Okay, this is our month to get
together with the Racine County
Traffic Safety Commission,
making life a little safer for
you. And today we have two
return ease to alumni.
Patrice Burnett is here.
She is the Racine County Highway
Superintendent and Chris Gallagher
Racine County Engineering
Manager.
Thanks for coming back.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, okay. So explain your
jobs. Patrice, let's start with
your job.
Um, I have the public
works department underneath me.
So we have the highway crew
who is either doing maintenance
in the summer, doing potholes
and read possibly some road
reconstruction or were the ones
that are plowing the road, the
county roads in the winter time.
So this is your busy time of
year with potholes, huh?
That's always a busy time of
year for potholes.
You know what?
I travel spring street a lot.
It's a county road.
And I know the railroad tracks
don't, you guys are in control
of that. The railroads are in charge
of the railroad tracks.
Right.
But I was talking recently to
Melissa Caprillian, who is the
county one of the county board
supervisors.
I said, have you gone on that
railroad track?
I'm even going to pop a kidney
or an axle having decided which
first during the winter.
It's got real bad.
Wasn't that bad?
Yeah.
And you just travel those railroad
tracks on spring street?
I do.
They are really bad.
I agree.
Now the railroads are
responsible for those, right?
Correct.
It's not the county or anything
else.
I didn't get the railroad to
shake their bottoms and fix it.
Well, we just wrote some
resolutions.
Now we will hold you, Chris.
Sure.
Yeah.
No, we actually, it's timely
that you asked that question
because we just wrote some
resolutions to follow the process
with the officer, with the officer
commissioner railroad to basically
put the railroad on notice to
come and fix the track.
So you can ask informally,
but, you know, the formal process
is to go through and write a
resolution and the county will send
a certain file letter.
Yes.
And then you can get the help
from the officer commissioner
railroad.
So that's kind of the key to it.
So we had a lot of conversations
last year, last summer, and some
meetings on site to try to get them
to make those tracks a little bit
better.
And, you know, with not a lot of
results.
So we had to go the official
paperwork route.
So that's what we're doing now.
Memo to the president of Union
Pacific, trouble makers and
recene, trouble makers and
recene.
trouble makers and recene.
Wow.
They are.
And it's not the railroads
fault they're bad.
It's just the weather takes its
toll on these roads.
Right.
Now, here's something.
You got to, before we get to
the safety part of this whole
thing, when you travel on roads,
it's not just recene.
You see, especially on
spring street there by Highway
31, they have like striations
of concrete put in.
It's like section of concrete,
regular road, concrete,
regular road.
It's almost like, you know what
I'm talking about.
Yeah.
Usually that.
Usually you see that when
utilities or things have, you
know, some kind of retro fitted
fix.
And so they're patches.
In fact,
effectively.
Yeah, they're happy day after
a while.
They're going over them because
now the other thing I hate to
do and say the same thing with
my older man Dave Mac.
What is with these
manhole covers that are like
three or four inches below the
street.
You hit those things and boom.
I mean, you can feel especially
on a main street, which isn't
your problem.
But there are other roads in the
county.
We hit the, you know what I'm
talking about with the manhole
covers, they're like three or
four or three inches below the
street.
Yeah, sometimes they're not
adjusted properly during a
project.
Well, you have to cut out the
pavement around them and put
rings on them or a taller
casting and then level it up to
that and then put material back.
So what's your glad
Patrice?
You're not getting the deaf
questions this morning.
I know.
Thanks.
Okay.
So Chris Gallagher, you are the
Racine County engineering manager
explain with that is we just got a
sampling of it here.
Sure.
Yeah.
My department basically does the
planning for the county projects
and cost procurement.
So we spend a lot of time looking
for federal aid, state aid, things
that we can do to help leverage
our projects and then plan the
roads that need to be reconstructed
or repaired.
So.
Okay.
So we're here.
You can follow us if you Google
Racine County staying safe.
Racine County staying safe.
You can follow because some of
this is pretty visual and you can
go on your phone or you computer
wherever you go.
Just Google Racine County staying
safe and you'll see what we're
talking about here.
It's work zone safety.
That's what we're talking about
here.
You know, right now on the
Spring Street, the workmen are
out there and people still zoom
it around.
And I mean, so easy to even if you
just tap them.
I mean, it's deadly.
These guys are doing a lot of
work there on Spring Street,
a lot of trucks, a lot of going
out toward the street and the
barrels are out there making a
tighter and tighter.
So you have to be careful.
Okay.
Let's talk about some of these
designs here.
The right lane ends.
This is one of those, by the way,
all these signs are the
What's that design?
It's not a square sign.
What do you say?
The diamond?
The diamond.
Very good.
See, that's what you did in
here.
The diamond.
It's a straight line with a
crooked line, right lane ends.
And it doesn't mean, go as fast
as you can, right to the beginning
and worm you way in.
It means, get in as soon as you
can.
But there's always going to be one
person who wants to rush in
there, top speed and cut everybody
off so they can be one second
in front of you.
Yep.
The main thing is just to be
prepared that you're going to
lose a lane.
And they tell you that so far
in advance.
It's not like it's going to
be a similar.
Whoa, we got to the point of
what's happened here.
They do tell you that way in
advance.
I can ask you, how far in
advance is something like that
spring street thing is going on?
Now we'll talk about that in a
minute.
How far in advance is that
planned out?
Years.
Like in the, yeah, in the case
of the spring street project,
that project was actually in
Q before I even came to the
county in 2023.
Really?
That far in advance.
Yes.
Several years out to get applications
in for that particular one is
an STP project, a surface
transportation project.
So we're funded by DOT and
actually DOT then is under
that program is paying 80% of
the cost of the project.
So it's actually a boon for
taxpayers and we're seeing.
You know, this is going to be
troubled when you're going on
the road one day and you see on
the grass on the side of the
road, the barrels are out.
He said, oh, something's
coming.
You know, the one it is, but
something's coming.
Okay, right lane and means you
got emerged.
Doesn't mean you run to the
front of the line as quick as
you can.
This happens on the interstate
all the time with this project.
They all start.
They want to merge at the end.
Yeah.
We don't like this people.
Okay.
Next one, the flagger ahead.
Now, you see, this is dangerous
because these guys are literally
on the road.
They're right there.
These are the guys with the flag
kind of warning you.
There's a truck going to back
out or we've got one lane here
and we've got to share that lane
and they kind of do the best they
can.
You move.
Okay, you stop you.
There's a lot of coordination
that prepared to stop.
Slow down.
Stay alert.
A train worker will be directing
traffic.
These guys are in harm's way
with all these drivers out there.
That's a very dangerous job
being a traffic flagger.
Wow, it looks easy, but it's
not easy because you got to
coordinate with the guy who's
right down the road.
Yeah, you said it by radio.
Yeah, so you don't want like
traffic going both ways in the
same way.
Yeah, and then they have to deal
with people that are like not
happy about the situation.
They're yelling at them that
they want to go and stuff like
that.
People aren't always like willing
to listen either.
So between the traffic and the
danger and angry people, it's a
hard job.
That's why we have tasers.
They start acting up.
It must happen their car.
All right.
One more for we take the break
here.
Two way traffic, you no longer
on a divided highway, expect
oncoming traffic and drive
with caution.
Now this is what's going on now
on spring street.
Correct.
They got it down where I mean
there are barrels everywhere.
You really got to slow down going
through there.
And there's always somebody on
your bumper.
Come on.
Come on.
Let's move.
But you know, and sometimes
somebody might tap a barrel.
Now it moves out further into
the road.
So now you have to be careful.
The other day I'm driving the
one of those sandbag things.
Wait.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was out.
It was out in the road.
And you've got to, you've got to
drive over to drive around it.
You know, keep it under your
car.
Something I've never seen before.
When you drive into ascension,
the hospital, they actually put
a temporary light there.
Yeah.
Honestly, I never saw that before.
Yeah.
That's because the, so the traffic
is sharing east and westbound traffic
is sharing the eastbound lane
currently.
So obviously you don't have a
signal, the permanent signals
not set up for that.
For that westbound direction
currently.
So that gives the folks that
are doing the utility work
the ability to move the stage
around.
So we've shut our permanent
signal off.
And it's now being controlled
by that.
So we're actually out there
yesterday looking at tweaking
that a little bit to make it a
little safer.
I like it.
I'm going to get one right in front
of my house.
I'm going to borrow it when you
get done because I live on
Main Street with a traffic is
going.
It's like it's like the Great Lakes
Dragway on Main Street.
I want to put that red light right
in front of my house and
control it with like a
little remote from my bedroom
there you go.
Click on it.
We are talking to Patrice
Brunette, who is the
Racine County Highway
Superintendent Chris Gallagher
Racine County Engineer
Manager.
We're talking about staying
safe.
And that's work zone safety
part of these staying safe
program for the Racine County
Traffic Safety Commission.
It's just got a text
message and they want to know
and the talking about the left
turn out of ascension is
confusing.
Hard to find the lane to go
westbound.
You know what they're talking
about?
Yeah.
The issues.
The intersection is skewed
there too.
And then the westbound lanes
are the work zone.
So when you're turning left,
you're used to being able to
take a wider radius into that
westbound side.
And now that's being the
work zone.
So it's a tighter turn.
And you're using the north
most lane of the eastbound
side.
So everything's squeezed down
there quite a bit like you
were saying before.
With the with the lanes and
everything.
So it's two way traffic.
Like you were just mentioning
the two way traffic sign on the
eastbound lanes now.
So you're looking to make a
pretty tight left there.
Wow.
And especially at night,
you could be confusing.
Because all you're seeing is
orange barrels.
You don't see any road.
Just barrels.
And you're afraid to go make
the wrong turn.
You'll be an oncoming traffic.
Right.
Make the wrong turn.
All right.
Roadwork 1500 feet ahead.
Now, that's a warning that
doesn't mean I can travel for
another thousand feet before I
get to the 500.
Mead start thinking now about
moving over.
Don't be the person who gets to
the front of the line and
trying to warm your way in
because.
It's very difficult.
You cause problems when I
used to it.
In Atlanta.
They were doing work on the
interstate.
And there were these guys
were going to warm their way in
and a lot of trucks on.
85 and 75 when you go through
Atlanta.
And the trucks with former blockade
that were laying.
Because if the people just
were in their way to the front
that's going to be bumper to
bumper traffic letting them in.
And the truck used to block
them.
They didn't like it.
But at least I got through nice
and smooth.
But that's the truckers do that.
All right.
Work zone speed limit.
50 miles an hour or on
sprints rate is 30.
People realize that.
Right.
And by this essentially there's
30 miles an hour.
People try to go faster.
There's a reason they give
those speed limit signs.
Follow the posted word.
Zoned speed limits.
They never go to 50 though.
That's kind of fast for a
work zone in it.
Yeah.
It's just an example.
So with the works on speed
limit will then have whatever
the particular set speed will
be there.
So it's just a warning to pay
attention that your speed limit's
probably different than what the
normal posted speed is.
And also the fines double.
Are they in work zones?
Yeah.
If you get a ticket it's twice
as much.
Correct.
And what's your involvement in
this?
I don't.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Well, our guys will set up the
barricades and stuff.
Oh, that's your job.
Yeah.
Well, depending on which road it
is.
But yeah, our guys will set up
the work zones.
And then we do flag.
And then our guys are author
doing maintenance sometimes
or doing patches on the roads.
There's got to be like some kind
of yard with thousands and
thousands of these barrels.
Hmm.
The traffic control companies that
own that stuff.
Yes, have huge warehouses
full of that stuff.
And I was a kid.
They were oil barrels.
They were metal.
They weren't the plastic guy.
And I remember growing up and
seeing these big barrels.
My dad once, this is before
Google and everything, actually
found out that it's not
back in the 60s.
It was not a profitable
business to have these
manufactured because it just
there was no money in it.
And there were companies
dropping out of making another
out of plastic or some kind of
plastic.
The oil drums.
In fact, the weights on the
bottom of those drums.
If you look closely,
those are refabricated tires.
They their remnants of old
used tires.
Look at you being good
for the environment.
Who would have thought
it?
Okay.
So reduce speeds in those
work zones, finds double.
And remember in Wisconsin,
buckle up.
It's the law.
Finds are doubled in work zones.
We talked about that.
Move over or slow down.
If we're stopped emergency
or maintenance vehicles.
Now you have a ton of them
there on the north side of the
road on Spring Street.
The tree cutters and all the
people from we energies.
They're all over the place.
So slow down.
It just takes one of them to
try to get into his truck.
On your side, he opens the door
and boom.
He hit him.
Everybody's lives have changed
forever.
Stay at least 200 feet behind
a maintenance vehicle.
Good luck.
I mean, I they've traveled so
close to me sometimes.
I can't even see their headlights.
That's how close they are.
Using handheld cell phones
in a work zone is illegal in
Wisconsin.
I didn't know that.
Yeah.
I know some states like
in New York in the New York
city area on Long Island.
You can't even be on a
cell phone.
What's his hands free?
Sure.
I didn't know that once I was
visiting there and I all
of a sudden boom.
People looking at me of the
window like, what are you
looking at?
I didn't realize I was on my
phone.
Yeah.
You can't be on yourself.
So in a work zone it's illegal.
Interesting.
Distracted driving has overtaken
inebriated driving in terms of
accidents and fatalities.
So that's a step to try to
mitigate some of that in the
work zone.
Yeal to emergency vehicles.
Of course.
You think, you know, you
think that'd be obvious.
But sometimes it's not.
Wisconsin will requires
motorists to yield to emergency
vehicles.
Seconds matter in emergencies.
Make sure for make way for
ambulances, fire trucks, police
vehicles.
When an emergency vehicle
approaches remain calm, maintain
control.
Pull to the right.
Stop when safe.
Slow down.
If you can't move immediately,
do not move at intersections
unless it's safe.
One way streets yield to the
safest side available.
I see that.
I see people pull over as
soon as they hear the
sirens.
It's an affinity.
We're seeing a dopes trying to
erase the vehicles.
Follow or parking near
emergency vehicles.
Maintain 500 feet.
Do not park within 300 feet
of an emergency scene.
Again, you think this stuff
would be obvious to people.
Planning.
Planning ahead is the best way
to travel safely through work
zone to base signs.
Slow down.
Stay alert.
Avoid peak.
Weekend travel hours when
possible.
Allow extra time for work zone
delays.
Watch electronic message boards
for updates.
I see you got that out there
by the hospital.
You know, it, you know, work
find an alternate route if you
can because, you know, it's
messy.
Stay alert for sudden traffic
changes.
Leave proper breaking distance.
Consider alternate routes.
Stay calm.
Safety depends on cooperation.
Now, you say years it takes
to plan these things on, huh?
Correct.
Oh, you wouldn't think that,
but obviously it does.
Yeah.
The design and the funding is
what takes the most time.
Then there's usually a single
construction season.
So, like in the case of
Spring Street, that will let
in April we expect the
the roadway contractor to start
their work in May.
And hopefully be wrapped up by
the end of October or early
November.
And then they'll usually
reserve some time in the following
spring to do some touch up.
So.
See, there was a bill.
Somebody was running for governor
in the state of New York.
And one of the bills was
overnight construction only.
You started dark and you end
by sunlight.
No, it didn't pass.
But they do try to do that.
Do all their work overnight.
Because in New York, you have
somebody cars on the parkways,
freeways, going on freeways,
expressways.
And it gets more dangerous.
But overnight, the traffic
subsides a little bit.
So they started working from
midnight or 10 o'clock at night
on until daybreak on some of
these road projects because
it was dangerous.
Yeah.
But I don't think we have that
problem here.
What am I missing anything in
this thing today?
I'm just think that everyone
thing is like to give yourself
plenty of time so that you can
go slow.
Like don't I know that we get
behind and we're all busy, but
like leave in time if you're
going through work as long as
so you can slow down and you
can be aware and you can give
grace to the guys that are
working there.
Like that's the number one
thing.
Like don't be a race.
And that's not where you're
going to catch up time.
Just be aware while you're
there.
We have the travel sprints
free to get to receive Bible
Church where we go normally
20 minutes from our house.
And now the construction make
it a half hour because you
don't want to be like God's
not.
He's keeping time on us.
He's come on.
The night said 9 o'clock.
I didn't say 901.
Well, that's great.
I'm glad we do this because
I just learned something.
You can't be on a cell phone
in a work zone.
Well, you're living
learning every day.
Thank you guys for coming
in.
And thanks Tom Ditter for
setting this all up.
He's very good at setting this
up every month.
So you guys are,
this is old hat for you guys
now, right?
Coming in.
You know, getting to be
veterans.
Yeah, you're not doing the
You'll be doing weekend broadcast
for us here.
I want to thank Patrice
Pruneck for coming in.
They've seen County highway
superintendent.
Chris Gallagher.
We're seeing County
engineering manager.
How many people he had
working for you?
On the engineering department
they're supposed to be
We have a vacant.
That's it.
Yeah.
Very few of us that are
controlling the projects
and the planning.
So.
But we work hand in hand with
the ops, you know, Patrice's
side and the public works
director and in a larger
sense, the County
supervisors.
How many people you're working
for you?
Patrice.
64.
Yeah.
See, that's what I pictured.
A lot of people.
Oh.
And a lot going on.
And everybody has got to be
in sync.
Because if you don't,
the roads look junky.
And though I'm glad you guys
are keeping it up.
I mean, it looks.
It's good.
I mean, I've been in places
where the roads are really,
really bad.
And this is great.
The way the roads are
and we're seeing County.
And I thank you to
and your teams for doing that.
You do a good job.
Thank you.
Good job.
Very good.
I'm very happy the way things
are here.
And thank you Tom Knitter
for getting the soul together
force.
You missed any of this?
It is going to be podcast
on WRJN.com.
Civic Media.
US Apple podcast.
Spotify.
I'm going to get your podcast
and be up later on today, right?
Wow.
That was, you know,
I was, when I learned
something new,
I was getting excited about it
for some reason.
I guess they have
my cell phone.
I'm not that I'm on it,
but I'm going to stay off of it.