Realigned Frontage Road - Britta and Whenona
Jim Lyne
I have posted a letter to Wis DOT with comments/concerns/questions for
the DOT in the files section.
Jim Lyne
Jim Lyne
response to the letter I had sent him (see above).
jim
*** begin email ***
Hi, Jim: Thanks for taking the time to write me about your concerns
regarding some the changes included in WisDOT’s proposed Stage 1
reconstruction of a portion of the Beltline/Verona Rd interchange the
Beltline and Verona Rd in all four directions. I am glad you were
available to discuss them by telephone with me last week. Please
consider this e-mail the WisDOT reply to your attached letter.
Most of your concerns are about negative affect you expect to result
from the proposed realignment of the existing frontage road along the
beltline in the south east quadrant of the Beltline/Verona Rd
interchange. Your comments centered on the portion proposed to be
moved south such that it would follow a short portion of Britta
Parkway.
· I explained that the realigned road traded bringing frontage
road traffic closer to the park and nearby homes for three fewer
business acquisitions and removals. The three that remain under the
realignment option would also provide some amount of noise and visual
relief for the neighborhood.
· New sidewalks and bike lanes are included with the rebuilt
frontage road regardless of its location.
· I noted the concerns you wrote down supporting a parallel
frontage road instead are all valid and a number of others had voiced
similar concerns over the past few months.
· I explained how WisDOT was preparing to release the
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for general comments
this spring. WisDOT will evaluate comments we get then along with
yours and all others we received as a result of the January – March
2010 public meetings at the Boys and Girls Club. Where appropriate,
changes to various details may result. I noted the realigned portion
of the frontage road was certainly a candidate for revision but that I
wouldn’t be able to say either way until the document was out and the
comment period was over.
I also noted I would cover your questions to the extent they weren’t
addressed while discussing the frontage road. I have copied your
questions below in black and provided answers in blue:
Questions for DOT/Strand
If these are not questions that the DOT/Strand can provide answers to,
then please provide the name of an official or proper agency or
municipal department that can.
* Aside from the reduction of business relocations, what criteria
did you use to site the realigned Frontage Road?
o The reduction in business removals, total cost and noise
and visual blockage were weighed against moving frontage road traffic
closer to the neighborhood and much the same list of negatives you
cite in your letter. Minimizing impacts of all kinds, as well as cost,
is a general goal for improvement projects. As your letter attests
though, some impacts are far easier to measure than others. And
opinions on them can vary 100% depending upon who is asked, making the
comparison of alternatives even more difficult.
* Where will the access to the overpass be located in this
realigned route?
o Between the new frontage road and the rebuilt east bound
Beltline on ramp.
* What other alternative routes for the Frontage Road has DOT/
Strand considered?
o One that entirely followed Britta Park and one the
entirely remained parallel to the Beltline on ramp.
* How much does the realigned route reduce the overall cost of the
project by not having to “relocate” these businesses?
o The savings in business buyouts is difficult to determine
because there will be damage payments to those not relocated that are
in addition to payments for the front part of each property WisDOT
would still have to purchase. A savings in the range of $0.5 to $2
million is in the ballpark.
* What, if any, role did the City of Madison have in choosing this
realigned route?
o The City expressed a desire to minimize Stage 1 property
impacts but WisDOT proposed the realignment alternative. The City
simply agreed it looked like a reasonable trade off of plusses and
minuses, pending public comment.
* How many vehicles currently drive down the Frontage Road on a
daily basis?
o The most recent City of Madison Traffic Counts (2008) show
5,700 vehicles per day (vpd) using this road.
* How many vehicles currently drive down Britta Parkway on a daily
basis?
o Low volume neighborhood streets do not have traffic counts
performed on them regularly so we do not know for sure. Local streets
like it typically have daily volumes that range from 200 to 1000 vpd.
Busier neighborhood streets could see volumes up to 2000 vpd.
* What is the projected daily vehicle use for the realigned
Frontage Road during construction, in 2015, 2020 and 2030.
o The computer model used to predict future traffic volumes
generally provides accurate projections for major roadways classified
as arterials and collectors. The projections for lower volume roads
are less accurate because the model does not contain every trip
generator, nor does it include all of the local street network.
Compared with the No-Build Alternative (do nothing), the model
projects a 15% decrease in frontage road traffic for Stage 1, and a 7%
increase in frontage road traffic for Stage 2 for the year 2030.
Again, because this is a lower volume road these model results are
best used for comparison between the different alternatives, rather
than as a projection.
* How will the remaining businesses be accessed by cars?
o New accesses would be created alongside each of the three
buildings that would remain. The space would be created by the
acquisition and removal of two of the existing buildings.
* Where will the parking for these businesses be?
o New parking could be created in the same space previously
occupied by two removed buildings, but this would not be resolved
until negotiations with the properties that remain was completed.
* Will these businesses be required to have building entry ways on
the realigned Frontage Road?
o Driveways, yes. Whether the interiors are redone to change
the frontage to the south side would also be part of negotiations.
* Will signs for these businesses be placed on the realigned
frontage road?
o That detail would depend on what the owner wanted and what
the city allows.
* Will the Metro bus stops be moved?
o Bus stop locations are being coordinated with Metro. Some
will move, many will be improved, regardless of where the frontage
road ends up.
I hope this gives you all the information you are seeking, but please
contact me again as needed to follow up on the above or anything else
you wish to discuss. Thanks!
Larry J. Barta
Project Manager - Planning Unit
Southwest Region - Madison Office
Work Phone = (608)246-3884
On Mar 24, 3:28 pm, Jim Lyne <jwl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The letter can be found here:http://groups.google.com/group/verona-road-justice-coalition/web/Wis%...
Jim Lyne
Frontage Road route. See link below
I think we really need to get the city on our side for this issue.
From the response from Larry Barta to my questions (see below)
I asked "What, if any, role did the City of Madison have in choosing
this
realigned route?"
Larry answered "The City expressed a desire to minimize Stage 1
property
impacts but WisDOT proposed the realignment alternative. The City
simply agreed it looked like a reasonable trade off of plusses and
minuses, pending public comment."
I would say that this is not a reasonable trade-off. Compare the
traffic volume between the Frontage Road and Britta. Not even close.
Then, with the realigned route, you need to add both volumes into one
to see how many cars will be traveling down this route everyday
(because this will be the only route).
Any thoughts?
Link to my letter to Mayor Cieslewicz
http://groups.google.com/group/verona-road-justice-coalition/web/Madison%20-%20Mayor%20Verona%20Road%20interchange%20Britta%20Letter.doc
On Mar 24, 3:25 pm, Jim Lyne <jwl...@gmail.com> wrote:
Susan De Vos
Susan