BRODHEAD — An intersection notorious for fatal accidents is going to have a change made in the immediate future.
On Dec. 7, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) informed the Green County Sheriff’s Office and the Green County Highway Department that an upcoming change in traffic flow will take place next week.
Effective Wednesday, Dec. 13, the intersection of Wis. 11/811 and County GG will become a four-way stop.
The intersection, in the Township of Spring Grove and just west of Brodhead, has allowed traffic moving in both the east and westbound lanes to flow at highway speeds of 55 miles per hour. Cross traffic has long been the culprit of major accidents. Since 2020, there have been four fatal crashes that have resulted in the deaths of six people — including two fatal wrecks in 2023 alone.
“It’s tragedy after tragedy there. Six deaths in just the last three years. It’s disconcerting,” Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud said in October after an accident claimed the life of 18-year-old Brodhead senior Aaron Doyle.
Skatrud said in October the county has asked for further improvements, but admitted “everything is incredibly expensive to reconstruct.” Still, he said he hoped the WisDOT had future plans to improve it.
“That intersection is where two state highways and a county trunk road converge — with turn lanes. It is marked as well as it can be, but it still causes issues,” Skatrud said. “Over the course of my career, people have been driving way too fast. Speed is often a contributing factor. We just have to keep delivering the message, and try to do what we can to slow people down, but at the end of the day, it’s still up to the driver.”
WisDOT updates to the intersection will also include overhead aluminum arms with stop signs and flashing red beacons. There will also be Stop Ahead signs posted ahead of each approach to the intersection.
The install will begin during the morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 13 and should be completed and usable the same day.
“Please prepare for the new flow of traffic and expect delays during installation,” Green County Lieutenant John M. Schuetz said in a press release Dec. 7. “Consider an alternate route of travel during your commute on December 13th to provide the work crew with the safety and space they will need to complete this roadway update (if you are able to do so).”