DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — As the South Bridge Connector project continues, members of the public are sharing their concerns about the many drivers who will be on the new roads.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback both directions, which is great. Like I said, this is our third public meeting we’ve had now,” said Brown County Highway Commissioner Chris Hardy.
“There has been concern about speed, and there has been concern about noise,” said Andy Dana, consultant project manager for GV-15 & GV-17.
Those run from Lawrence Drive to Lost Dauphin Road and from State Highway 57 to County Highway PP.
“In most cases, we’re not finding any major impacts,” said Dana.
That doesn’t mean noise won’t go up. But according to the project’s noise report, very few properties have predicted future sound levels exceeding existing levels by 15 decibels or more.
Dana added, “We have one impacted property on the GV-17 and one on the GV-15.”
He says the noise and speed concerns go hand-in-hand.
“I think some people are concerned about speed because of the noise that they feel that additional speed will end up having,” said Dana.
To keep continuity, the speed limit for Dana’s projects will be 40 miles per hour. When working with roads like these, lowering the speed limit can actually cause more issues, officials said.
“You’re basically creating an enforcement problem. You’re also creating another safety issue because there’s a chance that you have somebody that’s going the speed limit. It’s going slower, but all the other traffic is going faster. You’re more likely to end up having crashes,” said Dana.
Hardy addressed the project’s status, saying, “We’re on time, we’re on schedule, we’re on budget.”
By the fall of 2026, the South Bridge Connector will be open from Scheuring Road to Lawrence Drive. Construction won’t pick up again until 2028, and the project is set to be completed in 2030.
Questions or feedback can be sent to Hardy at Chris.Hardy@browncountywi.gov.
