The Halloween season is fast approaching, and the scariest thing we see is the I-94 expansion, a project that would expand I-94 from three to four lanes west of Milwaukee. While this initiative has been defeated once before under Scott Walker, it has risen from the dead under the Evers administration, lending it the nickname “Zombie Highway.” If undertaken, this I-94 expansion will cause significant, irreparable harm to the surrounding neighborhoods and will haunt the Milwaukee community for years to come.
The negative consequences of the Zombie Highway cannot be overstated. First, there is no evidence that the expansion would reduce traffic – according to Transportation for America, highway expansions often make congestion worse shortly after construction is complete due to increased demand for revamped roadways. This increased demand also leads to a flurry of negative environmental effects, such as increased carbon emissions and air pollution. This pollution would most greatly affect surrounding communities, many of which are already systematically disadvantaged by this highway acting as a barrier to segregate them from the rest of the Milwaukee community. Increased exposure to pollution leads to significant health consequences, such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and even dementia. These health effects are especially important in the current coronavirus epidemic, which targets the respiratory system and makes individuals particularly vulnerable to dangerous cardiovascular effects.
But most importantly? No one wants this expansion. According to DOT's own records, more than 80% of all public comments to DOT were against expansion of the I-94 corridor. The majority of public comments supported redirecting the $1.1 billion dollars earmarked for the Zombie Highway to different transportation initiatives, like improving public transit and maintaining the existing infrastructure. This money could be put to much better use elsewhere in transportation reform, like by promoting sustainability and accessibility in transit options.
Here’s the bottom line: the expansion of the Zombie Highway will haunt our community for years to come. We can’t allow our community and our environment to suffer for the imagined benefits of a $1.1 billion dollar project – we must defeat this initiative before it’s too late!
Sign this petition to show your disapproval of the Zombie Highway!
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