There was comparatively little development in Brookfield west of Highland Drive.  Local grocery stores included Grasch Foods, Food Farm (in Elm Grove and at Ruby Isle).  Neither Elmbrook Memorial nor Brookfield Square had been built.

Brookfield has grown by leaps and bounds since then. Bluemound Road exploded with business, complete with sidewalks and street lights.   In recent years, homes have become bigger and lots have become smaller. The “Brookfield Concept” described on the city’s website seems to emphasize open, green space.  Check it out at http://www.cityofbrookfield.com/index.asp?nid=66.  It doesn’t seem to correlate with today’s development.

The City has announced its 2008 community improvements.  Beware the barrels.

We will be experiencing inconveniences soon as the state begins reconfiguring Bluemound Road between Moorland and Barker Road.  The goal: a safer highway.  This will be accomplished by closing medians to limit left turns.  Construction will start at Moorland; work will be done in sections.  About the time this road work moves to Calhoun Road, construction will begin on Calhoun Road south of Bluemound.

The road will be widened to four lanes and include a median and sidewalks.  This will be accomplished by "taking" the front yards of properties along the road.  Once the sidewalks are in, we should see more pedestrian traffic.  The widening of Calhoun Road will signal VK to finalize his plans for the 80 acre "Ruby Farms" property.   While the city seems to know VK's vision/plan it has not been shared with the community/taxpayers.

Brookfield Square will be adding two new businesses - a restaurant (2008) and a furniture store (2009).  Parking is already at a premium at the mall.  These additions will contribute more parking lot congestion.  The improvements at Brookfield Square are intended to make the shopping center competitive with the proposed Pabst Farms.

A recent Journal/Sentinel article about the Pabst Farms proposal likened the shopping experience to the upscale Mayfair and Bayshore malls.  Sorry, Brookfield.

We cannot forget the city's two new fire stations - on Calhoun Road at Greenfield and Capitol Drive. Ironically the Calhoun/Greenfield station will be on a four lane road with medians.  The Calhoun/Capitol location will not.

Let's hope your New Year's resolution included (a) no left turns except at controlled intersections and (b) more involvement in the city's plans.

We've all heard this adage.  Someone I met recently was lamenting living in Elm Grove because there are no sidewalks.  She's lived there 17 years.

These were exactly the things that appealed to my family. We had lived in the city on a busy street and no longer liked all the traffic noises.  We chose Elm Grove forty years ago because there were no sidewalks, no streetlights and because of the spacious lawns.

When downsizing three decades later, the choice was Brookfield.  The decision points were affordability, proximity to family and to familiar locations. Sidewalks were not a 'selling point.'

Brookfield does have many sidewalks. 95% of the time there's not a soul on them.  Brookfield is not a walking city nor a campus town. Just remember all the parents who drive their children to school.

The Department of Transportation does do highway "traffic counts" periodically.  But the city doesn't do pedestrian counts for its sidewalks.

Do you feel sidewalks (on both sides of a street) are needed?  Please use the commenting tool.