A wise way out on the avenue

JUST WHEN it seemed that the Avenue Commons debate was doomed to deadlock and division, Mayor John Norquist has tossed in an alternative that may pave the way for compromise. Norquist's idea would not wholly satisfy Marquette University's desire for a more cohesive campus, but it goes a long way toward helping beautify the university and reduce its safety concerns while preserving one of Milwaukee's most important arteries. The mayor's plan deserves serious scrutiny.

Marquette's proposal for Avenue Commons calls for closing Wisconsin Ave. between N. 11th and N. 16th Sts. and replacing it with a landscaped walkway and plazas. The university says the change is needed to improve the campus' appearance, to attract more students and to reduce the hazard to students crossing the avenue. The proposal has been endorsed by the Milwaukee business community, but has run into stiff opposition on the Common Council and the County Board, as well as from neighborhood groups.

Recently, Norquist suggested that, rather than close Wisconsin Ave., the city could narrow it from six lanes to four and eliminate the median divider -- End of 1st Leg -- in the road. The effect would be to reduce the roadway by half, providing additional space for landscaping and walkways. The mayor also proposed that another traffic signal light be added to improve pedestrian safety.

For the city, the benefit of such a plan would be clear: Traffic, especially bus routes, would not be seriously disrupted. For Marquette, the plan would narrow the road that students must cross and provide additional space for plantings and sidewalks.

Initial responses from university and city officials and the neighborhood give hope that this plan might provide a way for both sides to meet some of their goals without further acrimony. Obviously, many details need to be worked out. Marquette is wise to ask the Common Council to delay consideration of Avenue Commons while Norquist's proposal is under study; the council should grant the university that courtesy.

Everyone's interests would be served if this debate could be settled on amicable terms, so the city and the university can resume working together to rejuvenate a neighborhood and sustain a vital institution.

Copyright 1995
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