Crash victim’s friend helps fund rumble strips

By Scott Bellile

The U.S. Highway 45 overpass over State Highway 54 received safety improvements in response to a fatal crash last year.

The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office announced Oct. 2 that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation installed rumble strips and signage to prevent drivers from crossing the centerline.

A friend of the late Shirley Duwe who declined to be identified contacted law enforcement agencies and the DOT to ask for a review of the road design and the signage in that area, according to Outagamie County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Borman.

“Shirley’s friend attended traffic safety meetings, spoke with traffic engineers and law enforcement alike to fight for improvements she felt were critical to the safety of the roadway,” Borman stated in a news release.

“In speaking with Shirley’s friend she indicated she wanted to remain anonymous as this was not about her. For her it was about making a potentially dangerous section of the roadway safer. She wants to encourage others to stand up for concerns they have in their community and work to make things better,” Borman added.

Duwe, 61, of Marion died from injuries Oct. 12, 2017, following a Sept. 28 crash.

Benjamin J. Sager of Marquette, Michigan, struck Duwe’s vehicle while driving southbound over the centerline, according to the crash report. Sager told New London police he mistook a stretch of the road for a four-lane highway.

The crash report stated Duwe tried to swerve out of the way, and her vehicle stopped with one wheel hanging over the overpass.

Her husband, Brian Duwe, survived the crash with minor injuries.

“I am glad that WI DOT is always looking for ways to improve the safety of our roads,” Schlueter wrote in an email to the Press Star. “I believe the changes that they made will make HWY 45 safer and hopefully prevent any future accidents or deaths.”

New London Police Chief Jeff Schlueter said he attended a Waupaca County Traffic Safety meeting about the crash and provided the accident reports to the DOT, which consulted the information and decided to pursue the improvements.

Schlueter said crashes have occurred on the overpass in the past due to factors such as ice, but he does not know whether any others were caused by motorists crossing the centerline out of confusion toward the number of highway lanes.

Crashes on highways such as U.S. 45, State 54 and State 15 can be more serious due to the high rate of speed at which vehicles are traveling, Schlueter said.

“I am glad that WI DOT is always looking for ways to improve the safety of our roads,” Schlueter wrote in an email to the Press Star. “I believe the changes that they made will make HWY 45 safer and hopefully prevent any future accidents or deaths.”