City voices opinion about interchange

City officials Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution stating their preferences for a pending revamp of the Zoo Interchange.

The resolution outlines five items the Common Council wants considered by state Department of Transportation officials heading the design of the interchange:

• greater highway access to the Regional Medical Center;

• a bridge connecting the Regional Medical Center with the Milwaukee County Research Park;

• a full double-loop interchange at North Avenue;

• the Mayfair Road exit retained as an off-ramp for northbound traffic; and

• a six-lane highway, with room to expand to eight lanes.

In the version of the resolution approved at committee level, the city would have also suggested the DOT set aside land for future mass transit corridors. However, aldermen were split on how the item should be phrased. After several failed amendments, the council opted not to take a position on transit and dropped the item altogether.

DOT officials will continue collecting public comment about the interchange project via e-mail and postal mail until July 13, after which they will weigh resident input as they choose a preferred design.

A selected design could be presented at public informational meetings as soon as this fall.