When the solution becomes the problem

By Tom Fetters

For drivers eager to get from Point A to Point B as quickly and smoothly as possible, a bypass can be a blessing — carrying commuters and other travelers around congested urban areas and on to their destinations.

But according to a couple of recent articles by our Sean Ryan, some residents of two Wisconsin communities say the proposed blessing carries a potential curse — for very different reasons.

(Maps by Rick Benedict/The Daily Reporter)

In the town of Waukesha, some residents are rallying against a proposed bypass connecting Interstate 94 with Highway 59 for what it likely would bring: a lot of traffic, including heavy trucks, through their largely rural area. Many townspeople chose to live there to escape traffic, noise and other urban trappings, according to an organizer of the group Bypass the Bypass and Save our Town.

A bypass would threaten the quiet lifestyle that is so important in the community, some residents say.

(Map by Rick Benedict/The Daily Reporter)

Meanwhile, in the village of Hortonville, some citizens fear a proposed bypass rerouting Highway 15 traffic around the village’s downtown area for what it likely would take away: a lot of traffic and the lifeblood of many downtown businesses.

Unlike the folks in the town of Waukesha, businesspeople in Hortonville want all the vehicles — and the people with wallets inside those vehicles — they can get traveling through the business district, fueling the coffers of the gas stations, coffee shops, convenience stores and other establishments along the route.

Seems a solution for many drivers is fraught with potential problems for others.

Tom Fetters is a copy editor with The Daily Reporter. He takes the never-really-completed I-794 bypass to work everyday.