potential projects ranging from Cranston Road and Showpier Road to a RAISE grant reconstruction of Willowbrook and Collie Road.

City staff said road diets reduce conflict points and tend to lower both crash counts and severity while improving conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. The presentation cited Henry Avenue as an early road‑diet example: in the corridor between Riverside and Royce Avenue, staff reported 63 crashes in the three years before the conversion and 33 crashes in the two years after. For Cranston Road, staff reported a 29% reduction in accidents and a 27% reduction in an internal accident‑severity index after the first phases of reconfiguration. Staff also said measured vehicle speeds decreased: for one Milwaukee Road section the combined average speed fell from 38 mph to 36 mph after changes.

Staff reviewed data collected for potential projects. Showpier Road (proposed from Cranston Road northeast) showed eastbound average speeds of 38 mph in a posted 35 mph zone, an 80th‑percentile speed of 42 mph and maximum observed speeds of 72 mph; westbound averages were 37 mph, an 80th percentile of 41 mph and a maximum of 77 mph. Cranston Phase 3 was described as a joint design project with the Town of Beloit with anticipated construction in 2028; the city noted special attention will be given to traffic around Robinson School during planning.

Planned capital projects discussed included a RAISE grant reconstruction of Willowbrook and Colley Road that would add lanes and install roundabouts at several intersections (Milwaukee Road, Colley Road and the casino entrance). Staff said the roundabout option was chosen over signals for safety and speed control reasons, and Slats (the local metropolitan planning organization) had generally supported the idea in previous study work. Staff also summarized Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) proposals for several intersections, including a DOT roundabout at Milwaukee Road and White planned for 2028 and a DOT evaluation of a roundabout at Riverside Drive and Eclipse under the Highway Safety Improvement Program.

Councilors and members of the public asked about truck movements, turning radii and construction impacts. Staff said they had shared videos and data with DOT showing oversized loads using routes that were not designed for them and that DOT would seek to enforce permit routes more strictly. A resident offered video evidence of large trailers having difficulty on recently built roundabouts outside the city limits; staff agreed to follow up with DOT contacts.

Councilors asked that the presentation materials — including the PowerPoint and the recorded meeting video — be posted to the city website and that contact points be provided for follow‑up questions (Bill and City Engineer Scott Prindeville were identified by staff as contacts). Staff said they would post the materials and list contact information. The presentation also noted the city has a CIP allocation to study a Showpier Road conversion but that design and scheduling are pending.

The presentation closed with staff offering to hold public information meetings on specific projects before final design. Councilors thanked staff for the summary and emphasized public outreach and clear communications for future projects.