Category Archives: Freeways

Six lanes eastbound; eight lanes north-south

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OK. Go figure.

The north and south freeway legs headed out from the Zoo Interchange will be expanded to eight lanes, but the eastbound leg of I-94 will stay at six lanes under WisDOT’s latest plans, according to city officials and the JS.

WisDOT has publicly opined that a six-lane version of one of its newest designs for the interchange would be inadequate:

While an 8-lane Reduced Impacts Alternative would result in less efficient traffic operations (and increased congestion) through the design year than any of the previously-developed Modernization Alternatives, the reduction is not significant (see Section 3.3). A 6-lane version of this alternative would not provide acceptable traffic operations (delay, level of service), and therefore is not offered as a reasonable alternative.

Keep your eye on this one. This is not the first time WisDOT has twisted itself up trying to explain what it plans for the Zoo Interchange.

A trip down memory lane: SEWRPC still silly

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Before the Wisconsin Department of Transportation strips money from schools, health care and tax credits for the poor to pay for bigger freeways, let’s take a trip down memory lane to review a number the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission used to justify this concrete binge.

SEWRPC said gasoline prices would remain steady at $2.30 a gallon — in 2005 dollars — through 2035.

Hmmm. Lots of people giggled at that, but SEWRPC officials said they were very good at projections and were historically right about these types of things. They insisted they would never, ever, ever lowball gas prices to pump their traffic projections to to justify freeway expansion, which was clear for years they would endorse no matter what the facts were.

Here’s the bottom line: gasoline that was $2.30 per gallon in 2005, if SEWRPC were correct, would be $2.59 today.

Right.

You go, guys.

WisDOT’s new Zoo Interchange plan includes expansion; hearings scheduled

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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will hold a hearing March 22 and March 23 on one of those things Gov. Scott Walker thinks is more important than education or transit — a bigger Zoo Interchange.

WisDOT has revised its proposal for the Interchange, reducing the estimated price tag from$1.9 billion to a mere $1.7 billion, plus about $65 million for alterations to nearby streets. (Earlier estimates put reconstruction and expansion costs at up to $2.3 billion — WisDOT doesn’t explain how the projected cost dropped by $400 million.)

The new plan, called the Reduced Impact Alternative, includes freeway expansion. From the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement:

While an 8-lane Reduced Impacts Alternative would result in less efficient traffic operations (and increased congestion) through the design year than any of the previously-developed Modernization Alternatives, the reduction is not significant (see Section 3.3). A 6-lane version of this alternative would not provide acceptable traffic operations (delay, level of service), and therefore is not offered as a reasonable alternative.

Under the old plans, WisDOT would need to acquire 6 to 32 residences for reconstruction and expansion. The revised plan calls for the acquisition of eight homes, in the form of one multi-family apartment building three businesses. The work on nearby streets would lead to the acquisition of one commercial building containing two businesses, according to WisDOT documents.

The new plan greatly reduces the impacts around 84th St.

The old plans are still included in WisDOT’s alternatives for reconstruction, but it’s pretty clear which road the agency is traveling down.

The hearings on the new plan will be on March 22, 2011, 2-7 p.m. and March 23, 2011, 4-8 p.m. at State Fair Park, Tommy Thompson Youth Center, gate 5, 640 S. 84th St., West Allis (Milwaukee County Transit System Route 67).

In the neighborhood: the freeway project in the coming days

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From the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:

Construction update March 4 –March 13:
I-94 East – West Project update for Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties

All closures are weather-dependent and subject to change.

MILWAUKEE and WAUKESHA COUNTIES

Friday 3/4/11: Overnight single right lane closure I-94 EB from STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.  I-94 WB left lane closed from 32nd Street to 70th Street until March 6th.

Saturday 3/5/11: Overnight double left lane closure I-94 WB from 32nd Street to 70th Street (11pm – 10am). Closure includes Full Closure of I-94 WB exits to 35th Street, Mitchell Blvd and 68th Street, 70th Street entrance ramp to I-94 WB, the Stadium Interchange system ramps from I-94 WB to HWY 41 NB, I-94 WB to Miller Park Way SB, HWY 41 SB to I-94 WB, and Miller Park Way NB to I-94 WB.  There will also be a very brief closure of the Marquette Interchange System Ramps from I-43 NB to I-94 WB and I-43 SB to I-94 WB.

Sunday 3/6/11: Overnight Double Left lane closure I-94 WB from 32nd Street to 70th Street (7pm – 5:30am). Closure includes Full Closure of I-94 WB exits to 35th Street and 68th Street, 70th Street entrance ramp to I-94 WB, the Stadium Interchange system ramps from I-94 WB to HWY 41 NB, I-94 WB to Miller Park Way SB, HWY 41 SB to I9-4 WB, and Miller Park Way NB to I-94 WB.  There will also be a very brief closure of the Marquette Interchange System Ramps from I-43 NB to I-94 WB and I-43 SB to I-94 WB.  Long Term right lane closure I-94 WB 32nd Street to 70th Street in effect 10am.

Monday 3/7/11: Overnight single right lane closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.  Overnight double right lane closure I-94 WB 32nd Street to 70th Street.

Tuesday 3/8/11: Overnight single right lane Closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.

Wednesday 3/9/11: Overnight single right lane closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.  Overnight double right lane closure I-94 WB 32nd Street to 70th Street[.

Thursday 3/10/11: Overnight single right lane closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.  Closure includes Full Closure of County F entrance ramp to I-94 EB. Overnight double right lane closure I-94 WB 32nd Street to 70th Street.

Friday 3/11/11: Overnight single right lane closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line.

Saturday 3/12/11: Only Long Term Closures in effect.

Sunday 3/13/11: Long Term right lane closure I-94 EB STH 16 to Milwaukee County Line in effect at 7pm.  Overnight double right lane closure I-94 WB and I-94 EB Milwaukee County Line to STH 16 and I-94 WB entrance and exit ramp at Moorland Road.

Walker’s Zoo Interchange plan and I-94

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Gov.  Walker wants to push the Zoo interchange project up by a few years and the Journal Sentinel says he will do that by delaying work on I-94.

The JS is referring, presumably, to North-South I-94, which is in the early stages of a $1.9 billion reconstruction and wasteful, unnecessary expansion project.

What exactly is Walker planning? He says his Zoo plan will save taxpayers $600 million. Is Walker going for some sort of private-public scheme? Is the Research Park or any of the medical facilities on the Milwaukee County grounds going to kick in for the project? They are huge beneficiaries and certainly should share the cost.

Will Walker propose tolling the Zoo Interchange? That would technically save taxpayers a chunk of change, but in a press release about his state of the state speech, Walker’s office said his plan would save the state $600 million. A toll would not save the state money — it would just provide another funding source.

It could be that Walker is simply planning to shift money budgeted for the I-94 project to the Zoo Interchange project. That, of course, is just a fund transfer and doesn’t save anything in the long run.

It also is theoretically possible that Walker is committing himself to a reasonable reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange, without unnecessary gewgaws included in the project mainly to line the pockets of his road builder masters. But it’s Walker, so…naaah.

And, of course, there is the big question: where is Walker going to get the rest of the money? Saving $600 million means the state still will have to come up with $1.5 billion or so to reconstruct and expand the Zoo Interchange. The Federal Highway Trust Fund isn’t what it used to be and probably won’t be for a long time to come. So, Skippy, before you start chirping about the great deal you’ve come up with, show us the money.

Your great deal might be something the rest of us can’t afford.