After going through 12 city committees, the State Street Design Project needs only to be tinkered by the Downtown Coordinating Committee April 3 before it is sent to the City Council for final approval.
The plan jumped over one of its tougher hurdles last night when it got a green light from the Board of Estimates. The committee also approved the use of a $900,000 federal grant for the obtainment of construction plans. Whatever is not spent will be used to procure new bus shelters for State Street, since the current ones are in disrepair and have elicited public rebuke for their bunker-like appearance, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
This is the third time the plan had come before the board. The first time concerns were raised over the financial backing of the project in general. Though the proposal did not change since the second time the matter was taken up, significant language was added to the resolution.
\I still have some grave reservations about the granite scroll,"" said Ald. Warren Onken, District 3, of the proposed four-foot granite artwork scroll which would be a large financial commitment of the project. ""I'll be a tough sell on it.""
Verveer said that at least at this point in the plan, he disagreed with Onken.
""I find it an intriguing enough feature that I think we should have it in the mix,"" he said.
A resolution proposed by Ald. Todd Jarrell, District 8, that was placed on file by the board would have required the city to spend the same amount of money on youth and senior services and housing issues as it does on State Street each year.
""It's a matter of priorities now,"" he said. ""We should make equal priorities of these issues.""
Madison Mayor Sue Bauman said those public services were already funded by the city and regardless of that were not necessarily the city's responsibility.
""Building streets, that's a traditional city service,"" she said.
The City Council is scheduled to pass judgement on the project later in April.
