The closure is set for Friday, Jan. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 8, and will allow for the demolition of the temporary Union Pacific Railroad bridge over the freeway. Wisconsin taxpayers spent more than $2 million on 31 items classified as undistributed pay plan quantities in the Zoo Interchange project, including the $404,250, documents examined by the Journal . 0000022343 00000 n [27], The bridges were built with two side-by-side steel tub girders. [8] The department decided to eliminate the basic rebuild option as it would not address all of the problems. By the summer of 1963, work crews were in a rush to have the interchange finished by the end of that year's construction season, resulting in its completion that fall. The design would have only four lanes on I-94, but included 18-foot (5.5m) shoulders that would allow it to be increased to six lanes in the future. [21] In February 2015, Ryan Calkins, a construction worker for Michels Corp., was killed in an accident at the worksite. Winter is over, and now it is time for the next season not spring, but construction. } 0000181295 00000 n However, by the end of the summer, the paint had faded to yellow. Plans set reconstruction in 2015, but it was advanced by Governor Jim Doyle to 2012, then delayed due to lack of available funding. 0000001535 00000 n [6], In 2008, the interchange handled a traffic volume of 345,900 vehicles per day, three times its original design capacity. 154 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<555E162442003C48876E06E60DCAAE1A><6CA72E0C76C78E4C9F49D645561CFCF5>]/Index[139 37]/Info 138 0 R/Length 90/Prev 661588/Root 140 0 R/Size 176/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream 0000006836 00000 n So, beyond this, we'll have some sporadic nighttime closures, but nothing during the day," Race said. The DOT proposal does not include new fees or an increase to the gas tax. I-41/US 45 at North Ave (WisDOT) 3 minutes, 53 seconds ago . This option was eliminated because it did not solve most of the problems. 0000005417 00000 n WAUWATOSA, WI A major closure will begin on Jan. 14 for the Wisconsin Zoo Interchange North Leg Project. However, the decision makers would be required to consider the results of the studies first. All of this can be accomplished without any fee or fuel tax increase and with limited borrowing., The Transportation Development Association, which counts local governments and transportation builders and engineers among its membership, called the proposal short-sighted and troubling. Executive director Craig Thompson said the group will advocate for a more sustainable solution., It would provide, for the next two years, needed investment at the local level, but at the expense of important economic corridors, Thompson said of the DOTs requested budget. [9] The estimated start date was moved to 2016. HVo6>Z+m&X4,6kYH~#h E"w{tY5r' \]MW_v~02}]Z ,5py'v M= *1nQ E'kzF*RiL1F:#%xv}GaLY'k3y-se\5G7Pl!fsuWYi.-7}@PgH."Rh:1`}D?W. [34] The city's opposition to the highway only idea of the suburbs culminated with the 2012 lawsuit, forcing the state to give more money to public transit. One wanted only freeways, the other wanted only alternative transit options. The plan also included numerous improvements for interchanges, including the Zoo Interchange. The higher traffic volumes increased wear on the streets and prevented the city from doing a rebuild of North Avenue. 0000004359 00000 n 0000006673 00000 n A 2016 survey conducted by the city found that residents were concerned by the amount of traffic. Suburbs of the city were rapidly growing, while jobs and shopping remained in the center of the city. After its reconstruction, the ramp became the tallest part of the interchange at 100 feet (30m). The lowest bid of $198.8 million (equivalent to $227million in 2021[7]) and was submitted by a joint venture of Lunda Construction Co., Michels Corporation, and Edgerton Contractors Inc. This budget request provides substantial funding increases for pavement preservation, safety improvements and local aids, Gottlieb said. Working with the contractor, the department developed plans to construct new bridges next to the old ones. Following a study, the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Committee presented several plans, with the recommended being to upgrade the system over the next 30 years. The delay of completion of the north leg has caused concern for city officials as it interfered with plans for work on North Avenue, requiring further postponement of improvements to the deteriorating road. Race said this 31-hour closure will be the last extended closure for the Zoo Interchange North Leg project. [17], The American Transmission Company began relocating overhead power lines in June 2013 in order to accommodate the new interchange design. Thin Polymer Overlays to 12 structures near the Zoo Interchange. Scott Walker as several organizations and local governments are reviewing funding options to keep up with . (equivalent to $2.71billion in 2021[7]) The third option was a full rebuild with widening to eight lanes. Help WisDOT's Zoo Interchange Facebook page reach 10K followers. [8] This would fix the deteriorating state of the infrastructure but would not do anything about the left-hand exits or traffic congestion. [13], The no-build alternatives did not involve any construction work being done on the interchange. Most of the overall highway spending decrease is due to a $292 million decrease in spending on so-called mega-projects in southeast Wisconsin, including the Zoo Interchange. [3] One option was to rebuild the interchange in place, keeping the design the same at a cost of $960 million (equivalent to $1.2billion in 2021[7]). View location map (Document may take a few minutes to load) . .video-close-floating { WisDOT will be performing preventative maintenance in the form of Thin Polymer Overlays (TPOs) to various bridges near the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee County. He noted that the project is now scheduled to be let in 2021, rather than 2018. Please feel free to contact any of the project representatives listed below. Until the bids are received it is premature to make a statement saying it is higher or lower than estimated, he wrote. This would reduce traffic in the interchange, reducing congestion and extending the structure's life, but it was eliminated because it would not fix safety problems and traffic volumes were still expected to increase in the future. Residents of the city have complained that this is excessive, and the costs of the projects are not justified by the claimed few minutes of time saved by car commuters, especially while local road aid and education have received funding cuts. Wisconsin . 10 East Doty Street, Suite 201 Madison, WI 53703 (608) 256-7044 general@tdawisconsin.org. The overall two-year budget for general transportation aid would be $885.3 million, compared with $839.3 million in the current biennium. [4] The directional interchange style had become deprecated due to safety concerns and a lack of efficiency caused by vehicles that had to move across the highway in both directions. In February 2017, the city council sent a letter to the state legislature requesting that the completion not be delayed. It is nicknamed as such because of the Milwaukee County Zoo located on the northwest quadrant of the interchange. Drivers should note that significant changes are coming to I-41 in Wauwatosa. } This 1.7-mile reconstruction project will expand I-41 to eight lanes from Swan Boulevard to Burleigh Street in the city of Wauwatosa in Milwaukee County. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. WisDOT agreed to pay $13.5 million (equivalent to $15.4million in 2021[7]) for public transit improvements in the region. On March 7th, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will begin the reconstruction of the North Leg of the Zoo Interchange. %%EOF By: CBS 58 Newsroom. They instead wanted the money allocated for expansion to be spent on improvements to public transit. Northbound traffic will shift to the southbound roadway to allow for work on northbound lanes. The budget has $122 million for mega-projects in southeast Wisconsin, including $91 million for the Zoo Interchange reconstruction, and $31 million for prep work for the reconstruction of east-west Interstate 94 between the Zoo and Marquette interchanges. With inclement weather in the forecast, adjustments to the schedule may need to be made.**. Bob Gutierrez, WisDOT southeast freeway chief, said the cost of the projecthas increased about $8.4 million with each year of delay. It is part of the north leg of the Zoo Interchange Project costing roughly $160 million. An extensive study of numerous options revealed that legislators were divided into two distinct groups. The work on the interchange would begin in 2014. Following public hearings, this design was eliminated. This would solve the deterioration of the interchange, but would not fix safety or congestion problems, as it would retain the same design. Theres still no clear plan for how the state intends to complete the project, either. [13], The build alternatives involved construction work on the interchange. milwaukee zoo interchange construction. MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Zoo Interchange North Leg project is planning a 31-hour full freeway closure of I-41 between Watertown Plank Road and Burleigh Street this weekend. Due to the complexity of its design, it was seen as a wonder by the people of Milwaukee. The design also reduced the number of levels from five to four and eliminated a loop ramp. top: 56px; The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will begin the reconstruction of the North Leg of the Zoo Interchange starting Sunday, March 7. Several construction activities will take place in and around your The contract included work until August 2018. [11] Since being elected governor, Walker has allocated huge amounts of money to freeway megaprojects, exemplified by the $1.7 billion Zoo Interchange reconstruction. hj#G_!7$eA,JBD4b4+Z Z]]SMHk`: :C /t9Kbh%0q2)Q$y\`2))!xVG(""fV'_r.yz\US&?z{7e2A",9K/*UVPR2]lV|X~x^8SBa|\-|MW/WW'U2 ~sON*[=e\_Y3=Wg2Zi3eqJWjCf.ZSOH6v15ft^ [%7bvR\;:!M6AR;)W1p:OI:R.t(]y7|Ha cnF:4T( gy`adh/NEQ(:EQA%TH0dbU%n*'4?DT!T0ieb#VIm&F3Jld2z{:m}C0odZhfpo,Q The choice to expand the capacity of the interchange greatly increased the cost, with a simple rebuild estimated at only $900 million. The need for transportation between the two areas caused a large growth in the use of automobiles. [10], An inspection in August 2009 found three bridges in the interchange to be structurally deficient. Spending on the highway program is proposed to be $2.4 billion, a $447.3 million decrease from the current biennium, according to a budget summary Wisconsin Gov. [15] The Republican suburbs have gained power in regional politics and pushed their transportation ideas, leading to proposals for bus lanes and several types of rail systems being vetoed. [12] In March 2010, severe cracking was discovered on one of the deficient bridges. WisDOT originally planned to begin working on the Zoo Interchange after a rebuild of I-94 from Milwaukee to the state line had been completed . FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android. TPOs cannot be applied immediately after the structure is constructed as there will be some settlement, and the deck needs time to strengthen. 139 0 obj <> endobj [11] In December, WisDOT began bidding for a contract to replace the bridges. [32] The plaintiffs argued that the huge amounts of money being spent on expanding the freeways at the interchange would only benefit commuters from the mainly White suburbs. %PDF-1.4 % The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has begun reconstruction of the north leg of the Zoo Interchange. Studies have found the area to be one of the most segregated in the country, with almost all minorities living in the city and the suburbs primarily White. Weight restrictions were posted for the bridges and state troopers and sheriffs deputies were assigned to enforce them. Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb said the budget proposal prioritizes the states needs. Under this plan, the Marquette Interchange would have been rebuilt from 2001 to 2004, the light rail would have been constructed from 2002 to 2006, and the Zoo Interchange rebuild and other freeway work would have occurred from 2008 to 2013. 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