Mary raises the question of use of lands purchased with stewardship
funds for private purposes. I'm advised by DNR that, yes, it can be
done -- but only with the swap of a parcel of land of equal value.
That would seem to keep the final decision within the purview of the
Fitchburg council as they would have to come up with the replacement
land. But who knows how that might be accomplished. Maybe there's
already a deal in the works. I can't make it to the meeting due to a
prior commitment, but will have an e-mail in the hands of Fitchburg
officials later today.
At 01:46 AM 6/24/2014, Mary Mullen wrote:
Seems like a messed up decision to me because of the reasons you mentioned.
When they say DOT has "discussed this with Fitchburg," I wonder 2
things: (1) if the "discussion" was only about taking authority back
to make the decision or whether it was about the substance of the
decision, and (2) with whom in Fitchburg did they "discuss" the decision.
Is it legal for WisDOT to give land purchased with state stewardship
funding to a private business for their private parking.
Mary Mullen
On 6/23/14 11:26 PM, "Steve Arnold" <[email protected]> wrote:
> 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.)
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