Number
221692
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
170808
Sponsor
ALD. STAMPER
Title
Resolution authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of City Development and Commissioner of Public Works to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Milwaukee County to undertake a Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study that may be adopted by the Common Council as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of City Development and the Commissioner of Public Works to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Milwaukee County. This Memorandum of Understanding would memorialize the terms of the partnership that the parties would carry out in developing a Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study. The completed Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study may be adopted by the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan.
Body
Whereas, In 2017, The City of Milwaukee (“City”) Department of City Development (“DCD”), in coordination with the Department of Public Works (“DPW”), and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (“WisDOT”), completed the WIS 175 Visioning Study, which was adopted by the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee (“Common Council”) as part of the City’s overall Comprehensive Plan; and
Whereas, The WIS 175 Visioning Study analyzed the portion of WIS 175 from Lloyd Street to Lisbon Avenue and recommended replacing that segment with an at-grade boulevard and also recommended that the entire WI 175 freeway spur between I-94 and the intersection of North Avenue and Lisbon Avenue be studied in greater depth as part of a future planning effort; and
Whereas, WisDOT is now proposing to partner with DCD, DPW, and Milwaukee County to undertake a Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study with study limits between Wisconsin Avenue to the south and Lisbon Avenue to the north; and
Whereas, WisDOT will oversee day-to-day project management and provide funding for the study, and Milwaukee County, represented by the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation, and the City, represented by DCD and DPW will serve as project partners; and
Whereas, The goal of the study is to evaluate alternatives for the future of WIS 175 to reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating the existing transportation barriers to improve community connectivity (including the safety and mobility of all modalities of transportation), helping remediate the public health and economic disparities exacerbated by the existing transportation facilities, and improved economic vitality while maintaining acceptable traffic operations; and
Whereas, The intentional promotion of racial equity will be carried out in all aspects of this study; and
Whereas, The process for developing recommended alternatives to the current WIS 175, including design goals, data collection, public involvement, and alternatives development, will reflect and adhere to the City's Complete Streets Policy to ensure all users-regardless of age, ability, or mode-are included throughout; and
Whereas, On topics related to land use planning, the City will be the lead partner in developing plan recommendations based on City planning goals and stakeholder involvement; and
Whereas, The public involvement plan developed for this study will be robust, and will comply with and exceed the minimum standards set forth in City and County procedures for community engagement during neighborhood planning so that the final Plan may be adopted as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan; and
Whereas, The City will assist in advertising and staffing public engagement efforts, communicating with local elected officials, and facilitating partnerships between WisDOT and community organizations; and
Whereas, The City, Milwaukee County, and WisDOT wish to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding memorializing the roles and responsibilities of each party and shared commitments that will govern this partnership, a copy of which is attached to this Common Council file; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Commissioner of DCD and the Commissioner of DPW are hereby authorized to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with WisDOT and Milwaukee County to partner in carrying out the Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study; and, be it
Further Resolved, That DCD shall follow all applicable processes related to Comprehensive Planning so that the Common Council may elect to adopt the final Reimagining WIS 175 Feasibility Study as an amendment to the Near West Side Area Plan, the West Side Area Plan, the Washington Park Area Plan, and overall Comprehensive Plan.
Drafter
DCD:Monica.Wauck-Smith:mws
02/28/23/A