Walker declares Zoo Interchange finished, but work remains

Gov. Scott Walker is doing the construction equivalent of moving the goalposts — except, in this case, they’re orange traffic barrels.

Walker on Monday celebrated the completion of the core of the Zoo Interchange, even though work on the interchange’s north leg is behind schedule. The overall construction project has for years tormented commuters.

“The Zoo Interchange Core is completed on time and on budget,” the GOP governor said in a statement.

There was even a “Zoo Interchange Core completion ceremony,” where Walker cut a red ribbon with giant scissors.

Trouble is, the Zoo Interchange project remains unfinished and the price tag for the north leg recently went up.

Pat Goss, executive director of the trade group Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, hailed the completion of the centerpiece of the Interchange but said in a statement the north leg and other projects must still be addressed.

“The vital reconstruction of the north leg of the Zoo Interchange sits idle and the east-west corridor, which links the Marquette and Zoo Interchanges, has been abandoned,” Goss said in a statement.

In 2011, Walker promised to complete the entire Zoo Interchange project by 2019. He’s meeting that deadline for the core of the project, but not its north leg.

That work now isn’t expected to be done until 2023 at a cost of $232.6 million — 16 percent more than last year’s estimate of $202.6 million, according to the Daily Reporter.

That work will get done by 2023 only if the governor and Legislature approve the funding in next year’s state budget. Walker hasn’t decided yet whether to make money available to meet that already-delayed deadline, according to this office.

In all, work on the overall Zoo Interchange project will cost about $1.5 billion.

“You can see there is work that needs to be done, not in that intersection itself, but in the parts that come into it,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Tuesday. He blamed Walker for the delay.

In a statement, Walker’s Democratic opponent, state schools Superintendent Tony Evers, said Walker “hasn’t kept his word.”

“Regardless of whatever political spin he’s peddling today, you can add the Zoo interchange to the running list of Scott Walker’s broken promises,” his statement said.

After this article was posted online, Walker accused the Journal Sentinel of media bias on Twitter because no one from the newspaper attended his Monday ribbon-cutting.

“Media bias? Journal Sentinel couldn’t attend the event to celebrate finishing the Zoo Interchange Core on time and on budget but could track down multiple critics — including one in person for a video segment,” Walker tweeted.

Amy Hasenberg, a spokeswoman for Walker’s office, tried to keep the focus on the core of the project and didn’t address why Walker is touting finishing part of the work when the overall project is behind schedule.

“This is important for commerce, for health care, for entertainment and tourism, and overall quality of life,” Hasenberg said in a statement. “Governor Walker will look at the north leg and other projects across the state as we head into the next state budget.”

Walker made the announcement as plans are in place to reopen ramps this week at Greenfield Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and Bluemound Road.