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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Highway Audit Confirms Wasteful Spending
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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State Highway Program audit 2017
“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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Major Court Decision on Hwy 23 Project
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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Court Blocks Highway 23 Expansion – Press Release
1000 Friends of Wisconsin Calls on Lawmakers to Fund Safety Improvements Immediately A Federal District Court rejected Wisconsin Department of Transportation arguments that widening State Highway 23 between Plymouth and Fond du Lac is needed because of future traffic demands. On Friday, April 29, Judge Lynn Adelman said that the agency was unable to demonstrate […]
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White Elephant Watch: Vol. 3 Wisconsin State Highway 23
Infrastructure is the foundation of America’s society and economy. Yet not all investments are worthwhile. In fact, unnecessary projects create a long-term, unproductive cost burden—a form of infrastructure overhang. The “White Elephant Watch” series profiles projects that demonstrate the failures of the current U.S. policy approach to transportation infrastructure.
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