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County panel discusses WISTAR community maps, 2026 roadwork and concerns over green plow lights
Summary
Bayfield County officials heard that WISTAR is available for internal community mapping and reviewed five DOT road projects for 2026; the highway department raised concerns that green lights are being used on small plows and UTVs though those lights were intended for large county plow trucks.
WISTAR, a tool the DOT said is now available, will allow citation and warning data to be added to internal community maps for education and planning; the minutes say the tool "is not available on the public view and no PII will be released." The commission also noted a Place of Last Drink form added to Tracs so establishments linked to impaired-driving incidents can be heat-mapped for education purposes.
Aaron Christ of the Wisconsin DOT reviewed five construction projects for 2026 affecting local roads: the US 2 North Fish Creek bridge (temporary signals), US 13 at Little Whittlesey (two-lane bypass), Engoe Road intersection (flagging operations), US 63 Mill Pond dam (temporary bypass) and a wayside project off Highway 13.
The highway department reported extensive snowplowing and raised a concern about increasing use of green lights on smaller plows, personal UTVs and pickup trucks. Jake Benson said those green lights were intended for large county plow trucks so other drivers recognize a large vehicle on the roadway; he expressed concern about potential confusion when smaller vehicles or private contractors use the same signal lighting.
Sgt. Tatsuo Anduze-Bell informed the commission that Brock Rizzo will be the new Bayfield County sergeant and provided contact information. Emergency management (Meagan Quaderer) and the educational representative (Sheree Collins) had no reports. The meeting adjourned at 10:11 a.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at the Bayfield County Sheriff's Office EOC.
The minutes record the items as informational updates and do not show follow-up assignments or formal votes tied to the construction or WISTAR items.
