The intersection of Water Street and Lodi Street (“where 60 bends the corner”) can be confusing for drivers who aren’t familiar with it. With the assistance of Representative Jon Plumer, Lodi contacted the WI DOT and got permission to make a small change that they hope will help to reduce the confusion.
That change is curved yellow lines.
Until this week, the mid-road lines stopped at the edge of the intersection. Now, they connect the two sections which are defined by Hwy 60. The hope is that this small change will alert drivers who are unfamiliar with the intersection which way the traffic should flow.
The Confusion
The confusion comes from two directions.
From Sauk
Those driving into downtown from Sauk, see the “T” intersection ahead and often think that they are required to stop (which would be the case if they weren’t on a state highway). While a left turn must yield to traffic coming from downtown, a right turn should continue moving. The problem with stopping here is two-fold.
- Vehicles behind the stopping car, who know not to stop, are in danger of rear-ending the stopped car. Considering the number of semis that pass along this route, this is not a small concern.
- Cars sitting at the stop sign on Lodi Street, sometimes see this as permission to go ahead (the car stopped on Water Street may even flag them ahead). It was a situation like this which resulted in the injury of a young boy recently.
From Lodi
Cars coming from the Four Corners are in an unusual situation of “left turn, no stop”. This is a rarity in driving, and those unfamiliar with the intersection may, again, stop when they should continue on, raising the risk of being rear-ended.
This is compounded on all sides by locals who tend to roll through the stop sign on Lodi Street.
A tip for those who are approaching the intersection from the Four Corners: If you’re continuing straight on Lodi Street, it’s courteous to use your right blinker to let those at the stop sign know what to expect.
Editor-in-Chief
A Lodi native, Blaze attended the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay where he graduated with a degree in theatre technology & design. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world–including a 6-year stint in China. He has been a teacher, a writer, a designer, and is the founder of the Redleaf Consulting Group.
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