“It is through an exceptional amount of hard work and teamwork that we are able to open the new northbound U.S. 45 bridge this Friday morning, just one week to the day we discovered a serious public safety concern.”
– State Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi, announcing good news for the state’s busiest interchange and Milwaukee-area motorists.
“…(I)nstead of wasting our time talking about more than $800 million on a high-speed rail line … we should be spending our time fixing the roads and bridges and byways of this state.'”
– Milwaukee Co. Exec. Scott Walker, a GOP governor candidate, blaming the shutdown on Gov. Jim Doyle and Dem guv candidate and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett for not prioritizing the Zoo Interchange. Barrett responded he has supported responsible revamping of the interchange, and that that Walker has been touting the I-94 expansion through Racine and Kenosha in those parts of the state.
"These decisions get made 10 years in advance. Before I was governor (the Zoo) was scheduled for (third, behind the Marquette Interchange and I-94 to the Illinois state line). I’ve worked several times to try to get it moved up. We are in a financial crisis and a financial downturn, and we can’t three multibillion dollar (projects).”
– Gov. Jim Doyle, claiming it wasn’t his fault the Zoo Interchange repairs lagged.
“There was no other way to do it. We didn’t know if we would have a contract until the last second.”
– Mark Schaefer, Wisconsin general manager for G4S Wackenhut, on the high number of out-of-state workers brought in by the security firm to patrol the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Disclosure of the non-Wisconsin workers drew criticism of Walker – who privatized courthouse security through an emergency spending order – from some county supervisors.
