Highway 60 Reliever Route

We now have a rather controversial issue for the County Board.  The Public Works Committee is looking at the possibility of developing a truck route, called a reliever route, north of Slinger into the Hartford Industrial Park.  This would be for truck traffic coming from Milwaukee. so that they could skip the busy and narrow streets of the City of Hartford. 

11 possible routes are being explored.  The proposals range in cost from $3 million to $20 million, with most of the proposed routes costing more than $15 million.  The current proposal that is receiving primary review is alternative 11, which would cost $17 million.

Some of the concerns being expressed about this proposal include:

• Questions about whether trucks will actually decide to use this route, given that all 11 proposals increase the mileage and time.
• Questions about whether our County can afford this project.
• Questions about how it will impact homes along this route, including the community of St. Lawrence.
• Questions about why the state is not going to help fund this project.
• Questions about whether this project is necessary.
• Questions about why the project is not being put to a referendum.

I generally support economic development efforts, but am being very cautious in this instance because of the significant concerns being expressed by the residents of the Town of Hartford, the significant expense of the proposals, and the potential impact this could have on homeowners along this route.  At the same time, bringing more businesses to our county boosts are tax base, helps our economy, brings more job opportunities, and boosts the wages paid by those businesses.

Until a proposal is finalized and brought to the full county board for review, I am not going to take a position on this issue.  In the meantime, I am doing some independent fact-finding. 

1. Last week I met with the County Administrator, and the reliever route was one of the topics we discussed.
2. Reviewing maps of the proposed route, as well as the locations of Hartford's industrial districts.
3. Yesterday I drove the existing highways that follow alternative 11.
4. Today I briefly and informally discussed the issue with 1 former County Supervisor who is opposed to the reliever route.
5. I will be meeting next week with another former County Board Supervisor who is opposed to the reliever route.
6. I am reviewing the concerns expressed in the nearly 100 letters and e-mails I have received on this issue.
7. I plan to make time to observe truck traffic on highway 60, especially near the intersection at Main St.
8. I am beginning the process of communicating with residents in my own district, to gather their thoughts on this issue.
9. I will be posing some follow-up questions related to the reliever route to the County Administrator.

UPDATE

I have now discussed the reliever route with 3 past County Board Supervisors, one of whom is on the Town Board for the Town of Hartford.  Each of these discussions has been productive, and I appreciate all of the time and information these gentleman shared with me. 

I have also reviewed some information on the proposal that came before the County Board in 2005.

I have also been reviewing the information provided to the Public Works Committee at their last meeting concerning potential reliever routes.