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.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Baltimore Ordered to Improve Sidewalk Accessibility
The city is one of many to face lawsuits for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This Toronto Suburb Has More Bus Riders Than Columbus, Ohio
Brampton, Ontario used gradual improvements in service to prove that if you build it, they will ride.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service