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DNR still opposes X crossing

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
If Highway 10 crosses the Wisconsin River north of Stevens Point, the route probably won't follow a westward extension of County Trunk X.

In a Nov. 20 letter to Mike Berg, state Department of Transportation district manager in Wisconsin Rapids, George E. Meyer, secretary of the state Department of Natural Resources, reiterated the department's continued objection to an X crossing.

However, the letter indicated the DNR could support a crossing about 2.5 miles north of X, in the area of Maple Road in the town of Dewey and Mayflower Road in the town of Eau Pleine.

The DNR's first record of opposition to an X crossing was made in 1977 and cited loss of waterfowl habitat and furbearer habitats, loss of fish spawning habitat and disruption of wildlife migration patterns, Meyer wrote.

That same year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said an X crossing and another nearby crossing "would adversely affect fish and wildlife resources" and "would be most destructive to wetland habitat and should be dropped from further consideration."

In 1992, 1993 and 1997, the DNR again reiterated opposition to an X crossing, Meyer said, and remains opposed to that corridor.

A far-north crossing, about 2.5 miles north of X where Highway 51/Interstate 39 comes closest to the Wisconsin River, is more favorable to the DNR, Meyer wrote.

Quoting from a May 12, 1997 letter from Jim Grafelman of the DNR, Meyer said Grafelman's analysis of the corridor "minimizes impacts to bottomland hardwoods and other wetland resources."

Meyer wrote, "This corridor location avoids the bottomland hardwood wetlands along the western side of the river and minimizes adverse impacts to the high quality natural resources associated with the riverine habitat. There will be some other wetlands affected farther west of the river, but these are of lesser quality and importance than those associated with the Wisconsin River itself.

"Most of the corridor west of the river would follow existing road corridors, further minimizing the effects on the natural environment," Meyer wrote.

Meyer's letter does not address an eastern link of Highway 10 to I-39, whether it would be north of the existing route across the Plover River or south of the route along Highway HH.

That north route has drawn opposition from the Hull Town Board, the Stevens Point Water and Sewage Commission and numerous other groups. The route would cut through a section of residential area in Hull and would be close to the Stevens Point municipal wells.



	DNR still opposes X crossing By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette If Highway 10 crosses the Wisconsin River north of Stevens Point, the route probably won't follow a westward extension of County Trunk X. In a Nov. 20 letter to Mike Berg, state Department of Transportation district manager in Wisconsin Rapids, George E. Meyer, secretary of the state Department of Natural Resources, reiterated the department's continued objection to an X crossing. However, the letter indicated the DNR could support a crossing about 2.5 miles north of X, in the area of Maple Road in the town of Dewey and Mayflower Road in the town of Eau Pleine. The DNR's first record of opposition to an X crossing was made in 1977 and cited loss of waterfowl habitat and furbearer habitats, loss of fish spawning habitat and disruption of wildlife migration patterns, Meyer wrote. That same year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said an X crossing and another nearby crossing "would adversely affect fish and wildlife resources" and "would be most destructive to wetland habitat and should be dropped from further consideration." In 1992, 1993 and 1997, the DNR again reiterated opposition to an X crossing, Meyer said, and remains opposed to that corridor. A far-north crossing, about 2.5 miles north of X where Highway 51/Interstate 39 comes closest to the Wisconsin River, is more favorable to the DNR, Meyer wrote. Quoting from a May 12, 1997 letter from Jim Grafelman of the DNR, Meyer said Grafelman's analysis of the corridor "minimizes impacts to bottomland hardwoods and other wetland resources." Meyer wrote, "This corridor location avoids the bottomland hardwood wetlands along the western side of the river and minimizes adverse impacts to the high quality natural resources associated with the riverine habitat. There will be some other wetlands affected farther west of the river, but these are of lesser quality and importance than those associated with the Wisconsin River itself. "Most of the corridor west of the river would follow existing road corridors, further minimizing the effects on the natural environment," Meyer wrote. Meyer's letter does not address an eastern link of Highway 10 to I-39, whether it would be north of the existing route across the Plover River or south of the route along Highway HH. That north route has drawn opposition from the Hull Town Board, the Stevens Point Water and Sewage Commission and numerous other groups. The route would cut through a section of residential area in Hull and would be close to the Stevens Point municipal wells.