Posted: Dec. 22, 2009 |(0) Comments

Hales Corners — Village and state officials will meet in January or February to reconcile the Department of Transportation's desire to reconstruct Highway 100 with the village's concerns over the impact of the road work.

The state's plans, which are not yet finalized, call for the relocation of six properties and widening the road in certain areas to improve safety along the corridor.

But village officials are worried about the loss of property tax base and the impact on previous redevelopment efforts in the area. The proposal could have a "substantial impact" on adjacent businesses in the community, Village Administrator Mike Weber said.

"It would be accurate to say that the village is still disappointed that its concerns raised back in August have yet to be addressed by WisDOT," he said.

Weber said the DOT has agreed to meet with village officials in the early part of next year to continue discussions over the reconstruction. A DOT spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Trustee Donald Schwartz has said he wants the Village Board to adopt a formal resolution on its position regarding the DOT's plans. That way, he said, trustees' views would be on the official record.

The Hales Corners Chamber of Commerce took a similar tact when it released a formal statement against the proposal. A resolution will likely be brought to the Village Board within the next two months, Weber said.

Trustee Dan Besson said a formal public hearing also should be held so that residents, business owners and others can also be on the record.

The DOT has held open-house style meetings in which attendees could submit their comments in writing and ask questions of department representatives.

Any reconstruction project is still a ways off. Officials say the work won't begin until 2014.