Compromise on Highway Project

 

I had called on County Executive Josh Schoemann to veto the ammended Resolution 11 & Highway S.  On May 25th, he decided to Partially veto Highway S.

At last week's County Board meeting, I was one of the leaders in calling for a compromise, which 22 other Supervisors agreed to.  With this compromise, we voted not to overturn the County Executive's partial veto, and instead allow the Highway Department to create a new and fully-engineered solution that would focus on truly improving safety for the intersection of Highway S and 175.  By a vote of 3-23, the County Board voted not to override Josh's veto, and to instead agree with this compromise.

Here is Josh Schoemann's statement on his partial veto:

All along I have felt the CTH W extension project as proposed came down to weighing the safety of drivers at various intersections throughout the area with the necessity of using eminent domain to purchase active farmland.  In that regard I think the County Board made a reasonable public policy decision, as people’s personal property rights are of the utmost importance and shouldn’t be taken lightly,” said County Executive Josh Schoemann. 

“After consultation with the farming families and various Supervisors, I’ve decided to partially veto the adopted resolution, allocating $100,000 versus $500,000 for the realignment of these highways. This action will allow sufficient funds and time for the experts, not just County Board members, to re-evaluate the design, come back with a viable plan, and consult with the people who live there. With this action, the proposed CTHW extension is off the table, and as long as I am County Executive no such extension will be proposed by my administration.

Here is my statement regarding the partial veto:  

I applaud our County Executive’s decision to veto (partially) an unworkable plan.  As he acknowledged in his statement, the plan passed by the County Board simply isn’t viable.  This approach will allow us to start over and develop a more effective plan for safe and efficient travel in the town of Addison. 

The plan the County Board developed as a compromise was simply unworkable.  It used a road segment designed for 200 cars per day for a traffic volume that would see between 1,700 and 2,600 cars per day.  That plan is not feasible, it puts lives in danger, and it would have been irresponsible to put that plan into action. 

Starting over, with a safe plan focused on Highway S, is the best way to go at this point.  County Executive Schoemann did the right thing, and now the County Board needs to follow his lead.  Together, we can build a properly-engineered travel route on highway S.  It will hopefully be one that our County Highway Commissioner and Traffic Safety Commission will endorse, and one that will be safer and more efficient.

Thank you Josh!

 

Christopher Bossert

County Board Supervisor, District 3