Decision Coming on I94 Expansion

Yes.  Do it.  DO IT.

Expanding I-94 from six lanes to eight is an essential part of helping the Racine and Kenosha area grow and will provide needed jobs now, state Reps. Cory Mason and Robert Turner, both Racine Democrats, said Friday.

Mason and Turner were joined at a news conference by the International Union of Operating Engineers and others who support the $1.9 billion project from the Mitchell Interchange in Milwaukee County south to the Illinois border.

Naturally, the trainies and environmental folks are against it.

“It’s a false choice,” Mason said of contentions that the expansion money could be used for a rail link or other options. “That’s not actually the option that’s before us.”

1. Yes.  Do it.  DO IT.

   Then quit complaining about high taxes and fees when you want to spend $1.9 BILLION on this.

   Just about 3X the current budget deficit.

   Talk about an empty suit.

   Naturally, the trainies and environmental folks are against it.

   And fiscal conservatives!

   Posted by on May 03, 2008 at 2144 hrs




2. You overplay your hand, pjr.  I am against a lot of spending and taxes, but not all of them.  In this case, I94 is a major commercial artery into Wisconsin.  I’m willing to spend money to make it better and bigger. 

   The benefits for teachers that cost 50+% more than the national average.... not so much.

   The train that will run in a square that Barrett wants.... no. 

   The millions spent for the state to buy land to “preserve” it… nah. 

   I can actually take individual expenditures and weigh them on their merits.  You?

   Posted by Owen on May 03, 2008 at 2150 hrs




3. I am not bothered by the idea of improving or maintaining infrastructure, I think this country has done a terrible job of that the last 30 years. I just want anyone who thinks a gas tax holiday is a good idea to explain how to fund a project like this.

   Posted by on May 03, 2008 at 2204 hrs




4. Which hand is that Owen?

   In this case bigger is not necessarily better.

   Read the EIS the time saving for adding the 2 lanes is ridiculous in any rational benefit/cost analysis.

   The DOT budget in this state is one of the highest per capita in the Midwest.

   The Legislature’s Road to the Future Committee identified a $700 million dollar per year shortfall versus projected revenue in the DOT’s construction/maintenance plans for the next 20 years.

   I am against a lot of spending and taxes, but not all of them.

   Really, enlighten me as to what taxes you have written in favor of?

   And for spending what have you have written in favor of excepting school choice, this road project, the war, voter ID? Have I missed anything?

   Screw it, let’s ride is not going to grow anything in this country except the bottom line for the road builders and oil companies.

   Posted by on May 03, 2008 at 2218 hrs




5. If Doyle would quit raiding the transportation fund - we’d have plenty of money to do these things without more taxes.

   Posted by on May 03, 2008 at 2331 hrs




6. PJR, I-94 as well as US 41 have needed expansion for years, nay more than a decade. I’ve been driving Semi in this area for 19 years, and 94 could have been expanded to 8 lanes long ago. 41 should be 6 lanes from Milwaukee to Michigan, what with all the tourist traffic. I know it would make my job easier, since I run from Green Bay to Chicago 4-6 days a week.

   Posted by Billiam on May 04, 2008 at 0437 hrs




7. Even if we had 12 lanes on i94 there would still be congestion.  It is still 6 lanes, and it will most likely be 6 lanes, for most of the run from the IL border to Chicago.  If Illinois isn’t willing to upgrade this corridor I don’t see why it is imperative that we do it.

   Don’t kid yourselves with this 1.9 billion number, it is going to come in way over that when realistic inflation estimates are taking into account.  If we are going to spend this $2+ billion on transportation it would be a better investment to put part of towards a down payment on a train.

   This whole issue should be a non-starter until we have a realistic conversation about how to pay for it.  We need a toll.  The Wisconsin taxpayers are the biggest suckers between Chicago and Minneapolis.  When we drive through Minnesota and Illinois we help to pay for their road improvements by paying their tolls, but everyone that rolls through Wisconsin gets a free ride courtesy of the tax payers.  That needs to change.

   Why aren’t the fiscal conservatives screaming loudly that we need a toll to pay for this ridiculously large expenditure?

   Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 0805 hrs




8. Well OK 3rd way, I’ll be the first to say that I believe that tolls would be a good idea if:

   1. It is a fund that certain governors could not raid for other purposes

   2. It was to be used EXCLUSIVELY for Roads and Transportation (None of this little 3 block choo-choo crap for Milwaukee)

   3. My road use tax would come down a bit, as well as the stupidly high gas and diesel tax in this state. (Currently $40,000+ just for my business of one Dump truck)

   Honestly I do think tolls would be a good idea just from the user-fee aspect of it. it allows people to decide IF they want to use the toll roads, or find other ways around it.

   However knowing the Leggies in this state all they will see is a giant pot of extra money coming in, and not provide the relief I outlined above.

   Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 0942 hrs




9. The Legislature’s Road to the Future Committee identified a $700 million dollar per year shortfall versus projected revenue in the DOT’s construction/maintenance plans for the next 20 years. Doyle has already raided the Fund to the tune of $1.2 billion during his tenure - not for transportation needs, but for increased spending to repay contributors. How about telling him to find a way to replace it?

   Amtrak already runs seven roundtrips daily through this corridor. If there was a such a clamor for train ridership, a few simple bus route connections could get people to the existing stops. Reinvention of the wheel is not required. We see the liberal playbook at work - trying to force mass transit by falsely increasing congestion (if we had used EIS in the past, we’d be a poor, agrarian society), then offering the “solution” of light rail. Face it - it’s too late...even our “poor” people have two cars now.  Let’s just find a way to make that reality work.

   Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 1004 hrs




10. Um, the Repubs have controled at least one, and usually both, house of the legislature when those transfers from the transportation fund occured.  So as soon as you want to hold John Gard, Mike Huebsch and Dale Schultz and company to the same standards your holding the Governor that would be great.

    Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 1206 hrs




11. Doyle has already raided the Fund to the tune of $1.2 billion during his tenure - not for transportation needs, but for increased spending to repay contributors. How about telling him to find a way to replace it?

    Most of it has already been replaced by deals with the Legislature that resulted in an increased bonding authority for the DOT. Which I don’t agree with either.

    $1.2 billion does not even come close (not even for 2 years) to covering a $700 million per year for 20 years.

    My perspective on this doesn’t even consider rail, it is about spending money we do not have for something we do not need.

    I agree with Michael 100%
    

    Honestly I do think tolls would be a good idea just from the user-fee aspect of it. it allows people to decide IF they want to use the toll roads, or find other ways around it.

    Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 1208 hrs




12. Um, 3rd way? Have you driven south of the border on 94 lately? The tollway authority HAS been expanding I94 to 6 lanes from IL22 to the border. The reason they are not expanding it to 8 is because US-41 splits off just across the border, which provides an alternative route to Chicago and the North Shore. US-41 now has 2 lanes in each direction, so after the Tri-State expansion is complete there will actually be 10 lanes available from the IL/WI border into Chicago.

    While I am a very vocal critic of Illinois government and the taxes, the Tri-State expansion is financed through the tolls paid by the user and not the Illinois taxpayer (those wishing to drive to Chicago without paying the toll can always take US-41).

    Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 1322 hrs




13. Um, winterwind?  Did IL not just pour buttloads of money into this major improvement you are talking about from the border to IL22?  Is it not 6 lanes the entire way?  The congestion in IL is worse than what we have by far, and they won’t be adding any lanes in the foreseeable future.  Whatever congestion we have on our 6 lanes is going to be considered smooth sailing when you hit the congestion encountered on the 6 lanes south of Gurnee. 

    I didn’t know 41 counted in the calculation of lanes of 94.  There are stop lights on 41 every few miles.  If 41 in IL counts as the needed extra lanes we should just provide a better link to 45 and count that as our extra lanes.

    Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 1429 hrs




14. Lefty,

    I am more than willing to hold them all accountable. Too often, they have taken the easy out. However, the legislators have stood up, voted on it and took the heat - Doyle was the one who, while no one was looking, “Frankenstein vetoed” the authority to his staff to make one of the biggest transfers - essentially direct to the pockets of the teacher’s union.

    Posted by on May 04, 2008 at 2144 hrs




15. I’m not a train guy and don’t want light rail anywhere near Milwaukee.

    Now that is out of the way, I’d like to explore those high speed trains that they have overseas to replace the Amtrak.  If you cut that 90 minute train ride to downtown Chicago to say 35-40 minutes by virtue of a bullet train, ridership would explode.

    Posted by on May 05, 2008 at 0742 hrs




16. In this case, I94 is a major commercial artery into Wisconsin.  I’m willing to spend money to make it better and bigger.

    I’m actually on the other side here.  There is no need to make our side of I-94 bigger than the IL side.  It might be a major commercial artery, but it’s also the only one, unless on goes to I-90, in which case, who cares?  Using common sense, we can conclude that truck drivers are not going to take some other route through WI, because this is the fastest.  We’re also going to conclude that they are going to refuse routes into WI because of congestion, since the demand for supplies will still exist. 

    I don’t think we’re any where near a point where we need to expand it.  I drive it a couple of times a month, and it’s not as bad as it gets further South.  I’d rather see Hwy 12 expanded to 4 lanes from the border to Madison.  I’d rather see I-43 repaired from Darien to Mooreland Road.  I also agree about tolls.  If they could be done in a way that cannot be raided by our legislation, reduce registration and gas tax fees, and done in a way that returns any income back to the tax payers of this state, then let’s do it.

    Posted by on May 05, 2008 at 0813 hrs




17. We’re also going to conclude that they are going to refuse routes into WI because of congestion, since the demand for supplies will still exist.

    That should read

    We’re also going to conclude that they are NOT going to refuse routes into WI because of congestion, since the demand for supplies will still exist.

    Posted by on May 05, 2008 at 0814 hrs




18. I am also a naysayer.  I do not drive the entire corridor every day, but I live next to it so I have to use it for everywhere I go.  The congestion north ends (except during construction) at the last toll both in IL and doesn’t start up again until College.  South it clears up past Rawson and starts a mile or three before that same toll booth.  Comparatively, it is just not a congested road.  Even on Brewer/Cub days, the congestion doesn’t usually start until Rawson going north.

    Posted by on May 05, 2008 at 1453 hrs




19. I have an idea.  Let’s add even more outlays to it and just hope that we have the revenue to pay for it.

    http://www.bootsandsabers.com/index.php/weblog/permalin k/unlimited_wants_limited_means/

    H/T http: Debt Service

    Wow, you took the words right out my mouth relative to these highway expansion projects.

    I94 is only the tip of the iceberg.

    Fixing what we already have would seem like a more conservative approach.

    Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 1056 hrs