I-41 Wayside Makeover Designed To Cut Down On Crime

Criminal Activity at a high-traffic I-41 wayside is expected to decrease, at least that’s the hope. That’s what Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt is saying, now that landscaping upgrades have taken place at the wayside. The location in question is I-41 wayside, on the northbound side located in Dodge County. 

Over the years, the Sheriff’s office has taken a slew of complaints in regards to criminal activity at the wayside, with far more complaints coming from the northbound side versus the southbound. Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joseph Nicholas brought an idea to the Department, designed to help cut down on criminal activity, based around removing overgrown trees and brush.  

Sergeant Nicholas’s idea was to work with the Dodge County Highway Department and the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation to remove the overgrown trees and brush.  By doing so, it would make it less difficult to conceal criminal activity and it would make that wayside a safer location for those traveling Interstate 41. Dodge County Highway Commissioner Brian Field was quick to jump in on the idea and contacted the Department of Transportation.  

Officials at the state agreed with the proposal and shortly after approval, the project was assigned to Highway Supervisor Joe Lechner.  Lechner and his staff found time to get the work done and significantly changed the look of the wayside very quickly.  The Sheriff’s Department is hopeful that the landscape changes will help to reduce the drug activity, illegal sexual activity and physical assaults that have historically occurred at the northbound wayside.