§ 3.5. Additional Modes of Transport

Additional modes of transportation can be described as any form of human transportation other than the automobile. Section 3.5 of the Clerk County Inventory and Trends Report summarizes different methods used throughout Clark County.

Sidewalks

The City of Greenwood determines the need for sidewalks on a case by case basis. Sidewalks are typically located on new streets where pedestrian traffic is expected to be greater including near the downtown and near schools and parks. Many old areas of the city currently provide sidewalks.

Rail

There are no rail lines available in the city. The nearest rail line, Wisconsin Central Limited, is located approximately 14 miles north in the City of Owen.

Air

The nearest airport is the Neillsville Airport, 15 miles south of the city. Other airports serving the area include the following:

• Marshfield Airport, Marshfield, 5,000 × 100 runway (23 miles)

• Taylor County Airport, Medford, 4,101 × 75 runway (30 miles)

• Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, Eau Claire, 7,301 × 150 runway (45 miles)

• Central Wisconsin Airport, Mosinee, 7,645 × 150 runway (49 miles)

• Stevens Point Airport, Stevens Point, 6,028 × 120 runway (60 miles)

ATV/Snowmobile Routes

Designated city streets are open to ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) and snowmobile use. However, the city does enforce speed limits and noise standards.

Balancing the Needs of Amish and Mennonite Cultures

Traffic Safety

Maintaining safe travel conditions for both autos and animal drawn vehicles is a challenge in Amish and Mennonite communities. Existing laws protect the right of animal drawn vehicles to use public roadways. Chapter 346 (Rules of the Road) of the Wisconsin Statutes extends all rights granted to automobiles to animal drawn vehicles (Wis. Stats. § 346.02). This chapter further extends the rights of animal drawn vehicles on public roads by requiring motorists to stop, if at all possible, when in the presence of a frightened animal if signaled to do so by the driver of that animal (Wis. Stats. § 346.11).

Traffic safety issues primarily stem from the drastic difference between speeds of travel. Normal speeds for horse-drawn buggies range between five and eight miles per hour. Horse-drawn vehicles may be even slower when pulling large farm equipment or when crossing intersections. Motorists not accustomed to overtaking farm equipment or other slow moving vehicles on a highway may experience an emergency situation when overtaking a horse and buggy. Closing times are much shorter, so reaction times for braking become more critical.

Differences in closing speeds:

Reprinted with permission of the Ohio State Department of Transportation.

Visibility can also be a challenge, as buggies are typically dark in color and may be difficult to see unless marked with bright, reflective tape or slow moving vehicle signs. Vehicles that typically move at least than 25 miles per hour are required to be marked with a slow moving vehicle emblem Wis. Stats. § 347.245. However, people of the Amish faith are exempt from this requirement due to a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling (State v. Miller, 1996). Some Amish consider the characteristics of the emblem itself to be in conflict with several aspects of their faith and will use reflective tape as an alternative. Many Clark County Amish and Mennonites choose to mark their vehicles with the standard warning sign, and some that travel high traffic areas like USH 10 or STH 29 have even begun to use lighting systems.

Combined with the slow speeds of travel, visibility issues are multiplied when sight distances are limited by curves or hills. Buggies traveling up hills can be an obstacle to autos as they may be restricted from passing. Traffic may get backed up as a horse works to climb the hill. An impatient motorist may attempt to pass without enough visibility to safely do so. Buggies traveling down hills can be in danger as they may not be seen by an overtaking vehicle until it crests the hill leaving very little time to react.

Traffic safety issues can also arise due to the unpredictability of horses. Horses may back up slightly when stopped or become spooked by loud noises or when passed too closely by a vehicle. Horses are not machines, so they can never be fully under the control of their drivers. As previously stated, motorists are required to stop when in the presence of a frightened animal if signaled to do so by the driver of that animal. If stopping quickly will create another hazard, then the motorist may proceed despite a stop signal. The statute allows that a signal from the driver of an animal may be as simple as a raised hand.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic safety is often compromised by motorists who are inattentive or overly aggressive. These are widespread behaviors, and do contribute to horse and buggy accidents as well. According to law enforcement reports for accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles, these behaviors appear to be exhibited both by transient motorists who are new to the area as well as local motorists who are accustomed to seeing them on a regular basis.

In the state of Ohio over 500 buggy and motor vehicle accidents were reported between 1990 and 1997 according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. This amounts to approximately 63 accidents per year. Fatalities, injuries, and property damage resulted from these accidents. The majority of these accidents occurred during daylight hours, on straight roadways with no adverse weather conditions. Most were rear-end crashes with the cause being a motorist following too closely. An estimated 50,000 Amish reside in Ohio. Although the population of Amish and Mennonites in Wisconsin is far less, it is reasonable to assume that as the population increases, the potential for these types of accidents will grow.

Pedestrian Safety

Anyone who has walked or bicycled a rural highway, or even a town road, knows that extra caution must be taken to be aware of automobile and truck traffic. Most rural highways where pedestrian and bicycle access is not restricted have a legal speed limit of 55 miles per hour. The potential conflicts between vehicles and those moving much slower is even more important in Amish and Mennonite communities.

Pedestrian safety concerns in Amish and Mennonite communities are unique, because walking trips include a greater segment of school age children than other rural areas. The Amish and Mennonites utilize small schools that are well distributed throughout their communities. Unlike public schools, where most children in rural areas must ride the bus to reach their destination, Amish and Mennonite children can often walk to their local school. Further complicating the issue, Amish and Mennonite children often wear dark colored clothing, and their bicycles may not have reflectors.

Although walking as a mode of transportation has many benefits and should be encouraged whenever possible, it is also important to address the potential dangers of school age children walking on rural roads. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wisconsin Pedestrian Policy Plan 2020, children younger than 15 are a significant group of pedestrians with special needs. In particular, those needs stem from several physiological and developmental limitations including:

• One-third less peripheral vision;

• Less cognitive ability and traffic experience;

• Lower auditory development; and

• Overconfidence.

An objective evaluation of pedestrian safety at Amish and Mennonite school sites must recognize the differences between these situations and more traditional pedestrian scenarios. Although high speeds of travel are a concern in these rural areas, the amount of traffic is very low. Despite the fact that rural roads are typically designed for motor vehicles alone, many features, such as the shoulders, embankments, bridges, and driveways, have been adapted for pedestrian use as well. Relative safety between school sites may be easily ascertained by observing these adapted features, but accident data should also be consulted in making a more absolute measure of their safety.