By Steve Hiniker, former Executive Director, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. Face it. We have a driving problem, and it’s killing us. We are addicted to driving, and we are in denial about it. We lash out at those who bring it to our attention and label them as “anti-car.” Unfortunately, that is about as constructive as labeling a doctor as “anti-food” if that doctor recommends a diet.
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1000 Friends contributed to the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts & Letters report – Climate Forward: A New Road Map for Wisconsin’s Climate and Energy Future In mid-2012, the Wisconsin Academy initiated a project to examine Wisconsin’s climate and energy future. The fruit of this project is Climate Forward: A New Road Map for Wisconsin’s Climate and […]
Read more about "Climate Forward: A New Road Map for Wisconsin’s Climate and Energy Future"WisDOT Secretary Dave Ross sent a letter to the United States Department of Transportation this week, asking the federal agency to rescind support for the expansion of Interstate 94 East-West in Milwaukee. This is likely to kill the project in the short-term, and force both agencies to go back to the drawing board and study more options to address congestion, and safety along the corridor.
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In May 2015, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin called for an audit of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation after our lawsuit against the widening of Highway 23 revealed systematic deficiencies in the planning of major projects. We continued to raise awareness over the next few months and legislators heard our call. In December 2015, the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) was tasked by the legislature to carry out an audit of WisDOT’s highway program. 1000 Friends worked closely with the state auditors throughout this process.
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“Today’s recommendations by the Legislative Audit Bureau are a good start toward delivering a cost effective transportation program in Wisconsin. These findings show that Wisconsinites were not being provided with accurate information on the true cost of major highway programs.
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Federal District Court Judge Lynn Adelman has rejected the Wisconsin DOT arguments that its traffic projections for increased traffic on Highway 23 are accurate. This means the project is not eligible for federal funding – effectively killing the project.
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