This map of alcohol related crashes in Marquette County from 2004 to 2008 was distributed to the Marquette County Highway Safety Committee by Jeff Ryan from Alive and Well, the initiative to reduce alcohol crash deaths and injuries in the county.

 

Highway Safety Committee reviews road issues

 

By Kathleen McGwin
At the October meeting of the Marquette County Highway Safety Committee, members discussed, among other issues, new equipment, safety, and alternate routes. Jeff Ryan, Co-Coordinator of Alive and Well, the 3-year initiative of Healthy Communities Healthy Youth to reduce alcohol crash deaths and injuries in Marquette County distributed maps and information about the grant.

Highway Commissioner Ron Sell showed a photo of a tow plow, equipment that the State purchased for use in counties that maintain Interstate roads. The plow reaches across 2 lanes of road and should be delivered to the county soon.

Captain Jack Frost of the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department reported a traffic fatality over the Labor Day weekend. The death was the 2nd traffic death of the year for the county.

Sargeant Jeffry Liethen of the Wisconsin State Patrol informed the committee that the State Patrol will enforce a tow ban during severe winter weather. If drivers travel despite warnings to stay off the roads because of severe weather and get stuck, officers will take people to safety and move vehicles off the road, but will not allow tow trucks to move vehicles until the weather warning is lifted.

The committee discussed Harrisville Bratfest. The Sheriff’s Department had 4 officers on the grounds and State Patrol had about 5 troopers on the roads during the Labor Day weekend event. Underage drinking was down from previous years although there were some arrests again this year.

Jeff Ryan from Alive and Well distributed maps created by Marquette County Surveyor Jerry Smart that showed alcohol related crashes, deaths, and injuries in Marquette County from 2004 to 2008. Mapping is one of the strategies that the Alive and Well initiative hopes to develop for use in reducing alcohol crashes. It’s their hope that the maps will eventually be available to the public and local, county and state officials.