Tag Archives: 794

September 4, 2012 · 9:04 pm

Jursik’s E-News Update: Check Out Items On Economic Development, Grant Park, 794, Airport Issues And More

South Shore Supervisor Pat Jursik has published a new edition of her E-News update, and it includes a number of noteworthy news items, including an update on the Lake Parkway extension and the scheduling of a “South Shore Option 2.0” economic development forum for Thursday, Sept. 27.

Check it out here. And here is the 794 update …

Lake Parkway (794) Extension
In May 2012, the County Board recommended extension of the Lake Parkway (State Trunk Highway 794) through a resolution which was signed by the County Executive. Following through on the process, I spoke with the WisDOT Southeast Regional Director and Engineering Chief as well as the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) Director in August. Several steps are required before an extension can occur.

  • SEWRPC must complete an Air Quality Conformity Analysis regarding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This analysis is already being conducted. A final analysis should be available in September or October 2012.
  • Once this Air Quality Analysis is finished, the technical advisory committee will be asked to make a final recommendation to the SEWRPC board. The SEWRPC board must receive the advisory committee’s recommendation and then take final action. This may conclude by December 2012.
  • WisDOT is concerned about limited funding. WisDOT is completing many projects around the state.
  • Racine and Kenosha Counties would also need to reach an agreement to demote some current state highways to local status and to embrace a “Lake Corridor.” 
  • An extension of Lake Parkway would probably need to connect to Highway 31 and, ultimately, to Highway KR at the Racine/Kenosha border, according to the perspective of WisDOT.

We will need to work cooperatively with Racine and Kenosha to establish any such Lake Corridor. Our neighbors in Racine and Caledonia have already expressed interest in extending the Lake Parkway. I welcome further dialogue about this issue.

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February 29, 2012 · 10:37 pm

Great Turnout At Lake Parkway Meeting … And How You Can Still Have Your Voice Heard

Update: Check out coverage from WISN and Oak Creek Patch. And the Journal Sentinel has published a story, too, with comments from a couple South Milwaukeeans.

By my count, more than 200 people attended Wednesday’s public meeting about the proposed Lake Parkway extension at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.

It was a good meeting — and answered some of the most commonly asked questions about the project. Of course, more details will come if and when this project advances beyond the planning stages and into engineering and ultimately construction.

It’s a process that will “optimistically” take at least 10 years, according to the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission — and more than likely 15 or more. So don’t expect to see  Highway 794 go beyond Edgerton Avenue anytime soon.

That said, it’s a worthy project and worthy of continued debate. So I credit Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik and other local leaders for driving this, even if it will soon get much harder as this project advances beyond the drawing board and on to the formal regional transportation plan.

You can learn more about the $207 millions extension plan here. Among the local impacts mentioned at Wednesday’s meeting:

  • The project would generally follow the Union Pacific Railroad tracks south of Edgerton to Highway 100, with three interchanges most directly serving South Milwaukee. Two, at Rawson and Drexel, are being planned as grade-separated (either above or below grade). The third, at College, would be a “jug handle” interchange similar to that found currently at 794 and Oklahoma Avenue.
  • The extension would reduce traffic on Highway 32 and Pennsylvania/Nicholson through South Milwaukee, eliminating the need for widening of the latter south of Rawson to Milwaukee Avenue.
  • Widening between College and Rawson is still planned for this summer and fall — work that I strongly argue is still necessary given the long-range nature of the extension project.
  • The Lake Parkway extension would be a safer road. Crash rates on the extension would be about half that of Pennsylvania, the primary arterial that would (and does) carry traffic without the project.
Public comments are still being taken on the project by March 15. You can do so by email, an online website form, mail or fax. Find details here.

Of course, I’d like to know what you think of this project. Post your comments below!

(I also wanted to share a letter of opposition from Michael Timm, a Cudahy resident and former editor of the Bay View Compass, that found its way to my email. While I support this project, Mr. Timm raises some good points against it. Food for thought …)

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