DOT to meet about fixing worst road in Madison area

State highway 69 isn't scheduled to be fixed until 2016

TOWN OF VERONA, Wis. — This winter has been brutal on area roads.

But officials at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said there’s one road in particular that has their attention.

That road is Wisconsin highway 69 between Verona to Belleville.

Commuters like Tammy Hintch who drive the stretch every day said it’s getting serious.

“This year is just horrible,” said Hintch. “You used to be able to go 50, now there’s no way you can go 50 and keep control, especially if its snowing outside.”

Despite the problems, the Department of Transporation said there is little that can be done to fix the road right now.

“I wish there was some magical thing I could do right now to fix it,” said Jeff Gust, DOT planning chief. “There just is nothing we can do in the winter to take care of issues like this.”

Gust said highway 69 is the worst road in the area, but it isn’t scheduled for a fix until 2016.

“But with the complaints and how fast the pavement is deteriorating we feel like we can’t wait that long anymore,” said Gust. “So we are looking at getting a project done as soon as 2015.”

Gust said a meeting next week will talk about a temporary fix this summer. But money may be an issue, as well as getting it designed in time.

Hintch isn’t buying it. “I don’t think injury or loss of life is worth the excuse that we need to put it off,” said Hintch. “If they have the money to do it in 2016 flop it with something else and make it work. Maybe they should try driving it every day like we do.”

The DOT will hold a private meeting this Wednesday to discuss this road and if there is a way to do these repairs work sooner than scheduled.