It will be a 'wait and see' as the reconstruction of West Kemp Street in Rhinelander is nearing a completion.
The Wisconsin DOT has built a roundabout on the city's west side and Oneida County has been resurfacing and redesigning the main artery heading toward the city from the roundabout toward the Wisconsin River bridge.
Complaints had come in that prior to the roundabout that traffic was racing down Kemp above the speed limit before it narrowed down. The county reworked that section as the DOT was constructing the roundabout.
County Public Works committee chair Robb Jensen says they will see how the new arrangement works out...
"We put in the yellow lines which is merging two lanes down to one right before Sutliff Avenue and that has been helpful in getting that speed down to below 45(mph). We moved forward the 25 further west than it was before. If front of that 25 there are two yellow signs with 25 mph indicating to the traffic speed is being reduced..."
Jensen says they will look at how drivers are responding after three months to the speed limit arrangement and striping. The roundabout speeds are expected to be in the 15-20 mph range.
Per a 1992 resolution, the City of Rhinelander and Oneida County agreed to give the maintenance of Kemp Street to Oneida county while the city took over maintenance of Lincoln Street.