Lost among the financial angst, driving dropped 9.6 billion miles in July compared to a year earlier. Transit use was up 11%. More here.
Archive for September, 2008
Driving drops again
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008Story Hill theft reported
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008An incident of theft was recorded in the 100 block of N. Story Pkwy. on Sept. 29 at 3:42 PM.
Lower Hoan, downsized freeway could mean billions in new development
Monday, September 29th, 2008Lowering the Hoan Bridge and rebuilding I-794 as a four-lane boulevard could result in development worth as much as $5.7 billion on about 500 acres of ”prime, waterfront real estate,” according to a draft report prepared for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
“Not only does a reconfiguration of the roadway and resulting redevelopment make sense from a long-term maintenance perspective, it makes even more sense for Milwaukee and the state from an economic standpoint,” said the report by the HNTB consulting firm. “The increased land values and possible tax base, as well as the public amenities that could be introduced, will certainly accomplish more public objectives than the reconstruction of the Hoan Bridge and I-794 in their existing forms.”
State Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi last month said department was looking at the possibility of lowering the bridge and freeway. His statements received decidedly mixed reactions.
I-794 as now configured “has exceeding complex and land-intensive ramps,” the report said. The roadway, which is elevated for about 2.5 miles, also is “oversized for its current and projected traffic capacity because the Interstate system was never completed to the south of this I-794 segment.”
The freeway has had major maintenance issues during the past several years and needs significant work “in the near future,” the report said. A separate WisDOT issue paper said the bridge is scheduled for major work, including deck replacement, in 2010 to 2013 if funding is available.
“Initial conversations with WisDOT has revealed an opportunity to explore alternative bridge and roadway configurations to create a roadway that meets appropriate capacity needs and opens up land for development and public use,” the HNTB report said. “Alternative roadway scenarios focus on downgrading the roadway from a freeway to an at-grade, four-lane boulevard. The merits of this scenario include far simpler and less costly maintenance and easier, less land-intensive connections to local roads.”
The Hoan Bridge corridor beween downtown Milwaukee and Bay View ”is a very desireable area,” according to the report, which was obtained through an open records request. “The 2.5 miles of property along Lake Michigan is prime real estate and an important public resource.”
Some Port of Milwaukee property is underused, the report said. Significant portions of Jones Island are being used for storage and some areas are vacant, according to the report.
“Conversely, the adjacent Third and Fifth ward neighborhoods, as well as Bay View, have seen tremendous redevelopment activity….In short, the area surrounding the Hoan Bridge could be used for higher and better land uses and provide a link to the public lands to the north and south of the harbor,” the report said.
The report said there are four potential areas of economic benefit “that collectively could pay for transportation infrastructure, parkland, trails, utilities and other public infrastructure improvements.” The four are sales of excess public property, property taxes associated with private development, job creation and income taxes from permanent workers.
The report included two potential redevelopment schemes, though it also said they were meant to serve as the basis for furhter discussions.
The more expansive of the two has the potential to creat about 18.4 million gross square feet of new buildings and up to 9,900 housing units with a total estimated value of $5.7 billion, according to the report. Under that scenario, about 204 acres of public land could be sold. The development would create 8,100 jobs and generate $18.2 million annually in state income taxes and $1.7 billion in new property tax revenues over the 27-year life of a TIF District that would be established to help pay for the improvements.
The other concept, which emphasizes public open spaces and neighborhood scale development, could include 7.6 million gross square feet of new buildings, about 5,000 residential units and carry a total value of about $2.2 billion, according to the report. That plan calls for 90 acres of public land to be sold. The development would generate $698 million in new property tax revenue over 27 years and create 1,300 jobs that would generate $3 million annually in state income taxes.
The picture on the left, below, is a conceptual illustration of the smaller development while the picture on the right shows the outlines of the larger plan. Click on the pictures to see larger versions.
“The at-grade roadway reconfiguration and harbor redevelopment will open up a considerable amount of public land for redevelopment,” the report said. “This prime property along Lake Michigan, with its proximity to downtown Milwaukee and available utility service, is unmatched in the State of Wisconsin. Recent public and private land transiactions in the area have determined that this land is valued at approximately $1 million per acre.”
A life-cycle cost analysis showed that WisDOT would spend about $30 million more for the at-grade roadway option by 2014, but would spend $80 million less by 2025 by avoiding the reconstruction costs of the Lake Interchange, the report said.
Firari plans for greenhouse site move forward
Monday, September 29th, 2008The latest plans for houses at 5033 W. Bluemound Rd. moved forward a bit last week when Story Hill residents attending a neighborhood meeting voted in favor of the designs.
The proposed development also must be approved by the Common Council, which developer Sheila Firari has said she will try to get done next month. More on the proposed houses here.
SEWRPC the reluctant
Monday, September 29th, 2008You guys do what you want,” SEWRPC Executive Director Phil Evenson tells the Environmental Justice Task Force.
The task force, though, as everyone on it knows, has no real power over the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. All it can do is suggest. Task force member Joette Heckenbach requested that SEWRPC get outside assistance to conduct socio-economic analyses as part of the agency’s studies. Evenson and SEWRPC Deputy Director Ken Yunker don’t like that idea much.
Below the video of SEWRPC’s resistance is part of the affirmative action complaint the NAACP, with the assistance of the ACLU, filed against SEWRPC with the Department of Labor’s Office of Contract Compliance. It lays out nicely how SEWRPC prefers to hire its major consultants — from a rather small list of white people.
Facts Relating to Non-Compliance With Affirmative Action in Use of Professional Service
Subcontractors
39. SEWRPC has hired, and continues to hire, “independent contractors” who provide significant and ongoing professional services, including many of the kinds of services that are or potentially could be performed by SEWRPC employees.
40. Upon information and belief, SEWRPC has routinely identified, hired and retained most or all of these “independent contractors” on a “no bid” basis.
41. Upon information and belief, SEWRPC retains significant control over the performance of work by these “independent contractors.”
42. Upon information and belief, SEWRPC did not comply with affirmative action or disadvantaged business enterprise requirements or policies in hiring these contractors, or otherwise attempt to ensure that the professional services contractors it hired are members of diverse groups.
43. Upon information and belief, SEWRPC has not engaged in any efforts to monitor or otherwise ensure that these professional service subcontractors engage in Affirmative Action.
44. SEWRPC does not identify or report these professional service subcontractors in its EEO reports, and does not maintain demographic data on them.
45. Such “independent contractors” from whom no demographic information is collected, who were not recruited through the methods specified in the AA Plan, and who are not identified in affirmative action reports, include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Since 1997, SEWRPC has annually contracted with its former executive director, who upon information and belief is a white non-Hispanic person, to provide engineering, planning and surveying services including but not limited to “determination of an annual work program” related to public land surveys; “oversight of Commission staff activities intended to carry out the work program,” and designing and executing other projects assigned by SEWRPC. For 2008, SEWRPC pays its former director $6,500 per month ($78,000 per year) based on the “equivalent of three-quarters time of service,” and provides him with office space, a vehicle, telephone service, and support staff; during some prior years, SEWRPC also paid for its former director’s health insurance.
b. Since 2006, SEWRPC has utilized the services of two designated individuals, who upon information and belief are white non-Hispanic persons, as “personal service contractors” for planning services related to the 30th St. Corridor Redevelopment, and, upon information and belief, has provided them with office space in Milwaukee County. The 30th St. Corridor is in the central city of Milwaukee, an area predominantly populated by persons of color.
c. Since 2007, if not earlier, SEWRPC has entered into an annual contract with the University of Wisconsin Extension for the services of a specifically identified individual, who upon information and belief is a white non-Hispanic person, for public education and outreach, including outreach to communities of color. The contract obligates SEWRPC to pay 100% of this person’s salary and benefits, and milage and expenses.
Tags: affirmative action, Environmental Justice Task Force, Phil Evenson, SEWRPC
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