Also on this page: Grigsby opposes Zoo Interchange study. Cullen opposes Zoo Interchange study. Zoo Interchange study would include US 45 reconstruction.

Barrett opposes Zoo Interchange study, rips SEWRPC
DeBruin, Murphy, Assembly Dems oppose study, too

June 29, 2005 -- Mayor Tom Barrett came out strongly in opposition Wednesday to the proposed $38 million Zoo Interchange reconstruction studies and ripped the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's freeway study process.

"Before a project can be engineered it needs to be planned," Barrett wrote to Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and Senate Minority Leader Judith Robson (D-Beloit).. "And the freeway plan for Southeast Wisconsin is utterly baseless. Milwaukee County has not endorsed SEWRPC’s freeway plan and the City of Milwaukee is on record as opposed to it. Even the Federal government was highly critical of SEWRPC’s lack of credibility in reflecting the values of diverse urban communities and needs."

Barrett

The mayor continued: "Spending taxpayers’ money on this project before we have a consensus on where we’re headed with the freeway system is foolish. SEWRPC had the opportunity to build this consensus, but instead chose to further divide the metro area on transportation issues. The result is a climate in which any freeway project in Milwaukee County will be unnecessarily contentious, resulting in wasted dollars and delays.

"Let’s get agreement on our transportation priorities, before throwing $38 million at the highway engineers without a plan for what a successful interchange and freeway system will look like," he said.

Unlike the Marquette Interchange reconstruction project, which was rushed ahead because of critical safety concerns surrounding the deteriorating structure, there is no complling reason to push the Zoo Interchange forward, Barrett said.

"The Zoo Interchange will stand long enough for us to resolve these issues," he said.

Opposition to the studies is growing, especially among Democrats and Milwaukee elected officials. State Reps. David Cullen, Jon Richards and Josh Zepnick, all Milwaukee Democrats, co-sponsored a budget amendment in the Assembly to remove the $38 million that Waukesha County Republicans added for the project. The Democrats' amendment failed 60-36, on a party line vote.

Meanwhile, County Supervisor Lynne DeBruin and Milwaukee Ald. Michael Murphy, who represent areas near the Interchange, both said they oppose funding the full studies, although both said they want the State Department of Transportation to address traffic problems in neighborhoods near the Regional Medical Complex.

Robson said Republicans pushing for the Zoo Interchange studies were kowtowing to special interests.

“They spend $38 million on a study of the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee – a study that will be obsolete by the time the work begins in 12 years," she said.

The 2005-07 state budget is expected to go to the Senate this week. State Sen. Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) has been mum on his position regarding the Zoo Interchange studies. Reynolds can be reached at sen.reynolds@legis.state.wi.us. His office recently told a constituent, however, that it was the senator's policy not to discuss in e-mail his position on any issue.

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Grigsby opposes Zoo Interchange study
Murphy criticizes RTA stucture; Barrett aide questions funding

June 20, 2005-- Conducting Zoo Interchange reconstruction studies in the upcoming biennium would "is a colossal waste of taxpayer money" if actual construction cannot begin until after 2016, according to State Rep. Tamara Grigsby.

"The study will certainly be obsolete by that time and the DOT would have to come back to the legislature to request funding for an updated study," the Milwaukee Democrate wrote in a letter to Citizens Allied for Sane Highways.*

Grigsby

Ald. Michael Murphy, meanwhile, criticized the structure of a proposed Regional Transportation Authority for "once again, shortchanging the largest municipality."

Tthe Zoo Interchange studies and the Regional Transportation Authority were approved by the Joint Finance Committee during 2005-07 budget deliberations. They are expected to be approved by the Assembly and Senate before being sent to Gov. Doyle for consideration.

The State Department of Transportation has said Zoo Interchange reconstruction -- which also would include rebuilding U.S. 45 from the Zoo to the Richfield Interchange in Washington County, likely cannot start until after construction of the North South I-94 corridor, a project expected to be completed in 2016 or later.

The $38 million in studies for the Zoo project was approved despite concerns of WisDOT officials that conducting the studies too far in advance of construction could violate the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires meaningful participation in the studies by residents who would be affected by the project.

The RTA would include Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha Counties, and would have the authority to impose a $2 tax on car rentals to support transit programs, including the Metra commuter rail extension from Kenosha to Milwaukee. The RTA's power could eventually be expanded to include operation of local transit systems, including the Milwaukee County Transit System.

While the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County have the largest populations and would contribute most of the financing to the RTA, Kenosha and Racine would have the same number of votes on the RTA governing body.

Murphy said the proposed structure violates the concept of one person, one vote, "which I thought was the democratic way."

Patrick Curley, chief-of-staff to Mayor Tom Barrett, said he was concerned that the vast majority of funding would come from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County, where the bulk of car rental business in the region occurs.

He said he supported the super majority provision in the legislation that would require the votes of six of the seven RTA members to approve and motion.

* Full disclosure: storyhill.net editor Gretchen Schuldt is co-chair of Citizens Allied for Sane Highways

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Cullen opposes Zoo Interchange study

June 7, 2005 -- Preliminary work on the Zoo Interchange should not be funded in the 2006-07 budget now being debated, State Rep. David Cullen says.

"I don't think it's necessary at this time," the Milwaukee Democrat said in an interview.

Cullen represents an area east of the Zoo Interchange. His district includes Story Hill.

"I've been opposed to expanding the freeway through our area," he said. Conducting the studies now is a way for expansion advocates to get their "foot in the door," he said.

If the Zoo Interchange proposal is still alive after the full Legislature completes its budget deliberations, "I would ask Doyle to veto it," Cullen said.

Cullen

Secretary of Transportation Frank Busalacchi told the Joint Finance Committee that his department could do the preliminary work if the Legislature funded it. That work would cost about $38 million and would include preparation of environmental impact statement, preliminary construction plans, and real estate and utility plans, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau paper.

The Fiscal Bureau paper also said WisDOT likely could not begin construction until at least 2016; at least three WisDOT officials have expressed concerns that long gaps between completion of the environmental studies and actual construction could violate federal environmental laws.

Busalacchi, who seemed to welcome the Zoo Interchange proposal during testimony before the Joint Finance Committee, now seems somewhat less so.

"I acknowledged that the Department could begin working on the necessary environmental studies for the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange if the Legislature provided the funding required," Busalacchi wrote in a letter to Citizens Allied for Sane Highways.* "To date, neither the Committee nor the Legislature as a whole has completed its work on the Governor's budget as it relates to the highway program. Once the legislative process is completed, the budget will be reviewed to determine how well it meets the priorities for Wisconsin as established in the Governor's initial budget."

Doyle did not propose the Zoo Interchange studies in his initial budget.

The studies are being pushed by Waukesha County Republicans, expecially State Rep. Scott Jensen and State Sen. Ted Kanavas.

Actual construction, including expansion, would cost about $943 million, according to the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's freeway reconstruction study. That figure, in year 2000 dollars, is outdated.

"I wish the people would tell us where they're going to get the money," Cullen said.

The state does not have it, he said.

Cullen also called on State Sen. Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) to publicly state whether he believes the study should be conducted in the next biennium. Reynolds' district includes both the Zoo Interchange and Story Hill.

CASH, a coalition formed to oppose freeway expansion in Milwaukee, has asked Reynolds for his position on the issue.

Reynolds has not responded.

*Full disclosure: storyhill.net editor Gretchen Schuldt is co-chair of Citizens Allied for Sane Highways.

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US 45 reconstruction study proposed
Would be part of Zoo Interchange project