I regret to say that DOT management has apparently chosen an east
alignment for the disputed south access path between the DNR's Military
Ridge State Trail and the south sidewalk and the eastbound bike lane
along McKee Rd. The Midwest Decorative Stone owners forwarded a message
to me the received from DOT, time stamped this evening at 6:56 pm, with
this introductory paragraph:
"For your information I met with DOT management today. They decided to
make the decision of the path location and have discussed this with
Fitchburg. One of the reasons for taking back this decision was to
insure a decision was made and he entire bike path completed this year.
They decided the path will go on the east side to provide for ongoing
coordination between Fitchburg and General Beverage a future alternate
driveway access that has potential for reducing traffic entering onto
and off of McKee Road near the proposed interchange."
This means:
1. WisDOT management has revoked its delegation of the alignment
decision to the Fitchburg Common Council,
2. The south access path will be reduced to 8' (from 10') in width,
narrower than DOT standards,
3. The south access path will be within a foot of a chain link fence,
so the full path width will not be usable for passing, trailers, etc.,
4. Visibility of Midwest Decorative Stone's business will be blocked by
the chain link fence, after MDS paid WisDOT $46,750 toward the open-pier
bridge design at the south end,
5. Land purchased with Stewardship funding will be used for private
parking, and
6. These decisions were made with no input from the bicyclists and
pedestrians who will use the McKee Rd bridge.
In return for these compromises:
6. WisDOT can design the Verona Road interchange without any change,
7. General Beverage can have a new fire lane and convenient parking
along their building in the rail-trail right-of-way, and
8. Both north and south access paths will be built this year (avoiding
my worst-case scenario for bridge users).
I have asked the WisDOT Project Manager who wrote the quoted paragraph
above to insure that a WisDOT representative attends the Common Council
meeting. I don't know if that will happen, or how the Council will deal
with the resolution that has apparently been made moot by today's DOT
decision. I will ask:
- for an explanation of City staff's role in the decision,
- for a description of WisDot's "alternate driveway access" idea,
- Council to approve the resolution with the west alignment, and
- Council to press WisDOT to consider changing the interchange design
to take less land from General Beverage and build the access path
to WisDOT standards (10' wide with 3' clear on each side, etc.).
I urge those who were planning to attend the Common Council meeting
(June 24 at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall Common Council Chambers, 5520 Lacy
Rd, Fitchburg 53711) to still come and make such points as you would to
the Council and to any WisDOT representatives present.
If you cannot attend, you can share your views as a transportation
system user by sending e-mail to the Mayor and Council members:
Shawn Pfaff, Mayor
608-278-8344, [email protected]
Dorothy Krause, Alder District 1
608-271-7532, [email protected]
Carol Poole, Alder District 1
608-273-3168, [email protected]
Richard Bloomquist, Alder District 2
608-274-8326, [email protected]
Patrick Stern, Alder District 2
608-335-2455, [email protected]
Jason C. Gonzalez, Alder District 3
608-445-2069, [email protected]
Dan Carpenter, Alder District 3
262-844-2740, [email protected]
Steve Arnold, Alder District 4
608-278-7700, [email protected]
Becky Baumbach, Alder District 4
608-239-0221, [email protected]
and to WisDOT representatives:
John Vesperman, WisDOT Verona Road Project Chief
608-884-1221, [email protected]
Mark Vesperman, WisDOT Verona Road Project Manager
608-246-7548, [email protected]
John Steiner, WisDOT Verona Road Project Supervisor
608-884-1223, [email protected]
(Yes, do include me in any correspondence, even though you know my views.)
--
Steve Arnold, Fitchburg Alder, District 4, Seat 7
2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491
Telephone +1 608 278 7700 · Facsimile +1 608 278 7701
[email protected] · http://Arnold.US
Become a supporter: like http://facebook.com/ArnoldforAlder.
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