FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 13, 2022
Contact: Cassie Steiner-Bouxa, Sierra Club Wisconsin
cassandra.steiner@sierraclub.org, (262) 930 3963
Elizabeth Ward, Sierra Club Wisconsin
elizabeth.ward@sierraclub.org, (608) 445-4489
Coalition Renews Call for Fix At Six Solution for I-94 in Milwaukee
Press conference features elected officials, activists and impacted neighbors
MILWAUKEE- Prior to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WISDOT) June Public Information Meetings, members of the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation are hosting a press conference addressing WISDOT’s most recent iteration of their plans to expand I-94 E/W in Milwaukee. This controversial proposal has been stopped for over a decade. However, WISDOT continues to push the antiquated idea that expanding the highway will alleviate congestion. The asks of the community are clear. Today members of the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation renewed their call on WISDOT to:
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Make long-term investments in transit with a new BRT line.
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Maintain or reduce footprint and maintain the current number of lanes.
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Maintain or reduce stadium interchange
WISDOT has recognized the calls from the community, but is still moving forward with expanding the highway. "WisDOT has said it is considering alternatives that aren't as massive as their proposed 8-lane highway and giant 3-level Stadium Interchange. However, their alternatives are still grossly overbuilt and not needed to adequately serve Milwaukee's 21st century traffic volumes,” said Dennis Grzezinski, Legal Chair with the Sierra Club Wisconsin. “Rebuilding the highway without adding lanes and without expanding beyond the existing footprint could save hundreds of millions of dollars and many acres of land in the city," he concluded.
Friends of Valley Park member and Piggsville resident, Leland Pan explained the harm expanding the highway will cause. He stated, "This expansion hurts my neighborhoods and other area west and north side neighborhoods environmentally, commercially, and socially. Highways have reinforced segregation and taken away resources from public transit that is sorely needed all so a wealthier suburb can shave seconds and minutes off their commute. Let's drop expanding the highway and start discussing what neighborhoods like mine really need - more local businesses, improved public transit, and clean and safe air, parks, and homes."
The coalition continues to call for a Fix at Six solution, including long term public transit investment, for the corridor. The Fix at Six solution includes biking and walking infrastructure and a bus-rapid-transit system.
MICAH President, Rev. Joseph H. Jackson, Jr. explained, “The FIXatSIX alternative addresses the issues of racial equity, a community-based vision for the east-west corridor and Highway 179, transit oriented development, and a healthier community. MICAH will continue to stand for and work for the justice issues FIXatSIX addresses”.
Long-term investments in transit are the solution Milwaukee needs and wants. “This project is an enormous investment in Milwaukee’s transportation system,” said Gregg May, Transportation Policy Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. “WisDOT should be promoting an equitable and sustainable design that meets the needs of the people near the project corridor. Some elements of Fix at Six have already been incorporated into the project, including a study of the Stadium Freeway as a boulevard. Now let’s get permanent transit solutions, like bus rapid transit (BRT) on 27th street and National avenue, and create a transportation future that is both feasible and reflective of the community’s desire for more walking, biking and transit options.”
The Coalition looks forward to working with WISDOT to create an alternative plan that accurately reflects their demands.
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The Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) is composed of faith-based, public interest, social justice, public health, environmental and transportation advocacy groups, as well as of hundreds of concerned citizens from Milwaukee and beyond. CMRT is calling for more responsible, cost-effective transportation spending that better meets local needs, including a focus on accessible, efficient, affordable public transit, and complete walking and biking infrastructure.