tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post450018430017785443..comments2023-10-08T04:12:46.273-05:00Comments on The Political Environment: Mequon Finds Demographics Dismissed At WisDOTJames Rowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-72911099147485433932012-11-15T13:09:01.459-06:002012-11-15T13:09:01.459-06:00I've been dogging WISDOT officials recently fo...I've been dogging WISDOT officials recently for their data showing the economic benefit to the state of major highway projects and they repeatedly tell me they do not perform an in-depth analysis. The usual refrain I get is that they perform all the required analysis per: <br /><br />https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/trans/210.pdf<br /><br />and that they have legislative oversight. Of course, legislators have this nasty habit of handing out highway projects as pork, a fact that even Republicans acknowledge. I think the key here is to push for a more rigorous evaluation of the economic benefits of state highway projects, raise the minimum statutory threshold for green lighting a project, and strengthen the role of the TPC (as Scott Fitzgerald has suggested) in reviewing the need of projects. <br /><br />If the citizens of this state are going to be asked to pay more for highways, the least the state can do is tighten up on the process.BigWheelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01354336829082012883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-90905516540120575912012-11-15T11:11:04.792-06:002012-11-15T11:11:04.792-06:00What you never get in these WisDOT plans is a trul...What you never get in these WisDOT plans is a truly independent analysis of the need. James Rowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-61890484102105440442012-11-15T10:46:33.767-06:002012-11-15T10:46:33.767-06:00This snippet pretty much undermines the premise of...This snippet pretty much undermines the premise of this post:<br /><i>Shaffer insisted the construction of an expanded highway is dependent on observable increases in traffic, despite the council's repeatedly voiced suspicions of a heavy-handed DOT.</i><br /><br />I'm all for calling WISDOT to the carpet for driving unnecessary expansion of highways, but this story doesn't meet the standard.BigWheelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01354336829082012883noreply@blogger.com