The Board of Estimates debated aspects of the State Street Redesign Plan Monday night and decided to discuss the plan further at its next meeting.
Although time is tight, because funds must be allocated by Sept. 30, 2002, and allocation must allow adequate time for the Overture Project’s grand opening, board members wanted more time to completely understand all aspects of the plan.
“We want to digest all of the information,” Ald. Warren Onken, District 5, said.
Ald. Gary Poulson, District 20, said there are many unanswered questions to address.
“Lurking in the background is the budget issue, and whether we should go forward right now,” Poulson said.
A $900,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration must be allocated by Sept. 30, 2002, but the city is working with the FHWA and WisDOT to secure the money through preparing an environmental review of the project area, developing construction drawings and designing, and purchasing and installing new bus shelters.
Available funds from the capital budget total $2,152,000. The first phase of construction would cost approximately $7 million.
Although a financing plan is not concrete, Mayor Sue Bauman said incremental funding was always a component of the State Street Redesign Plan.
“Prior to the state budget issue, we did not have a financing plan,” Bauman said. “Our available funding would get us started.”
The first phase of construction would include the 100-200 blocks of State Street, the Overture Foundation, Mifflin Street, Carroll Park and possibly Concrete Park.
Bauman said another controversial issue in the plan is the implementation of red granite, an expensive but long-lasting material.
“Whether it is worth the cost of red granite, which costs three times as much as putting in concrete, is an issue,” Bauman said.
The board also discussed whether buses are best left on State Street or moved onto parallel streets in order to create a less noisy, more social atmosphere.
However, Bauman said a significant number of riders use the State Street bus stops.
“State Street is the heart of Metro’s connection from the East Side to the West Side,” Bauman said.
Verveer said in a consumer survey given to bus riders, the ridership said they like the bus route the way it is.
“We have spent many, many painful hours going over this very issue,” Verveer said. “Our conclusion is to leave the buses, and hopefully one day buses will be quieter.”
Although many issues need to be solidified, many board members remain committed to perfecting the State Street Redesign Plan.
“I understand that my colleagues want a higher level of comfort and more specific language in the plan,” Verveer said. “However, I remain very optimistic.”
The board also discussed budget issues and scheduled an informal meeting to brainstorm ideas for budget cuts.
Bauman requested city department heads submit 5 percent budget cuts within their agencies. After reviewing the proposals, Bauman said most of them were “not very appealing.”
The board reached a consensus that the 5 percent plans were not going to work.
“It’s going to be very difficult, and there will probably be significantly greater cuts in smaller agencies,” Bauman said. “We have a lot to discuss.”