APPLETONM WIS. — The Outagamie County Board of Supervisors are asking state lawmakers to approve a plan that might add lanes to a stretch of Interstate 41.
On Monday, the board urged members of state legislature to act on what the board says is a public safety issue.
The board wants part of I-41 to expand to at least three lanes on both sides from State Highway 15 to Schuering Road. Right now, that stretch of road only has two lanes.
Since it is a state-funded interstate, it needs to be approved from lawmakers in Madison for any changes to be made.
The head of the Highway Transportation Committee, Dean Steingraber, says there too many accidents happening on that part of the interstate. He says adding more lanes can improve public safety.
"I have kids that are just starting to drive and have been driving and we tell them to avoid it,” says Steingraber. “And that shouldn't be."
The next step would be for state lawmakers to discuss the plans, which is expected to come around the time they start talking about the state budget.
If approved, the State DOT will then survey the roads themselves to see if a possible lane expansion would help the travelers who take I-41.
