City presents draft 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program; commission reviews priorities and funding tools

City Engineering presented a draft 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to the Transportation Commission for review; commissioners offered feedback but did not take a vote on the draft.

Chris Petakowski, Division of City Engineering, said the TIP is the city’s multi‑year listing of proposed transportation projects that informs the annual budget submission to the mayor. The department is using a GIS‑based scoring tool to prioritize segments; the tool aggregates multiple layers to produce a per‑segment score staff use to identify reconstruction candidates and program years.

Major program highlights presented:

- Reconstruction program (full curb, gutter and pavement replacement): staff identified a tentative set of candidate streets for reconstruction in early years (examples listed by staff included MacArthur/Larson, Sycamore, Evergreen, Lakeview, Sherman, Hawthorne and others). Staff noted those projects are coordinated with sanitary, storm and water utilities and that reconstruction projects are costly; the program typically reaches about 3–4 miles per year when funding and utility coordination allow.

- Resurfacing and pavement management: staff proposed chip sealing roughly 50–70 miles per year, crack sealing 50–100 miles per year, and targeted resurfacing projects (e.g., sections of Milwaukee Street tied to larger redevelopment projects, Midvale Boulevard deferred to 2026 at neighborhood request). Virginia Terrace was highlighted as having severe sanitary problems requiring reconstruction prior to resurfacing.

- Bikeways and paths: the TIP lists federally funded and locally funded path projects, including Cap City Path phases 5–6 (planned for bids in 2026), East Rusk Path and Moreland Path in later years, and other potential future TAP applications. Staff said they routinely resurface paths rated 5 or below on the PASER scale and add small connections as funding allows.

- Sidewalk program: staff will continue the multi‑year sidewalk replacement approach (districts scheduled in rotation) and ongoing citywide repair requests; recent work has included Metro bus pads tied to route redesign.

- Bridges and localized repairs: small bridge repairs and epoxy deck work were included in the program; larger railroad bridge work remains a coordination item with the railroad and may enter design or construction in coming years if agreements are reached.

- Major capital projects and federal grant applications: John Nolan Drive reconstruction (starting this fall) and follow‑on phases through 2028–29 were discussed as large, federally funded efforts that also include pedestrian/bike bridge elements. Staff noted other federal grant opportunities (Surface Transportation Block Grant, STBG; Transportation Alternatives Program, TAP) and listed candidate applications (Pleasant View Road, Hecker/Portage upgrades tied to an I‑39 interchange study, Midtown/Raymond realignment). Staff said applications will be prepared for upcoming federal solicitations and that cost‑share obligations for some WisDOT projects remain to be defined.

Petakowski also provided condition metrics: staff rate half the city’s streets each year and aim to keep the share of local miles at or below PASER 5 below target thresholds; current results show good performance on local streets but arterial conditions require attention.

Commission discussion addressed utility coordination, storm‑sewer funding constraints on reconstruct candidates, the timing of federal grant applications and the role of the scoring tool in guiding choices. Petakowski invited commissioners and the public to submit project ideas as staff finalize the budget request in April (staff noted the April submission date is the department’s planned timeline for the mayor’s review).

No formal motion or vote was taken on the TIP; the commission received the presentation and provided review and feedback.