Fiscal Note
No expenditure is required to convey the City comments on the SDEIS via this Resolution.
Title
Substitute Resolution: Providing the Wisconsin Department of Transportation with the City of Madison’s comments on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Verona Road/USH 18/151 Project.
Body
WHEREAS in March of 2004 the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) released a has prepared a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) to address the long-term needs of the Madison area's West Beltline Highway and USH 18/151 (Verona Road) as the first step in planning for long-term infrastructure investments within this area; and
WHEREAS in August 2010, WisDOT released a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) that reduced the scope of the original SDEIS includes the segment of to the U.S. Highway 151 corridor centering on the Verona Road interchange and Verona Road south to County Trunk Highway PD corridor; and
WHEREAS, the SDEIS, dated August 19, 2010, introduces new alternatives and evaluates a staged improvement; the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has conducted a thorough planning process which included a technical committee comprised of representatives from the affected municipalities, formed an advisory committee comprised of elected officials and representatives from the affected neighborhoods, and worked closely with City agencies and policy makers throughout the planning process and SDEIS process dating back to the beginning of the process in 1997. In addition, throughout the planning process, WisDOT has made numerous efforts to engage and interact with minority and low income populations in the study area. This includes numerous focus groups, design workshops, special interaction activities with school children, presentations at community events, presentations to agencies working in the neighborhoods with these populations, and individual meetings; and,
WHEREAS the SDEIS acknowledges that the Verona Road project will have several impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, and the SDEIS outlines mitigation measures proposed to avoid, minimize or mitigate the negative impacts. The City appreciates the open and inclusive process used to prepare the SDEIS, the financial participation of WisDOT in the preparation of the Draft Allied Dunn’s Marsh Physical Improvements Plan, and the extensive outreach efforts made to engage the community during the
development and evaluation of the alternatives. Furthermore, the City of Madison acknowledges the efforts that WisDOT has made toward minimizing and mitigating the negative impacts, which include the following:
- Designing the Preferred Alternative’s footprint to fit inside of the roadway right-of-way to the extent possible.
- Partnering with the City of Madison to fund the Allied-Dunn’s Marsh-Belmar Neighborhood’s Physical Improvement Plan.
- Purchasing three fire-damaged apartment buildings substantially in advance of construction to reduce concentrated residential relocations during Stage 1 right-of-way acquisition.
- Extending Carling Drive to Allied Drive and providing an extension under Verona Road to Freeport Road in Stage 1 to reduce isolation and increase access and connectivity.
- Providing one additional grade-separated crossing of Verona Road for the Allied and Dunn’s Marsh neighborhoods with Stage 1’s jug-handle for motor vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
- Constructing noise walls in Stages 1 and 2 in the northeast and possibly southeast quadrants of the interchange as well as on the east side of Verona Road, near Chalet Gardens to reduce noise levels for Allied residents.
- Extending Raymond Road into the Allied neighborhood in Stage 3 to decrease neighborhood isolation.
- Maintaining the depressed freeway concept described in the DEIS as part of Stage 3 to reduce visual and noise effects to adjacent neighborhoods.
- Installing bike lanes and sidewalks on all frontage road and neighborhood roads being constructed in Stages 1 and 3; and,
WHEREAS City agencies, as well as City boards and commissions, have reviewed the SDEIS and have formulated comments and recommendations to WisDOT for consideration in the preparation of the Final EIS.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council hereby endorses the submittal of comments on the SDEIS (please see attached document, entitled “WisDOT Project I.D. 1206-07-03, SPES-F NH 04 U.S. Highway 18/151 Verona Road/Beltline: City of Madison Comments” for more detailed project comments, submitted by City agency staff). The City of Madison specifically requests that WisDOT integrate these comments into the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement, commit to the implementation of the specific recommendations (to be finalized during the final design process), and where noted, enter into formal agreements with the City to ensure adequate implementation.