Committee lays out infrastructure priorities: DOT formation, sidewalks, paving and water funding

Committee members used the committee discussion portion of Wednesday's meeting to outline infrastructure and utilities priorities for the session, emphasizing the newly formed Department of Transportation, pedestrian safety, sidewalk repair funding and water-division capacity.

Chair Browning opened the conversation by saying the committee will capture priorities in a resolution so the board and the public are clear about its work this session. Members voiced shared concerns about traffic safety, Complete Streets implementation, the Vision Zero resolution, and the ADA transition plan as frameworks the committee will use to guide policy.

Alderman Schweitzer described recent reckless driving incidents and urged a combination of enforcement and infrastructure improvements to reduce road deaths. He said he expects to press for implementation of the city's transportation and mobility plan, for predictable pavement and pothole maintenance, and for better sidewalk asset management. Schweitzer noted a paving plan due from the streets department on July 1 under the city's utility coordination ordinance.

Alderman Charmaine Clark Hubbard and others said they want to improve day‑to‑day infrastructure services, including sidewalk replacement programs (the transcript referenced the city's 50/50 sidewalk program) and decorative street-light replacement where special fixtures have been slow to be repaired. Alderman Devote emphasized utility right-of-way repairs and longstanding steel plates and called for addressing alley cave-ins in his ward that affect residents' access to property.

Members also raised water-division issues. Alderman Schweitzer asked for regular updates on the water division's master plan, noted staffing shortfalls and requested a rate sufficiency and equity study ahead of a billed increase scheduled to take effect in 2026. He also discussed floodwater planning tied to recent property tax funding for regional projects and cited an identified regional need of roughly $700,000,000 for floodwater management projects; committee members said they want clarity on how city portions of that funding will be prioritized.

Chair Browning said the committee will steward these topics, prioritize equity across neighborhoods and seek transparency in timelines and funding. The committee did not take formal action during this item; members said a resolution listing priorities will be prepared for public comment in a future meeting.