A bipartisan group of lawmakers aims to require periodic engineering inspections of parking structures in Wisconsin, following the partial collapse of a shopping mall’s garage in early 2023.
In a co-sponsorship memo sent recently to other lawmakers, the bill authors note the collapse at the Bayshore Mall in Glendale happened during the lunch rush, putting shoppers in danger. No one was hurt, though two cars were heavily damaged and dozens of others were stuck in the garage for several days. The parking garage reopened about five months later.
The memo also references an earlier incident from 2010, where a panel fell from a parking garage in Milwaukee, killing a 15-year-old named Jared Kellner and injuring two other people.
The bill is being circulated by Reps. Dave Maxey, R-New Berlin, Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield, and Darrin Madison, D-Milwaukee, as well as Sens. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, and Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee.
They say the latest collapse “highlights a critical gap in state law — parking garages aren’t required to undergo periodic safety inspections after they’re built.”
Parking garages currently fall under the state’s commercial building code, which only requires inspections be done after construction, alterations or a safety complaint, according to the memo.
The authors argue the lack of “regular” post-construction inspections are “leaving parking garages vulnerable to deterioration” from constant use. They make a comparison to how state law treats bridges, which are inspected every two to four years.
Under their legislation, owners of parking structures would be required to hire a professional engineer to inspect the parking structure at least once within the five years after the bill takes effect, and once every five years after that. Owners would have to report on the inspections’ findings to the Department of Safety and Professional Services, or to local officials if they’re authorized to conduct such assessments.
Owners that don’t follow these new requirements would be fined $200 per month starting six months after the required inspection date, the memo shows. If no inspection is conducted by 12 months after that date, DSPS would be directed to close the parking structure.
The co-sponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.
See the memo.
