I-41 Project: Appleton to De Pere
2023 Engineering Excellence State Finalist
Entering Firm: Jacobs Engineering
Client: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Long before you see orange barrels and heavy equipment on the side of the road, engineers begin the design process. In the case of 1-41 in Outagamie and Brown County, a study began the process.
Jacobs’ challenge was to help Wisconsin Department of Transportation move efficiently through design alternatives development and evaluation, traffic analysis, and the environmental assessment process on a heavily used 23-mile-long freeway corridor with 10 interchanges.
An effective evaluation methodology is critical. When comparing between different improvement options and the required costs, it was important to be able to balance the items in a standard matrix. The team also completed an Environmental Assessment that raises awareness and speeds up future work. Now, the client has the resources and planning in place to create and execute a plan to improve one of the busiest stretches of Wisconsin’s transportation network.
Thanks to the study’s timely completion, preliminary design has begun. WisDOT is already making decisions based on the work the team did and users will soon see real infrastructure results.