Polk County committee weighs rumble strips after fatal crash; WisDOT engineer did not recommend changes

A resident who identified herself as a supervisor for Bone Lake told the Polk County committee she circulated a petition with more than 200 signatures urging the county to install rumble strips on both approaches to the County Road I intersection with State Highway 48 after a local deacon sustained life-changing injuries there.

The petition presentation opened a technical briefing from Polk County highway staff. Josh, a highway staff member, summarized accident history, prior treatments of the intersection and an engineering review by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). "I pulled this data off the WisDOT's community maps website that tracks all reportable accidents," he said, and noted the county recorded a fatality in August and a severe-injury crash the following month.

The county highway presentation and public comment together framed the central questions facing the committee: whether transverse rumble strips should be reinstalled at that intersection, how effective they would be for stop-controlled rural approaches, and how to weigh their safety benefits against noise and maintenance impacts for nearby residents.

Why it matters: the petitioner said the deacon "had to have 5 vertebrae fused" and lost about "80% of her neck movement," describing the accident as evidence of an urgent safety problem. County highway staff said transverse rumble strips at stop-controlled rural intersections have been associated with a reduction in some fatal crashes (they cited a figure of about 21 percent for transverse rumble strips) but also create noise for nearby homes and can accelerate asphalt deterioration.

Highway staff described past attempts at rumble-strip installation on local roads, saying earlier strips at the site were paved over during repaving and that the prior installation "did not meet design spec" and produced avoidance behavior by drivers. Josh said he consulted WisDOT traffic engineer Aaron Christ, who "did his research" and "didn't see any needed improvements for this intersection" under current design standards.

Staff estimated a contractor quote of roughly "$800 per strip," with three transverse strips per approach described in the county's design spacing; Josh said a single set (three strips on one approach) would run about $2,400 plus mobilization. He also pointed out siting issues: the first of the recommended strips would fall within roughly 1,000 feet of several residences, making noise a likely complaint.

Committee discussion acknowledged both the seriousness of recent crashes and limits on county authority. Mike Stoffel, identified by staff as the chair for the quarterly traffic safety meeting, and Dan Contos, the county's Northwest Region contact, were named as part of the safety-meeting process that will review the issue; committee members noted WisDOT controls signage and certain treatments on state highways that abut county roads.

The committee did not adopt a formal change to county policy or order installation during the meeting. After discussion members agreed to "take it under advisement" and await the next regional traffic safety meeting for additional input; county staff said the WisDOT traffic engineer had already declined to recommend rumble strips for this site. The item remains under consideration pending the safety meeting and any further recommendations from WisDOT or the regional safety group.

Ending: The county recorded the public petition and highway staff materials for follow-up. No installation or funding decision was made at the meeting; committee members said they would revisit the issue after the traffic safety meeting and any supplemental engineering advice.