Three things about the arrival in the mail today of this piece of highway-expansion propaganda/
Spring 2013 Newsletter - - "This project is a significant investment in the infrastructure of Milwaukee, creating construction jobs and long-term economic benefits..."
* Isn't it a little presumptuous to be sending around project schedules and justifications when a federal judge is about to schedule a hearing to discuss
the project's lack of transit components that violate the rights of low-income plaintiff residents?
Residents whom the judge said were likely to prevail on the merits of their discrimination allegations, so some sort of remedy is going to be ordered.
And..
* Why is WisDOT spending money on multi-color, five-page mass mailings, what with the Internets available?
* "What's next?," the newsletter asks. "Construction in later 2013." Maybe with a little more lead time, the Fall newsletter touted will have news about transit and transit lines inked in.
If they sent out a single page black and white 8 1/2 by 11 sheet, you'd complain about them insulting everyone by not caring enough to make something that looks nice.
ReplyDeleteWhat transit components should be included that would not be a completely separate project (i.e. within the confines of the Zoo Interchange project itself, not light rail to Waukesha)?
And really, what should be done about the Zoo Interchange that would make you happy? Should we leave it as is, with falling apart bridges and obvious safety issues? Should we pay the cost of deteriorating roads and substandard design leading to accidents with clear costs to life and property? That'd really stick it to those no-good conservatives out in Waukesha, wouldn't it?
We need transit and we need a rebuilt Zoo Interchange. Don't blame WisDOT for the follies of the state legislature and Governor's budget processes. You should know they can't magically redirect money to transit, especially transit operations. Oh that they could, and that the RTA hadn't died an untimely death...
"
ReplyDeleteAnd really, what should be done about the Zoo Interchange that would make you happy?"
It's one thing to repair it. It's another thing entirely to expand its capacity needlessly. The rest of the country has woken up to the folly of widening highways in the middle of a city. It's time for WI to take notice.