[Fwd: 5-28-10 HIGHWAY J CITIZENS GROUP, U.A. Update -- New Report Supports Our Ongoing Legal Efforts to Stop Unnecessary Road Expansion and Save Tax Dollars in Wisconsin.]

[Susan De Vos]

This is an email message from another group with some similar concerns to those of this group.  WISPIRG's Transportation Web site from which it is possible to download the mentioned report is http://www.wispirg.org/issues/transportation/.

Susan

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	5-28-10 HIGHWAY J CITIZENS GROUP, U.A. Update -- New Report Supports Our Ongoing Legal Efforts to Stop Unnecessary Road Expansion and Save Tax Dollars in Wisconsin.
Date:	Fri, 28 May 2010 18:31:34 -0500
From:	Jeff Gonyo <jmgon...@core.com>
To:	Jeff Gonyo <jmgon...@core.com>

Dear Friends & Neighbors:

 

    A few days ago, a new report was released by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WisPIRG) which found that 43% of Wisconsin's roads are in "less than good condition" and 1,207 bridges are structurally deficient (see the attached May 22, 2010 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel news article for more details).  How can that be?

 

    The answer to that question is that Wisconsin (like many other states) has directed far more dollars annually toward building new or wider highways and far fewer dollars toward general maintenance on existing roads and bridges.  As a result, many state, county and local roads in Wisconsin are rough and filled with potholes, shoulders are worn out or nonexistent, railroad crossings lack signals and gates, and intersections have to wait several years for needed traffic lights. 

 

    Does it really make sense to waste scarce tax resources on building new or wider highways while existing roads are in need of basic repairs?  It's analogous to adding a guest room onto your home when the walls need repainting, the roof is leaking, and the septic tank is not functioning properly.

 

    Our recent federal court victory will require the WisDOT to adopt a "fix it first policy" (instead of the current "build it and then let it fall apart policy"), thereby saving all of us billions in tax dollars over the next 20 to 30 years in Wisconsin.  Last year (on September 14, 2009), U.S. District Judge Adelman ordered the WisDOT and other government defendants in our case to immediately stop any further expansion of Highway 164 and instead look at more cost-effective, community-friendly and environmentally-protective alternatives. 

 

    Because Judge Adelman also found the WisDOT's indirect effects and cumulative impacts analysis wholly deficient, other directly-related road expansions in our area (like the expansion of Pioneer Road, Waterford Road and Highways E, K, and 167 in the Town of Erin and the continued expansion of Highway 164 northward along Highways NN, Z and Kettle View Drive in the Towns of Polk, West Bend, Barton and Kewaskum just to name a few) also have been stopped by his ruling.  This favorable decision was upheld on March 23, 2010 when Judge Adelman rejected the WisDOT's "Motion for Reconsideration" in its entirety.  Therefore, WE NOW HAVE WON TWICE IN A ROW!

 
[snip]

 

Sincerely,

 

Jeff Gonyo,

Steering Committee Member for the

HIGHWAY J CITIZENS GROUP, U.A.

P.O. Box 152, Hubertus, WI  53033

Phone: (262)-644-8334

E-Mail: jmgon...@core.com

Website: www.hwyjcitizensgroup.org