So, Milwaukee Ald. Bob Bauman is upset that Northwestern Mutual would dare pledge money towards construction of a freeway interchange that would benefit hundreds of workers at its expansive Franklin facility.
“Outraged” is how the headline on WISN.com put it. Here’s his quote:
“So here you have a Milwaukee-based company, Northwestern Mutual Life, investing in an interchange in the suburbs which will harm their home city. If they have an extra $1.6 million laying around that they can use to fund an interchange on I-94 at Drexel Avenue, we have projects in downtown Milwaukee which could use a similar investment of $1.6 million and we’d be very, very happy to have it.”
Wow — so much for regionalism. When did this become a turf war, anyway? And how in the world does investing in this interchange “harm” Milwaukee? It doesn’t.
I argue that the proposed interchange at Drexel — which got a major boost with a funding commitment from the Oak Creek City Council Monday night — is a good project for not only Northwestern Mutual, but the whole area.
We hear all the time about the importance of improving our transportation infrastructure, especially our roads. This does it, while also making it a bit easier to live, work and play in the South Shore.
Oak Creek Mayor Dick Bolender put it best: “I feel very badly that this alderman feels that way in regards to the suburbs. I feel bad Milwaukee’s not getting things we are. But I also feel that interchange will not only benefit Oak Creek but also South Milwaukee because they use Drexel Avenue to come to the west. It’ll also benefit Franklin.”
In other words, this is a win-win. No matter what one Milwaukee alderman says.
South Milwaukee Blog 
The majority of the land west of Drexel and the freeway is swamp land! What is the OC thinking?