Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison, WI Videos

Cold-in-place Recycling Process in Two Rivers, WI
WORKING FOR YOU IN MANITOWOC COUNTY: A resurfacing project using cold-in-place recycling is underway on US 10/WIS 310 in Two Rivers to increase safety and improve the riding surface. Crews are laying down asphalt on 8.72 miles of US 10/WIS 310 from County P (Branch) to Columbus Street. During cold-in-place recycling, a portion of the existing pavement is milled off, and the milled material is crushed, mixed with a stabilizing agent, paved back on the road, and compacted. After it cures, a thin asphalt layer is placed over the roadway. Construction will extend the life of the pavement and decrease future maintenance costs. Inlet replacements will provide better drainage and move water from the surface, providing a safer roadway during rain events. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2024. https://projects.511wi.gov/10310rab/ #WorkingForYou

Speed Awareness Day 2024
SPEED AWARENESS DAY: Wisconsin State Patrol is joining agencies across the Midwest today for a special speed enforcement campaign. Officers are working statewide to stop drivers who are endangering safety on Wisconsin roads. The goal of Speed Awareness Day is to educate the community on the dangers of speeding and save lives. Traffic crashes are more harmful when they involve high speeds. In 2023, 176 people were killed and more than 6,600 were hurt in speed-related crashes in Wisconsin. Remember, speed limits are established with ideal driving conditions in mind and are based on the classification of roadway. Full release: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/073024-speedawarenessday.aspx

Amtrak Borealis shows promising start
ALL ABOARD: Preliminary data shows an impressive 18,500+ passengers rode the Borealis during its first full month of service. The strong ridership demonstrates the excitement for the first passenger rail service expansion in Wisconsin in 22 years. More: https://media.amtrak.com/2024/07/borealis-ridership-tops-18500-in-first-full-month/

Zipper Merge POV
Behold, a proper zipper merge! If you see an upcoming lane closure, avoid merging early and use both lanes up until the merge point. If you’re already in the open lane, give enough space in front of you (like in this video) for vehicles to safely merge. Studies show the zipper merge keeps traffic flowing and can minimize congestion. Learn more: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/safety-eng/ZipperMerge.aspx

Women in Engineering Day 2024
We’re proud to have numerous women engineers build and improve Wisconsin’s transportation sector on a daily basis. #WomenInEngineeringDay

WisDOT's Highway Construction Skills Training (HCST) - A Closer Look at Training
WisDOT’s Highway Construction Skills Training (HCST) program sets you up for a career in road construction. This free program features construction experts who will teach you how to become a flagger, surveyor, and more! Here’s a closer look at what a participant can expect in the training. Classes start soon - find one near you and apply here: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/doing-bus/civil-rights/labornwage/hcst-job-seekers.aspx

Be summer ready with 511 Wisconsin!
BE SUMMER READY: Road trips, beach days, concerts, even the daily commute – the Wisconsin DOT encourages you to make 511wi.gov or the 511 Wisconsin mobile app part of any summer travel plans. Get there safe, save time, reduce stress. Learn more at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/travel/511/summer-fun.aspx.

Wisconsin's driver license named "Best ID Card"
AWARD WINNER: The Wisconsin driver license has been awarded “Best ID Card” by the International Card Manufacturers Association. Wisconsin’s REAL ID over 21 driver license received the Élan Award of Excellence for its incorporation of stunning and familiar imagery, including the Wisconsin State Capitol and State flag, in a highly secure design. The Wisconsin DMV debuted the design in June 2023. https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/053124dmvbestid.aspx

Lightning strike on the beltline in Madison
Severe weather can strike at a moment’s notice. Check out this traffic cam footage of a lightning strike in Madison along the Beltline earlier this month. Visit 511wi.gov to view weather alerts, radar, traffic cameras, roadwork, and more. #KnowBeforeYouGo

WisDOT engineers inspect over 14,000 bridges at least once every two years. We’re reminding drivers to please move over or slow down when you see our “snooper” trucks so our inspectors can do their jobs safely.

Watch for school buses
The school year is winding down, but motorists can still expect to see school buses and children for the next couple of weeks. Remember to stop for buses when you see flashing red lights.

Check out this footage from one of our traffic cameras capturing the northern lights along I-39/US 51 near Plover on Friday. Were you able to see the lights over the weekend?

DYK? WisDOT has planted more than 2,500 trees since January 2021 along Wisconsin highways. Trees provide many benefits for motorists – they can reduce noise, control wind, and screen bright headlights. Trees can also act like a fence in the winter, preventing snow from drifting onto roads. Environmentally, trees produce oxygen, protect air and water quality, store carbon, and can cool landscapes. #ArborDay

Material Recycling
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: Each year, WisDOT recycles nearly 220,000 tons of hot mix asphalt through Cold-in-Place Recycling (CIR). CIR is a cost-effective surfacing technique that reuses existing materials, corrects asphalt defects, extends roadway life, and improves transit performance. Sometimes referred to as partial depth recycling, the process uses existing asphalt pavement is recycled in-place without application of heat. WisDOT also recycles an average of 780,000 tons of concrete each year – enough to pave 71 miles of a two-lane highway. WisDOT incorporates recycled materials into improvement projects to reduce cost and avoid use of virgin material. We recycled 1.9 million tons in 2023 to save an estimated $27.9 million. Learn more: https://mapss.wisconsindot.gov/Public/Measure/17 #EarthWeek

Work Zone Safety Event 4-15-24
ICYMI: WisDOT Deputy Secretary Boardman and Governor Tony Evers joined Columbia County officials on April 15 in Wyocena to urge motorists to drive safely in work zones. Together we can make a difference on our roads and keep the workers and emergency responders safe.

Controlled Burning
Controlled burns are essential to the well-being of Wisconsin’s native plants. Burn management is a cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sound strategy of managing native plants and preventing invasive species from spreading. Learn more: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/doing-bus/real-estate/roadsides/pollinators.aspx #EarthWeek

USE THE ZIPPER MERGE: If you see signs for an upcoming lane closure, don’t merge early! Merging early can cause congestion and backups. Here’s what to do: ✅Use both lanes until prompted to merge ✅At the merge point, take alternating turns to merge into a single file line of traffic Using the zipper merge correctly can reduce backups and ease the flow of traffic into work zones. Share this message with your friends and family – if more drivers are aware of the zipper merge, the better it will work! #NWZAW

Go Orange Day 2024
GO ORANGE DAY: WisDOT leadership and staff wore #Orange4Safety and shared their perspective on work zone safety. Together we can show support for the hard-working people improving infrastructure across our state. When you see construction workers, please slow down! #NWZAW

BEAUTIFYING OUR ROADS: It’s that time of year – we’re reminding drivers to stay alert and give space to Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, who collect trash and recyclables along state highways each year. We're seeing a significant increase in the number of volunteers -- 11,000 volunteers in 2022 to 15,000 volunteers in 2023. Let's keep that momentum going! Encourage family, friends and community groups to volunteer and adopt a segment of highway. We’ll supply the safety vests, signs, training videos, and trash bags. Read more: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/041024-aah.aspx

Merrimac Ferry first crossing of 2024
ICYMI: The Merrimac Ferry is open! Here’s some sped-up footage of the first crossing of 2024. You can view live camera feeds of the ferry and see status updates here: https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/travel/water/merrimac/default.aspx