Deadly Road

CREATED Aug. 21, 2012

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  • A dangerous stretch of Highway 41 in Marinette County is being targeted by a local representative. Republican John Nygren is asking the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to take a closer look with a safety study at why there have been a high num Video by nbc26.com

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 Marinette County, WI-- A dangerous stretch of Highway 41 in Marinette County is being targeted by a local representative. Republican John Nygren is asking the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to take a closer look with a safety study at why there have been a growing number of accidents.

   Flowers, on the side of the road often left in memory. Marinette County Sheriff Jerry Sauve still investigating an August 3rd crash that killed one. "It's devastating," he says, "We've lost good people." Human error is often the the cause for accidents. "Failure to yield to a right-of-way, operating under the influence, lack of use of seat belts, inattentive driving," Sauve lists.

   So, the question remains, "Are there things that we can do as a state to make this a safer stretch of highway and reduce the number of driver errors," asks Representative John Nygren.  He says he's back-and-forth on the road, maybe 20 times a week. The speed limit is 65  most of the way.  It drops down a few miles outside of Marinette. Nygren says, maybe it should drop sooner, "I know from driving this stretch, a lot of people are not necessarily reducing their speed when they should be. We need to draw attention to that."

   Sheriff Sauve also points to the road's design. It's a divided highway, drivers constantly crossing  oncoming traffic and then merging with more.  "There, you have to make a judgment as to the speed of the oncoming vehicle. Often times I think that's underestimated by the motoring public," Sauve said. New advice may eventually come from the state. But Nygren and the sheriff agree, drivers can slow down now.