Good Turnout For Hwy 23 Meeting

The long-delayed Highway 23 expansion project between Fond du Lac and Plymouth is getting back on track with preparation of a fourth Environmental Impact Statement for the project. People packed into a large room at the UW-Fond du Lac Thursday night to hear about preparation of the statement. Among those attending was Fond du Lac County Board Supervisor Dean Will, a former Sheriff’s Captain, who dealt with some of the fatal accidents on the highway. He wants to see them get the highway done right. State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac says they made sure there was money in the state budget to get the project back on track and hopefully the project won’t be held up by litigation again. Project Manager Bryan Lipke laid out a timeline for the Limited Scope Environmental Impact Statement. A draft will be complete early next year, with a public hearing in the spring, and the document will be finalized next summer. He noted that from 2012 through 2016 there have been 42 injury crashes on the highway and 6 people have been killed. The DOT has more information about the project on its website.