At least one high-ranking transportation official has agreed that the state should get the wheels rolling on a study focused on the widening of Interstate 94 in the western half of Waukesha County.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman said a report which the department is finalizing will recommend that the state Transportation Projects Commission advance the I-94 concept to an environmental study phase, the next step in a long process of proposing and creating highway projects.
The I-94 corridor through Lake Country — the portion from county Highway SS to the Jefferson County line — is now ranked highest among nine highway corridors in need of additional study, according to an analysis conducted by WisDOT. That’s enough to earn the potential project a bit of preliminary support, Boardman said in separate letters sent Sept. 22 in response to letters sent by various legislative leaders and municipal officials urging WisDOT to support a study.
While it isn’t a promise that the work will be done, it nonetheless stands out among those the Transportation Projects Commission will consider. “The I-94 Waukesha project received the highest total score, amongst the nine corridors, for future study,” Boardman said.
Interstate 94 has become hot topic in Waukesha County
It’s the latest information in a series of ups and downs in recent months concerning a long-term plan for I-94 within the county.
County officials were vexed in July when Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a state budget amendment that would have created a funding mechanism for a study that, among other safety measures, would consider widening I-94. In his veto message, Evers explained that such studies should follow the usual path to approval, beginning with the Transportation Projects Commission, which largely prioritizes such projects based on statewide data and analysis.
Legislators and municipal officials later wrote letters pushing for such prioritization, given the data that officials say is already available for transportation officials to review.
That was followed by a public campaign led by Waukesha County business leaders that also promoted the importance of rebuilding I-94 into a six-lane highway on the county’s west side. In a Sept. 29 meeting in Oconomowoc, business leaders and county officials pressed the point that I-94 through Waukesha County is a critical part of the state’s economic vitality.
Specifically, business leaders have cited the development of Olympia Fields and Pabst Farms in Oconomowoc and Summit, development districts that will depend on I-94 for continued growth and which will generate even more traffic on the highway.
Coincidentally, WisDOT’s preliminary support comes as yet another piece is expected to be added to Pabst Farms in the months ahead, based on a new development announcement on Oct. 2.
Business leaders also cited concerns about the current four-lane design’s failing public safety profile, based on crash data.
WisDOT follows process for Major Highway Project analysis
According to WisDOT’s Office of Public Affairs, the potential project “meets criteria to be considered a Major Highway Project in Wisconsin.” But the Transportation Projects Commission must approve it before study of a Major Highway Project can begin.
Boardman’s letter generally suggested transportation officials are aware of the data, which was part of WisDOT’s initial analysis before the report is completed for commission review. “This process is essentially a cost/benefit analysis based upon weighted factors such as economics, traffic flow and safety,” she explained.
The process also follows Evers’ preference for the commission to review the data before deciding what road work should be prioritized. Boardman said that review is the next step in the process.
Department officials said the commission will meet before the end of the calendar year, when it will analyze and discuss WisDOT’s recommendation.
Waukesha County cheers key step in the process
For Waukesha County, Boardman’s statement satisfies officials’ hope that state transportation leaders are at least acknowledging the importance of I-94 locally and are following the steps necessary to make a project happen at some point.
“This is a critical step toward ensuring that I-94 meets the growing needs of Waukesha County residents, businesses, and travelers,” Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow said in a news release following Boardman’s letter.
Farrow — who spoke at the Sept. 29 meeting conducted by the Waukesha County Business Alliance, the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce and Bank Five Nine — noted that county leaders have, for some time, advocated for expansion and modernization of I-94. They say it needs improved traffic flow and crashes reductions, creating a revamped highway corridor that could strengthen economic development along I-94.
Though officials have not estimated how long it could be until a project would actually occur — officials have generally acknowledged it would likely be more than a decade away — he’s appreciative of the efforts of all who have addressed the topic and kept the prospect alive.
“Waukesha County thanks our state legislators for their leadership in pushing this project forward, WisDOT for recognizing its importance and the Waukesha County Business Alliance for their support,” Farrow said. “We look forward to continued collaboration to make the I-94 expansion a reality.”
Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WisDOT secretary recommends a study for I-94 widening project in western Waukesha County
Reporting by Jim Riccioli, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
