The proposed widening of I-94 in Milwaukee is a $1.1 billion chunk of a $6.4 billion road widening program in the region. The NAACP sued the project as a matter of environmental justice.
"The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is asking the federal government to rescind its decision to expand a section of Interstate-94 in Milwaukee," reports Lisa Neff.
Neff reports the details of the letter, which is shared in full alongside the article, in addition to the full text of the NAACP vs. Ross lawsuit that is challenging the expansion plan. The lawsuit centers on "environmental impacts not considered during planning for the project," such as "highway run-off of oil and other vehicular fluids" and "air pollution."
Neff also adds: "Environmental hazards would disproportionately affect African Americans and Latinos, who comprise 57.1 percent of the area surrounding the project, according to the complaint."
Environmental attorney Dennis Grzezinski is quoted in the article saying the state's letter should be a "no-brainer" for the federal government to put an end of the project, but a final decision will come in a few weeks. The lawsuit, meanwhile, will stay in federal court.
For more background on the big news, see an article by Angie Schmitt for Streetsblog USA.
FULL STORY: WisDOT asks feds to rescind decision for controversial I-94 expansion in Milwaukee
Confronting Wisconsin's $1.1 Billion Highway Widening Proposal
A coalition of environmentalists, civil rights activists, and other community interests teamed up to successfully oppose a Milwaukee highway widening proposal. In an interview, one of the leading lawyers discusses his work.
Opinion: Proposed I-94 Expansion a 'Fiasco' for Milwaukee
An opinion piece published by Urban Milwaukee argues against a proposed expansion of three miles of Interstate 94 in Milwaukee.
Civil Right Groups, Environmentalists Team Up to Block Milwaukee Highway Expansion
An already troubled proposal to widen the I-94 Freeway in Milwaukee has now encountered a legal setback.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service