SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis — Drivers who regularly travel State Highway 23 say the intersection at Sheboygan County Road TT can be stressful, especially with heavy truck traffic and vehicles moving at highway speeds.
Sara Kregel, a Howards Grove resident who drives through the intersection daily, said she frequently sees close calls.
“Gives me anxiety going on 23 in general,” said Kregel. “There’s been a lot of close calls too, that I’ve seen, with all the semi traffic.”
Louicia Fanslau, a Plymouth resident who also travels through the intersection every day, worries about speeding vehicles and semi-trucks navigating turns that can temporarily block traffic lanes.
“Because it’s so fast, this is what I’m saying, nobody has time to think. You’re going too fast,” said Fanslau. "From motorcycles, to your 18-wheels, to your oversized-vehicles, everything just seems not to follow the rules.”
The intersection connects State Highway 23 and County Road TT, about a mile north of a business park and along a major route between Sheboygan and Plymouth.
State data shows 43 crashes were reported at the intersection between 2014 and 2024, with more than 10 people killed or injured.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation plans to build a restricted crossing U-turn, commonly known as a J-turn, at the intersection to address safety concerns.
Under the planned J-turn design, drivers who want to cross Highway 23 will first turn right onto the highway, make a U-turn at a designated location and then turn right onto County Road TT. The design restricts direct crossing across the highway.
WisDOT previously considered an overpass for the intersection. However, the department says it is prioritizing safety improvements that can move forward sooner.
“It would be irresponsible for us to not make those safety improvements at the intersection that we’re able to make today,” said Scott Ebel, project development supervisor for WisDOT’s Northeast Region.
Construction of the planned intersection improvements is expected next year.
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