Coalition Calls For Work On Milwaukee Freeway To Be Kept Out Of Budget

A coalition backing more mass transit and less highway spending said Monday it wants to keep additional work on a Milwaukee freeway out of the pending state budget.

Gov. Scott Walker and Republican state lawmakers are talking about reducing the borrowing of money for highway projects and delaying some roadwork. Nevertheless, Walker wants reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee County to continue, and his DOT wants to spend potentially tens of millions of dollars on more preliminary work for widening the Interstate 94 east-west freeway near downtown Milwaukee.

Peter Skopec of WISPIRG said there are better ways to spend the money.

“Runaway spending on unneeded highway expansions like the I-94 project right here in Milwaukee has come at the expense of our local infrastructure — monies being taken out of our communities to fix potholes,” said Skopec.

Skopec and the 25 groups in the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation also want more spent on mass transit, including for senior citizens.