DOT prepares to address safety issue at U.S. 41, Kasal and Kamm

MARINETTE – Five people have died and 42 crashes have occurred at a U.S. 41 intersection in Marinette County since 2009, despite the Wisconsin

Department of Transportation’s efforts in 2016 to gather support for road improvements to make the area safer, according to public documents.

The treacherous spot is located where Kasal Lane and Kamm Road both meet the highway.

Too many conflict points exist there, with cars trying to cross the highway or make turns, WisDOT Project Manager Kurt Vogel said. About 24 conflict points at the intersection involve crossing U.S. 41, while 10 involve merging and eight involve vehicles that are diverging or leaving a highway or road to travel in a different direction, according to WisDOT.

Town of Grover Town Board Chair Brad Wyss said about 123 people showed up Feb. 26 to discuss the intersection at a public meeting, where the DOT presented four alternatives for making the intersection safer.

“The sooner something is done you’re taking away the likelihood of another fatality or serious accident occurring there, so the sooner the better,” Wyss said.

The last fatality at the location, on Oct. 6, 2023, caused the death of 8-month-old Alana Price of Oconto, who was strapped in a car seat and sitting in the back seat of the Kia her father Cody Price was driving when a Toyota driven by Michael Galbraith entered 41 and drove into the path of Price’s Kia, according to media reports. Galbraith was charged with homicide.

After the fatal crash, many people said the flow of traffic at the intersection needed to be addressed. Their efforts led to the federal funds being allocated for the road improvements.

WisDOT does not have a preferred alternative currently, said Mark Kantola, northeast region communications director.

In representing nearby Vernon Hills Golf Course, attorney Frank Kowalkowski of von Briesen & Roper said he does have a preference. A compressed Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) would improve the intersection, he said, noting that the DOT recommended this configuration.

Restricting access to the intersection would reduce the conflict points to about 12, while allowing vehicles to turn right and take a left turn onto Kamm or Kasal, WisDOT said. Similar access restrictions elsewhere in northeast Wisconsin have been associated with crash reduction rates of 75% or more, WisDOT said.

Kowalski said, “The next best alternative is to close the median completely, which although more detrimental to the Golf Club’s and truck stop’s business operations, would significantly reduce the number of accidents moving forward.”

Trucks and motorists traveling two and from an Eagle Express Truck Stop and George Webb restaurant located at the south end of Kasal have been a consideration in previous discussions about how to address the high crash rate at the intersection of U.S. 41.

Besides the conflict points, the speed limit on U.S. 41 is 65 mph at the intersection, Vogel said. The average daily traffic is 12,000 vehicles on U.S. 41, 800 vehicles at Kamm Road and 1,000 vehicles at Kasal Lane, he said.

Signage added in 2016 wasn’t sufficient to prevent more fatalities, and Wyss said people want to prevent other serious crashes from occurring at the location. “In 2016 there was opposition by many people to closing the median or big changes in that regard,” Wyss said. “We’re still having crashes there, so something has to happen,” he said.

One of the four alternative WisDOT presented Feb. 26 involves constructing a T-Intersection that would remove direct access from Kamm Road to U.S. 41. This proposal would reduce conflict points to 12 and reduce crashes by 12%, WisDOT said.

Kowalkowski said 13 of 14 crashes occurring between 2009 and 2014 involved traffic going to and from Kasal Lane, not Kamm Road. Kamm Rd. has the lowest traffic volume of any of the roads at the intersection, raising a question of how much benefit a T-Intersection that involves closing Kamm would provide.

Two other proposals involve creating RCUT intersections to reroute left-turning traffic and vehicles crossing the highway from a side road. Motorists on side roads could turn right only. Those wishing to travel in the other direction or cross 41 would make U-turn at a designated median opening, WisDOT said.

One version of the RCUT configuration allows direct access from 41, while the other restricts access from 41, requiring motorists to make U-turns after the intersection to travel to the side road to reduce the conflict points at the center of the intersection. Vehicles on the side roads wishing to cross the highway would need to turn right first, then make a U-turn followed by a right turn onto the side road. The RCUT alternatives are expected to reduce crashes by 48%, with the one providing access to 41 reducing conflict points to 24 and the other without access to 41 reducing conflict points to 40, WisDOT said.

Another proposal would create a solid median on U.S. 41 to prevent vehicles on the highway from turning left to access to Kamm or Kasal. Vehicles would have right-in and right-out access to the side roads but couldn’t turn left. This option, which prevents direct crossing from the side roads, reduces the conflict points to eight, WisDOT said. It’s expected to reduce crashes by 40%.

The options are displayed online at the WisDOT website. Wyss said the DOT website link also can be found on the Town of Grover’s website under Notices and “Kamm Rd intersection information.”

Wyss said two alternatives emerged as preferred at the Feb. 26 public meeting, and he encouraged others to read the information on the WisDOT website and submit comments. “That’s the best way to have their voice be heard, especially if they missed attending the meeting,” he said.

Vernon Hills Golf Course, at W4244 US Highway 41, Peshtigo, hired Kowalkowski to advocate for a safer intersection, he said. The Golf Course disagrees with a proposal the Town of Grover has supported to close off access to Kamm Road, because it wouldn’t do enough to prevent accidents, he said.

“The Golf Club did speak directly with the DOT prior to seeking the assistance of my office,” he said. “It was unclear to the Golf Club and remains unclear to me to this day, why the Town of Grover would push for closing Kamm Road when the DOT already rejected that option because according to the DOT that would not address the road facility, ‘Kasal Lane,’ that is ‘contributing the most to the crashes at the intersection.’”

Obtaining public input is the first stage of the project, with an expected construction date of summer 2029, according to information on WisDOT’s website. “We understand the urgency and are committed to expediting the process while ensuring thorough evaluation and public involvement,” Vogel said.

“We have developed four feasible alternatives, each designed to enhance safety by reducing conflict points at the intersection. The public’s feedback on these alternatives is crucial for making an informed decision that meets the needs of the community,” he said.

A Public Comment Form is available from the DOT website. Comments also can be emailed to Vogel at Kurt.Vogel@dot.wi.gov.