July 20, 2009

Milwaukee County Supervisor suggests
a toll road through Racine County

We're not sure we understand all the implications of this opinion piece by Milwaukee County Supervisor Patricia Jursik.

Ostensibly, it's about preserving the Hoan Bridge, but she also writes, "I have received from the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) a footprint for the extension of the 794 freeway to Ryan Road and am now calling on the Department of Transportation to discontinue studies on demolition of the bridge and instead begin to fund the completion of this South Shore asset."

But the sentence that really got my attention was this: "If the state wants to know where it can get funds to pay for the re-decking of the bridge and the extension of the 794 freeway, it can come from a toll road from the Wisconsin/Illinois state line to the county line."

Um, she's talking about a toll road through Racine County! What, it isn't enough that we're paying for the Brewers' stadium?

Jeff Warg, the reader who sent us the link to Jursik's post on the Milwaukee Business Blog, writes, "Maybe the powers that be in local government would push for an extension into Racine County since the state is considering moving Hwy 38 west next to the railroad tracks. If continued further north along those same tracks, 38 could also link to 794."

Warg, who lives in Racine, six blocks from the lake, commented on the Business Blog, "Ms Jursik should be commended for her suggestion to extend 794 to Ryan Road... We have no four-lane access roads on the north side of Racine heading west to I-94. Our two other highways heading north to Milwaukee, 32 and 38, are slow, two-lane relics from the 1950s. Hwy 31 and 32 between Kenosha and Racine are four lanes; why has the state ignored 32 and 38 heading to Milwaukee? They are a joke! All of this for a city of 81,000 people. Small town Wausau has a better freeway system than we do. 794 would give us quick access to downtown Milwaukee. The truth is, 794 should be extended into Racine County. The city of Racine has a 16% unemployment rate and is dying due to lack of freeway access."

26 comments:

  1. What is Supervisor Jursik's opinion on KRM? A toll road would potentially push drivers towards the train, increasing ridership. I'm wondering if Ms. Jursik supports KRM, and if this is the reason behind her suggestion of a toll road in Racine County.

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  2. Hallelujah - finally the 794 topic is getting some public discussion.

    Though I don't agree with the tollroad concept, I hope the option of extending this fast, wonderful road is seriously examined.

    Thanks for posting this Pete. But I do have to ask - your italicized comment seems to indicate opposition to a tollroad for 794, yet I've gotten the impression the authors of this blog favor subsidies for KRM? Am I mistaken? I'm sure you're aware a tollroad means those driving cars would be the ones paying for the new road. Whereas with KRM, we'll all pay whether we ever use it or not.

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  3. A direct link to Milwaukee from the north side of Racine would be outstanding.

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  4. Wow! This is an idea worth considering. Roads carry not only passengers, but COMMERCE. Commerce means JOBS!

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  5. If 794 was extended to Racine, wouldn't the Hoan be the "Bridge to Nowhere" again?

    (Couldn't resist)

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  6. Cal: No idea what the authors of this site favor; we don't compare notes or -- despite what commenters believe -- share biases or an agenda. We just, mostly, report.

    My italicized comment was a reaction to the chutzpah of Supervisor Jursik wishing to impose a toll road on Racine County to pay for a Milwaukee project -- i.e., a new Hoan bridge.

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  7. Why not? If Taxes are THE issue then do the toll road. I am sure everyone will drive on it.

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  8. ...impose a toll road on Racine County to pay for a Milwaukee project -- i.e., a new Hoan bridge...

    I would think the Hoan Bridge was a southeast WI asset, just like the stadium. One for which we should all be willing to pay.

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  9. Pete - though I agree I'd be opposed to a tollroad and, you're correct, that does take a great deal of chutzpah IF this was only to fund the Hoan Bridge. But the way the article's written, it leads me to believe that toll would also be for the 794 extension south to at least Hwy 100, possibly into Racine, of which the Hoan Bridge is an intricate component on the north end.

    Again, we can compare chutzpah's if you'd like. Is this any more audacious than expecting taxpayers to subsidize a train with possibly only one stop in Racine overseen by an unelected taxing authority over which they have no control?

    Or more audacious than Caledonians (most of whom I know shop in Milwaukee County) being expected to pay anywhere from 1/2 to one percent sales tax to fund Milwaukee buses, or spend extra money and time going into Racine or Mt. Pleasant to shop?

    Just to be clear, I believe your unfavorable reaction to a tollroad is justified - but for comparison, then so are the reactions of those not willing to fund KRM, or the expansive network of taxes that will accompany it.

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  10. This is hilarious. The stop taxing me because I am so poor crowd is now salivating to be taxed with a toll road and 2 extra lanes.

    All of a sudden they found the cash! Amazing!

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  11. KRM at least had a study supporting the development - agree or disagree with the outcome.

    Where is the same study that would prove additional business would come as a result of this project. By placing a toll road, you will be driving business out of WI because of the extraordinary high tax.

    The side roads will be crammed and nobody will use the expansion because of high taxes. There will be no new jobs, just an endless tax hole called a tollway.

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  12. Why should Racine pay for something that mostly benefits Caledonia?

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  13. anon - they shouldn't. Hopefully, if 794 extension talks ever gets off the ground, it would include shooting straight through Racine and well into Kenosha.

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  14. If Caledonia wants their little toy highway, then let them pay for it. This project will never pay for itself. This is just another J-Wax ploy to get to Milwaukee faster from their posh Caledonia homes.

    Besides, we already have a highway that is underutilized.

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  15. Anon 1:51 - this SC Johnson blame for everything is not only a knucklehead comment - it's getting old.

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  16. This should be put to a referendum, but they won't because they know it would never pass. Taxation without representation!

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  17. yep push it thru to keno and let them compalin about paying the tax also. this will not get more business to racine or more folks to milwaukee. ever hear of i 94 the free-way?

    do you folks talk to your neighbors who have lived in racine all their lives? the whines i hear are like this.....its tooo far(and that was from 4 mile to panera bread), its too far (racine to oak creek), i never leave racine everything i want(then get out of the house and enjoy gallery nite or any of the festivals). they drive too fast in illinois. they drive too fast in milwaukee.

    the people i have run into are so provincial that they hardly change the sheets let alone their minds. true racinians will not use 794. only the folks who came from elsewhere know the road and can navigate it with understanding. but i ani't gonna pay to use it. f-that idea.

    maybe we can swap paying for "busch" park for the toll road.

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  18. Seems like the perfect way to pay for something like this. For once, the people that would use the extension (myself probably included) would pay for it, as opposed to most government projects.

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  19. Hwy 32 is slated for expansion in the next couple years it was originally planned for 2009 but was pushed back.

    They're calling for a continuation of the four lanes from Five mile Rd eventually to Ryan Rd. From there a connection to 794 around Pennslyvania would work nicely.

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  20. If the people on 5 mile want to extend the highway, then let them pay for it.

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  21. I thought i-94 through Racine was already a toll road.

    Courtesy of the Racine Sheriff's Department.

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  22. KRM at least had a study supporting the development - agree or disagree with the outcome.

    A study that projected an 83% loss and ridiculous projected ridership numbers.

    That was no study, it was a work of fiction.

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  23. Yeah CalUp!! I have figured this extension was inevitable, and Cal is correct, It can ACTUALLY bring people to and from the central part of the City, No Toll is necessary, Just build it. No study is necessary, everyone knows people, trucks, cars, etc. will use it. It will not only improve and extend the life of 94 but will improve access to our area from the north and the south. I actually have suspected the 794 would eventually swallow either Green Bay Rd. or Douglas, Memorial and further south. This actually is a smart use of our dollars rather than blowing money on a Train!

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  24. Can I have a show of hand on who are Baby Boomers? I think that this is a stupid idea. We need to get off the dependence of cars and start to rely more on public transportation. We need less pollution not more. High speed transit is the way to go.

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  25. I'm a northside boomer and would love to have faster driving options to Milwaukee. Right now you spend 3/4 of the time to Milwaukee just getting to I94.

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  26. I lived in Illinois at the time and remember when they built the 294 around the city. It was a toll road that was only supposed to charge tolls until the bill for buiding it was paid off. Then the state said (to paraphrase), "Oh no, we can't remove the toll because we need it to 'maintain' the highway." Now in the past few months not only did they raise the toll again, but they actually doubled it from $0.75 to $1.50. It has become a cash cow for the state. Is that what you want to see happen here?

    A TOLL road from Racine to Milwaukee? NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!!!

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