Wauwatosa's 5-Year Infrastructure Budget Looks To Address Roadways, Climate Risks, More

Press release produced by the City of Wauwatosa:

03/14/2023

The City of Wauwatosa's 2023-2027 Capital Improvements Program

The City of Wauwatosa’s 2023-2027 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget contains infrastructure and maintenance programs that are designed to enhance quality of life across the community and ensure that future generations have well-maintained infrastructure. The five-year program represents a $170 million investment in Wauwatosa with direct grant funding from other governmental agencies and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The capital budget balances roads, sewers, and water projects. When planning projects, the source of funding is taken into consideration. In the next five years, 37% of projects will be cash funded for the purpose of saving interest costs and keeping the borrow rate down. By 2030, the goal is to be paying cash for 40% of the capital budget.

Transportation Utility funding will begin in 2024. The City anticipates just over $1 million of revenue annually to come from the Transportation Utility to address aging infrastructure. The goal is to increase the capital budget and depend less on special assessments. By 2032, the City estimates that paving special assessments will decrease from 60% to 25% of how projects are funded.

To address climate risk, the City will be installing solar panels on the Potter Road pumping station, Police Department, and Muellner Building, using geothermal technology at Hart Park, and continuing to convert street lights to LED.

The budget covers rebuilding 8 miles of road and two major bridges. High traffic roads and bridges are more expensive to maintain than other roads due to how wide they are, the major sewer pipes underneath them, and the infrastructure required to support more traffic. Our staff is prioritizing projects that are eligible for state funding.

Wauwatosa is also seeking funding for lead laterals. It is estimated that there are more than 9,000 lead laterals in Wauwatosa. Our staff replaces lead laterals when they are found during City construction or when a property owner replaces their lead lateral. There are several potential sources of lead in homes, such as lead paint, but Wauwatosa has lower lead levels than other municipalities. In 2021, 0.2% of children in Wauwatosa had elevated blood lead levels, which is less than the state average of 5%. The Health Department offers testing and follow-up care for lead concerns.

Flood mitigation across East Tosa and the Schoonmaker Creek watershed is a priority in the Capital Improvements Program. City staff are seeking proposals that meet two identified types of solutions to flooding. The costs of this project are not yet confirmed at the time, as this project will require many years of construction past this five-year timeline.

For another look into the Capital Improvements Program for the upcoming five years, you can review the current Capital Improvements Program: 2023-2027 CIP.

This press release was produced by the City of Wauwatosa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.