Discussions Continue on Dangerous Stretch of Highway 10 Near Auburndale

Friday, February 21st, 2025 -- 8:01 AM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News-Herald) In the past two years, there have been reports of 53 wrong-way drivers on U.S. 10, according to the Wood County Sheriff's Office.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News-Herald, in one of those cases, 25-year-old Michael Baugh of Arpin was killed in a December 2023 crash with a wrong-way driver on U.S. 10 near Day Road in the town of Auburndale.

The driver in that crash was charged a year later with negligent operation of a motor vehicle in connection with Baugh's death. Officials aren't sure why so many drivers are getting confused on the four-lane divided highway, Wood County Sheriff's Office Capt. Charlie Hoogesteger said.

Most wrong-way drivers get themselves turned around before law enforcement officers arrive, he said. Although officers have no way of knowing where most of the drivers got on the highway, most of the reports of wrong-way drivers on the Wood County stretch of U.S. 10 are in the Auburndale area.

There have been discussions that a lack of lighting has made it difficult for some people pulling up to the stop signs at the crossroads with U.S. 10 to see the correct way to proceed, Hoogesteger said. Another possibility could be the navigational programs on cellphones.

When someone using their cellphone to navigate comes to a stop sign at U.S. 10 and the driver needs to turn left, the navigational system will instruct them to turn left at the first stop sign when in reality it's the second stop sign, which is located in the median, where drivers should turn left, Hoogesteger said.

Wood County Highway Commissioner Roland Hawk said a member of his department has tried reaching out to Google regarding the maps, but they haven't had much luck.

Joel Nilsestuen, assistant deputy secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said his staff works with Google often and will reach out about the confusion.

Nilsestuen told a group of county and state officials gathered Friday that he wanted them to know that it's not just lip service when he says the DOT says safety is its top priority.

Bronson said the DOT would look at sign placement and other considerations that might reduce the number of crashes and wrong-way drivers. The DOT plans to put reflective red tape on the "Do Not Enter" and "Wrong Way" signs already posted near the intersections to make them more visible to drivers at night.

The department also is looking at additional signs that have been successfully used in Iowa. A J-turn and overpass have also been suggested, but there are funding issues regarding those items.

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