Wisconsin Department of Transportation clings to interstate

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Apr 9, 2008 by Sean Ryan

The state did not modify the most controversial portions of its Interstate 94 reconstruction project, despite receiving more negative than positive feedback.

The final environmental impact statement the state released last week doesn't respond to the substance of the opposition's arguments, said Dennis Grzezinski, an environmental attorney working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin to oppose expansion to eight lanes in the city of Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation received 128 comments opposing -- and 72 supporting - - expansion to eight lanes on I-94 from Milwaukee to the Illinois border.

"I'm still looking, without much hope, but I'm still looking for some sign that they even read much of what my clients and I submitted," Grzezinski said. "It's rather disappointing."

WisDOT received 110 comments asking it to spend $200 million on transit projects, a plan championed by the city of Milwaukee, instead of building additional I-94 lanes. It received seven comments opposing the idea.

The department's response in the impact statement is that I-94 was planned assuming transit like the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee Commuter Link train would be paid for and built. However, the agency argued, local regional transit authorities are responsible for transit; it's not WisDOT's responsibility.

"The traffic projections show that with or without KRM, additional capacity is needed on I-94," said Charlie Webb, environmental planner with Milwaukee Transportation Partners LLC, WisDOT's consultant on the impact statement. "It's not an either-or discussion."

Todd Reardon, chairman of the South 27th Street Business Preservation Association, said he was disappointed after seeing WisDOT keep its plan to eliminate an I-94 offramp at 27th Street after receiving 292 comments opposing the idea. WisDOT's response was that it would cost $40 to $50 million to acquire 10 houses and an apartment building to make room for the ramp -- a plan that was too expensive considering only 1,500 cars use the ramp each day -- and it would take three minutes longer to reach South 27th Street using the exit at Layton Avenue instead.

Reardon's group hired Foley & Lardner LLP to argue that WisDOT's plan needs additional review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency because the plan increased its car-emission standards in March. Reardon said the business district's only options were to get elected officials to pressure WisDOT or to head to the courtroom.

"I don't know that we're headed that way," he said, "but the only way I see are legal actions and injunctive relief."

Both Grzezinski and the city of Milwaukee on Tuesday were calling to regroup and consider future action with other groups that oppose parts of the I-94 plan. Reardon said he hopes the groups can all cooperate in their opposition.

"You've got businesses, you've got residents with property value concerns, you've got residents with highway concerns," he said. "Everybody seems to be concerned about the environment right now."