Council seeks roundabout at Highways 45/15 intersection

By Robert Cloud

A fatal crash on March 18 motivated the New London Common Council to adopt a resolution encouraging the state Department of Transportation to make safety improvements at the intersection of U.S. Highway 45 and State Highway 15.

On the recommendation of the Public Works Committee, the council approved the resolution 10-0.

At the council’s May 17 meeting, Ald. Dave Barrington, chair of Public Works, said the DOT is only planning for turning lane improvements at the intersection in 2024.

Barrington said Outagamie Highway Commissioner Dean Steingraber and New London City Administrator Chad Hoerth supported additional safety improvements, including a roundabout.

From 2017 to 2022, there were 29 crashes at the intersection, eight with injuries and one fatality.

Five of the crashes occurred due to a vehicle running a red light and three occurred when a vehicle failed to yield and turned left into oncoming traffic.

The intersection, located to the southeast of New London, is part of a $136 million project to rebuild 11 miles of State 15 between New London and Greenville.

After the project, the segment of State 15 will be a four-lane divided highway that will bypass Hortonville.

Construction began in 2021 and should be finished in 2024. Two roundabouts are already planned for the Hortonville area.

Similar resolutions will go before the Hortonia Town Board and the Outagamie County Board.