The past few months have seen much debate over the 27th Street exit on Interstate 894 as part of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s reconstruction and expansion project of I-94 from the Mitchell Interchange to the state border.
The debate is an important one, impacting people's homes and businesses. With much at stake, the debate has become understandably heated. The problem with heated debates, however, is that often times facts get fried.
First and foremost, there is a belief that as a result of this plan, the 27th Street exit will be closed completely. This statement is misleading and fails to tell the whole story.
While it is true that the exit to 27th Street along westbound I-894 for traffic coming from the south will close under current WisDOT plans, all other access to South 27th Street will remain as it does today. As the Small Business Times reported in the BizTimes Real Estate Weekly bulletin, “Southbound traffic coming from the downtown area and eastbound traffic coming from the west would still be able to exit at 27th Street.” Businesses and homes along 27th Street will remain completely accessible to those exits.
This is an important point, because the access points that will remain open to 27th Street are those most heavily traveled. According to information from our city engineer, approximately 16,000 vehicles exit I-894 via S. 27th Street every day, but only 1,500 of those cars – less than 10 percent - utilize the exit that would be closed.
This means the vast majority of vehicles that currently use the 27th Street exit to reach the homes and businesses along this corridor will still be able to under the current plan.
Second, I cannot support a plan that destroys people's homes. The alternate proposal WisDOT considered in an effort to maintain full access at South 27th Street would have required the demolition of ten single-family homes and two 8-unit apartment buildings.
Forcing people from their homes and reducing the city’s property tax base are not alternatives I can support. That is why I have - from day one of this project - urged the state Department of Transportation to design a freeway that not only improves safety and the flow of traffic, but one that avoids the destruction of people's homes.
Which leads to the third and final point: the City of Milwaukee has been engaged throughout this process and has consistently urged WisDOT to produce a plan for 27th Street that is fair to business owners and residents in the area. My commissioner of public works and my city engineer made this point in a letter to WisDOT on Aug. 21, 2007, and in conversations throughout the 27th Street debate. My message has been perfectly clear: keep 27th Street fully open, AND don't destroy people's homes.
Any suggestion that the City of Milwaukee has not fought for this issue is either unfair or uninformed. I understand that when people's businesses and homes are involved, debate can become heated and facts can get fried. But cooler heads must prevail.
As mayor, I will continue to push WisDOT for a plan that keeps all of 27th Street open AND saves people's homes. Those who agree should stand with me.
Tom Barret is the mayor of Milwaukee.
2 Comments
A few of your "facts" are also misleading. You neglect to mention the fact that no cars seeking to travel south-bound on 94 will be able to access their desired route via S 27th Street, either. Additionally, there have been other proposals ignored by the DOT that would allow drivers to access 27th Street via NB 94 that wouldn't raze homes, but the issue was ignored, because the DOT says that they don't want an off-ramp, where there is no on-ramp. It seems like an exception should be made if the second largest concentration of jobs in the County (S 27th Street) is at issue.
Also, the claim regarding 1,500 cars using the ramp has never been substantiated, despite numerous requests for evidence that have gone unanswered.
Regarding the property tax base issue, there will be a dramatic reduction of the property values of the commercial space, which is going to happen if large retailers leave, as they have already threatened to do. Also, commercial vacancies will increase, jobs will be lost, and the increased commercial traffic coming from Illinois (distributors, etc) that travel down Layton will be driving through residential neighborhoods, lowering residential property values, increasing pollution, and endangering the children as they walk to school. Losing the property tax base of 10 homes and 2 eight unit apartment buildings will seem like nothing when compared to the dramatic loss of property tax values your plan will cause to happen.
Also, why are you so against leveling 10 homes and 2 eight unit apartment buildings to keep full access to the second largest source of jobs in the area, but are willing to relocate four families to straighten out the Plainfield Curve, and tear down approximately 150 homes to install a new runway at the airport just so Milwaukee might be able to generate some income IF Chicago ever wins the bid for the Olympics. It seems like your position on 27th Street ignores the consequences, while your position on the airport gambles on the unknown.
Also, if you really want to improve the flow of traffic in the Mitchell Interchange, why would you want to limit the highway to 6 lanes, instead of 8, despite the fact that the DOT disagrees with you and says that 6 lanes is shortsighted?
In the end, if we can't have both (full access and no relocations) relocating a few people will be much less catastrophic than the result of limiting access to the number two employer in the County.
It is extremely important that we remember what our mayor and other city/county leaders are doing or more importantly, not doing with opportunities like this. All the rhetoric focus is toward 'not reducing taxes revenues, minimizing impact, blah blah. When will we start to elect 'leaders' that look at this opportunity and demand that any changes or expansions 'IMPROVE' the area dynamics in measurable ways.
When will we hear the goal/demand that traffic is increased to our business centers. How about insisting that any plan illuminates why 'only' 1500 vehicles use the off ramp and increase the number to support travel to the businesses and conveyance to our homes.
Gosh, maybe even ask the local and regional businesses what they would like to see happen and make that a high priority for the DOT rather than 'issues' that need placating. I've had experiences with the DOT. They can create some amazing opportunities if give the chance and if they are 'listened' to.
This is Milwaukee; this is Wisconsin, we can do better...