RIBBON CUTTING, STATUE UNVEILING DOMINATE CITY SOCIAL CALENDAR

WHERE THE FREEWAY ENDS

The photo above shows the "unsightly heap of gray concrete" (foreground) of the original construction of the Marquette Interchange. Beyond are the stylized, sculptural columns and blue spans of the reconstructed interchange, to be dedicated by the governor on Tuesday. The photograph was taken looking west from N. Water St., the project's terminus.

To the left, modern and attractively painted bridge supports. To the right, the old, cylindrical unpainted columns. These will remain, and are not scheduled to be painted. (Photos by Michael Horne)

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld

By Michael Horne


Tuesday, August 19th, 2008, is shaping up as a notable one on Milwaukee's social calendar. The first event, at 9 a.m., will feature Hon. Jim Doyle, Governor of Wisconsin, who will deliver a "special announcement" about the Marquette Interchange Project. He is expected to announce that the project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Sunday, August 17th, wrote that the "aesthetically pleasing" highway is "no longer an unsightly heap of gray concrete viewed from Marquette University."
However, the view from N. Water Street, where the elevated freeway divides downtown from the Historic Third Ward, it is still an unsightly heap of gray concrete. That's because the project's boundary was at the east bank of the Milwaukee River. The existing elevated freeway to the east was not reconstructed, ostensibly since it was not constructed until many years after the original highway was built, and is still in Jim-dandy shape.
That may be, but you think the state could have used some of its budgetary savings to slap some paint on the stretch from the river to the Hoan Bridge so that the downtown portion of the highway matches the new portion, at least chromatically.
The governor's gig will be at N. 2nd St. and E. Clybourn Ave. Workers from Karl's Party Rentals have spent much of the day Monday erecting a white tent on the location for the occasion. Crews were also dispatched to mow the grass at the site, raising a hearty dust cloud, and trimming nary a blade suffering in the blazing sun and scorched earth. You don't have to mow in a drought! They must have borrowed some county parks workers for that project!

FONZ SCULPTURE TO BE UNVEILED
Also, Tuesday, August 19th is the unveiling of the Bronze Fonz, Milwaukee's tribute to the Henry Winkler character on the sitcom Happy Days, set in Milwaukee. That event will be on the Milwaukee River's east bank, south of E. Wells. St. Milwaukeeworld will cover both events live.
--Michael Horne

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!


Breadsmith opened its stand in the Milwaukee Public Market on Tuesday. Also the River Pulse project by artist - musician Ray Chi will be unveiled Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the east end of the Holton Marsupial Bridge. The rain-or-shine event, (it's held under the Holton Viaduct) will feature Chi's multimedia presentation in which a "sonde" or sensor submerged in the Milwaukee River transmits information about the condition of the water at that location.
Such data is usually conveyed in a graph or table, and has no more allure than a spreadsheet, but Chi cleverly presents the temperature, flow, turbidity and other readings utilizing light, color, intensity, pulsation and other effects. These, in their ever-changing glory, are projected onto the wall at the east end of the viaduct at N. Water St. just south of E. Pearson St. The demonstration will be conducted as part of the monthly meeting of the Brady Street Area Association, convening at the site for the evening. Custard will be served.
--Michael Horne