Residents weigh in on West Waukesha Bypass plans
Southern part of project could disrupt wetland By Joe Petrie
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA – As a resident of Hawthorne Hollow area of Waukesha for the last 17 years, Steven Hammer and his family have enjoyed a very peaceful neighborhood.
Hammer said the area contains lots of wildlife, including redheaded woodpeckers.
However, with the potential of the West Waukesha Bypass coming through, Hammer said he’s concerned his family is going to lose its peaceful neighborhood to a four lane highway.
“We’re very concerned because it puts us on the edge of a highway,” he said. “We live on a wooded lot and we don’t want to live on the edge of a four lane road. We’ve lived there 17 years and we don’t want to see it ruined.”
Hammer and other residents living near the proposed bypass came out to Waukesha West High School Thursday evening to share their perspectives on the project and give input to planners.
The bypass, as proposed, entails expanding Highway TT to four lanes and expanding it from I-94 to Highway 59 and Highway X. By building the west bypass, a horseshoe bypass will be created around Waukesha, hooking up with Les Paul Parkway.
The city of Waukesha will be responsible for expanding TT between Northview Road and I-94. The county will be responsible for conducting an environmental impact study, acquiring needed real estate and constructing the bypass between Highway 18 and Northview Road. The state will be responsible for constructing the southern portion of the road and overseeing the final design of the project.
During the course of the planning, project leaders looked at Highway T and Highway SS as possible alternatives to TT in order to complete the plan. However, both the T and SS alternatives were eliminated due to cost and feasibility.
Thursday’s meeting highlighted five plans for the southern edge of the project known as golf course east, Pebble Creek, Pebble Creek west, Pebble Creek far west and Sunset Drive to Highway X.
Hammer’s daughter Susan Hammer said she also wanted to see her neighborhood preserved if the road project is built.
“People drive down our street now just because they think it’s so pretty,” she said.
According to the plans presented to to residents, the golf course east plan would involve the relocation of 13 to 14 homes, go through four acres of wetland and cost $56 million; the Pebble Creek option would involve two relocations and go through 19 acres of wetland at a cost of $48 million; the Pebble Creek west plan would involve three relocations, the use of nine acres of wetland and cost $48 million; the Pebble Creek far west plan would involve four relocations, use seven acres of wetland and cost $48 million; and the Sunset to X plan would involve eight to 10 relocations, use 10 acres of wetland and cost $48 million.
Peter Lettenberger, who lives off of Merrill Hills Road, said the data shown Thursday had him leaning in support of the Pebble Creek option.
“The major disadvantage is that it goes through wetland,” he said. “But when you look at the study, there are quite a few less relocations and it’s substantially cheaper than the golf course option.” |
