At the January 6th, 2010 Public Works Committee meeting the first step was taken towards creating a special water rate that could be given to businesses in return for job creation within the City of Milwaukee. Specifically, the committee approved an application to the Public Service Commission requesting a rate category be created to accommodate this request.

The June 24th, 2009 Public Works Committee Meeting was a good day for the efforts to rebuild S. 2nd street as a complete street. The Department of Public Works presented three options as possibilities for the rebuilding of S. 2nd Street. The first option was to simply resurface the street, with essentially no pedestrian improvements. The second option would resurface the street at the same width, but would included painted bike lanes, reduced travels lanes, and street trees. However it is the third option that is closest to a complete street.

Clearly this meeting of the Public Works Committee was not as colorful as recent meetings but there were a couple of items of interest.
The first item was a proposed lease agreement between Waters’ New Biotech Company and the Port of Milwaukee.  This proposal would be the second large alternative fuel facility in recent years to [...]

In case you missed it, at yesterday’s Public Works Committee meeting a previously contracted public art project was halted, because some of our Alderman didn’t find the art to their liking. The art in question would consist of five kiosks attached to light poles that would contain old fashion flip machines displaying uniquely Milwaukee scenes. Maybe some would prefer a serious of neon colored ashtrays or a bunch of automobile parts lining the pedestrian walkway. I don’t know, but that really isn’t the point.

This committee meeting had numerous items of significance relating to the built environment that were up for debate.  A couple highlights (or lowlights) included the holding of a file over budget concerns, a heated discussion over Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (”CMAQ”) grants, and a most intriguing debate on public art.
The approval of the schematic [...]

In some cities residents have been allowed to plant a variety of plants and flowers in the area between the curb and the sidewalk in an effort to beautify the neighborhood.  This practice has generally been illegal within the City of Milwaukee but this may soon changes as file number 081117 intends to implement a [...]

In the name of cost savings two green efforts were stalled during today’s meeting of the Public Works Committee.
The first item to run into issues with the committee was the Central Library’s resolution that would of allowed them to apply for a $250,000 MMSD Stormwater Best Management Practices Partnership grant.  This grant was to be [...]

Although this meeting finished in record time due to Alderman Bauman’s auctioneer style meetings, there were a couple of items of interest.
First up, was a series of street reconstruction projects that prior to the recent passing of the wheel tax would of included, assessments in thousands of dollars, post card surveys, upset citizens, and would [...]

The Department of Public Works (”DPW”) gave a presentation regarding snow and ice removal during which they laid out a list of options of how to improve service levels.  This presentation was a follow up to meetings that occurred this winter in response to an outcry of citizens complaints about DPW’s poor job of snow [...]

The hot topic of this committee meeting was a recent Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article accusing the Department of Public Works (”DPW“) of having a racial bias in their handling of pothole filling.  Jeff Mantes and Jeff Polenske laid out DPW’s process in regards to pothole repair.  Explaining that they prioritize arterial roads higher than neighborhood streets [...]