COUNTY BOARD LOOKS TO SAFEGUARD ROAD CREWS

March 15, 2018
Sharon Corrigan, County Board Chair 608.333.2285
County Board

Board also to consider ‘racial equity template’ at Thursday meeting

 

It’s been said that Wisconsin seemingly has only two seasons: winter and road construction.

With spring quickly approaching, the Dane County Board is designating the week of April 9 through April 13 as "Work Zone Awareness Week’’ and reminding motorists to slow down, watch the road and put away the mobile devices.

A resolution to that effect is before the Board at its meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the City-County Building.

“Dane County workers put their lives at risk every day to make our roads safe and I hope everyone does their part to make their jobs safe,” says Supervisor Robin Schmidt of Monona, who serves on the county’s Public Works & Transportation Committee. “As the signs say, please give them a ‘brake’.”

 

Dane County is responsible for maintaining over 2,500 miles of roadways, including county and state highways. That is the second most number of miles for any government entity in Wisconsin behind Milwaukee County.  Projects underway this spring include:

  • CTH M from Valley View Road to Cross Country Road:  This is a Joint project between Dane County, Cities of Verona and Madison, and the State of Wisconsin.  The total project cost is  $50.5  million with the county’s share being approximately $12.5 million. This project started last year and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2019.

 

  • CTH P from USH 14 to CTH K:  This is a joint project between the Village of Cross Plains and the County.  This project includes the reconstruction of CTH P within the Village limits to an urban roadway.  The rural portion north of the Village limits will be reconstructed to include wider bike lanes and improved intersections similar to the project south of the Village, which was completed a couple of years ago.

 

  • CTH MN will be resurfaced from USH 51 to Long Street.  This is a joint project with the Village of McFarland at a total cost $1.37 million, with the county’s share being $570,000.

 

Dane County’s Work Zone Awareness Week is part of a national effort launched in 1999 by the Federal Highway Administration in conjunction with the American Association of State and Highway officials.

“Work Zone Safety is everyone’s responsibility,” says Jerry Mandli, Dane County Highway Commissioner and Director of the Department of Highway, Transportation, and Public Works. “Please eliminate distractions when you drive. I want everyone who works in Dane County Work Zones to make it home safe to their families at the end of each day.”

 

Also Thursday, the County Board will consider a resolution to strengthen its commitment to openness and inclusion by incorporating a new “racial equity template” into all its agendas.

The resolution directs the County Board Office to develop a masthead for the County Board agenda plus agendas for Dane County committees and commissions. The masthead would include the following questions: Who benefits? Who is burdened? Who does not have a voice at the table? How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?

There has already been considerable public discussion over keeping these key questions before members of the County Board and other panels as they conduct the business of the county, says Supervisor Shelia Stubbs of Madison.

“Incorporating these equity questions into the template of county agendas will help insure that decision makers consider their work through the prism of equity,” says Stubbs.

In other action the Board will consider:

 

  • Accepting a grant of $244,465 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the resurfacing of the Capital City State Trail.  Nine miles of the Capital City State Trail is managed by Dane County Parks per a cooperative agreement with the DNR.  The County plans a phased project to resurface those nine miles of bicycle trail later this year.

     

  • Approving the selection of Gorman & Co. for redevelopment of the county-owned Messner property on East Washington Avenue. Gorman is proposing a 5-story, mixed-use affordable housing development known as Valor on Washington. It would include first floor space and a coffee shop for Dry Hootch, a veteran’s service organization. The upper floors would include 64 two- and three-bedroom affordable apartment units targeted to families and veterans.

     

  • Approving the selection of Perkins Will of Minneapolis to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the redevelopment of the county-owned Alliant Energy Center campus. The plan will incorporate the earlier components of a visioning process and provide a clear roadmap for improvements to the 164-acre campus that can be implemented over the next 15 to 20 years.

     

  • Amending Dane County Ordinances to restore original language for the Domestic Partnership Registry for same sex domestic partnerships. The change is related to the Supreme Court decision allowing same sex marriages and applies only to Dane County residents largely for private sector insurance purposes.