The Brookfield Scene

Recent blogs about 124th Street, Calhoun and Bluemound Roads had some readers writing.

I learned that 124th Street south of Greenfield is in New Berlin. Not Brookfield’s problem.

The widening of Calhoun Road, in one person’s view, will be a good thing. He predicts that the “massive safety improvements” will improve the marketability of homes along Calhoun.

Another reader questioned, “Why in the world is the roadway that wide, and what’s with all the left turn lanes? The project is being way overdone. …The monstrous roadway between Gebhardt and Bluemound would be laughable if we weren’t paying for it.”

Someone asked about and volunteered for a “Save the [Ruby] Farm” campaign.

Public transportation on Bluemound Road was a sore point. “Public transportation is useless. It brings in revenue of $15,000 and costs how much to run. It gets to use 25% of the road and hauls 5% of the people.”

“A drive down Bluemound between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. will illustrate what [elected officials] have done to our city. Trashy commercial developments, hideous planning, and more on the way…to say nothing of the huge increase in crime.”

Other emails focused on dissatisfaction with city officials. One reader wrote, “I expected so much from Speaker… It seems that the elected officials want to turn the city into a metropolis, and they completely disregard the taxpayers.”

Another wrote, “The Mayor and Council have a severe case of ego and self-serving that puts them above accountability or logic.”

“The whole management of development in Brookfield has been disgusting.”

Please share you views with me at JW-BLOG@wi.rr.com.

Christmas is over. We’ll soon be into a new year.

Will we resolve to leave simpler lives next year, without all the hustle and bustle surrounding one day?

Retailers promote shopping. The madness begins the day after Thanksgiving, on “Black Friday.” Customers are enticed by door-buster sales items. Over the course of the next month, one two-day only sale is followed by another.

Did you see any smiling faces while on your shopping ventures this year? Were you appreciative of the gifts you received?

Christmas for many people has become a day of giving and getting. Consider focusing on faith, family and friends next year.

The Census Bureau just released its statistical abstract documenting how much life has changed recently. We learned that our lives are much more media-centered -- “connected” -- than ever before.

That makes some people recall the good old days…during a period when life could be enjoyed. Life of a 12 year old child, 50 years ago:

My family consisted of a mother, father, brother, sister and a grandmother. Our home was modest. It did not have air conditioning. Six people shared one bathroom.

We had one black and white TV with three TV channels. We had one telephone with a “party” (shared) line. My sister and I listened to the radio at night. We liked “The Shadow.”

We were a one-car home. My father drove to work; my mother took a bus to her part-time job. My mother knew how to drive a car. Meals were always eaten at home. We always had fried chicken on Sundays.

My brothers, sisters and I walked to school regardless of weather. I went to a newly built junior high just over a mile from home. My sister’s high school was a mile and a half away. My brother’s grade school was about six blocks away.

School was never cancelled. We walked in the streets if sidewalks were not shoveled. During really bad snowstorms, classes were dismissed after we arrived at school. We had to stay at school until at least 11 a.m. and then were sent trudging home in the cold and snow.

At the movies, we saw not one, but two, features plus a comic.

There were local mom and pop food stores and some meat markets. Fruits and vegetables were available only during their season.

Bread and milk were delivered to our homes.

There was little development west of Highway 100. Mayfair Mall hadn’t yet been built. Retail stores were closed on Sundays. Our family would drive to the “country” on Sunday when the weather was nice.

There were no electronics fifty years ago.

Girls were not allowed on the baseball diamond.

On occasion, it’s fun to find a new route somewhere. This day, I was traveling to New Berlin through Brookfield. I took Greenfield Avenue to 124th Street. 124th Street is definitely not an express route. On this early-morning adventure, I noted that traffic on 124th Street (south of Greenfield) was backed up about three blocks.

The city of Brookfield evidently doesn’t know about the volume of traffic on 124th Street and / or that this street needs to become safer.

On the way home I took Greenfield to Calhoun Road. Calhoun Road, south of Bluemound, is designated for “safety” improvements. Ironically traffic was minimal.

There were stakes in front of each home or business denoting the amount of land neighboring owners will lose for a new roadway once the city acquires it. In some cases, it appears that homeowners will have 30 feet of frontage. Residents will take their lives in their hands when when they back onto the safer, four-lane road.

Each time I pass Ruby Farm (circa 1848), I languish over its impending demise. Structures on the east side of the road are destined for demolition. And apparently the developer who owns the property on the west side of the road is not interested in saving the structures.

There has been much discussion about Calhoun Road. The city has spent half-a-million dollars in planning and engineering the new roadway. It is now acquiring property from affected residents. Replacing a two-lane road with four lanes (and adding sidewalks) will probably result in some negative environmental impact. I’ve heard there may be protected Butler Garter snakes there.

Did you know, though, that an environmental impact study has not yet been completed? Is the city putting the cart before the horse.

Can you imagine gridlock in Brookfield? Yes, it does happen. This time of year, travel on Bluemound Road becomes known as the "Bluemound crawl."

When traveling between Moorland and Barker Roads on Bluemound, you may want to consider the Waukesha Metro Transit line. You'll need $1.50 in exact change. Buses are available from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. There are exclusive bus lanes along Bluemound so you won't be delayed in traffic.

The buses run every 15-20 minutes during peak hours, and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours.

Peak hours are 7:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m.

About 10,000 people ride the bus each month. Passengers ride the bus to and from work, or school) or just to have a good time. There is some seasonality to ridership. More people begin taking the bus to Brookfield Square before the holidays because of the mall's shortage of parking. Ridership also increases when gas prices spike. As gas prices waned, ridership mellowed out; but the spokesman for Waukesha Metro Transit said "they always gain a few riders."

With a Waukesha Metro transfer (and 25 cents), you can take the Milwaukee bus system anywhere you want. Or, you can travel anywhere in Waukesha County.

Want more information? Call 262 524-3636 or visit www.waukeshametro.org