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Over the past year, UEDA has partnered with the Southeastern Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) to host 2 public workshops, inviting members of the Coalition for Advancing Transit and the UEDA Community to provide their feedback on land use and transportation plans for Southeast Wisconsin. In short, working together to decide what type of future our Region holds in store!
This is your chance to provide important feedback on regional transit investments. Workshops are being held throughout the region this month; please join us on Wednesday, September 24th at 3:30pm and invite your friends and colleague as it is open to the public. (Scroll down for details)
- Receive information about how each scenario would likely perform, weighing the benefits, impacts and costs associated with each one
- Compare the 5 scenarios with fellow residents in small groups
- Provide their opinion on the most important factors to consider when comparing scenarios
At ManpowerGroup, 100 Manpower Place, Milwaukee
REGISTER HERE
Refreshments will be provided
Coalition for Advancing Transit
Eyes on Milwaukee’s New Bus System (Urban Milwaukee 9/10/14)
Milwaukee needs more transportation options (JSOnline Editorial 9/2/14)
Regional surveys show generational divide in highway, transit debate (The Business Journal 7/29/14
The Bus to Nowhere (Milwaukee Magazine 7/28/14)
Lawsuit prompts funding of city buses out to suburbs (Express Milwaukee 5/28/14)
We’re passing along information about a few upcoming events you may find of interest. Scroll down for details and a few recent articles!
Community Conversation on Transportation: A Vision for metro Milwaukee
Thursday, February 6, 2014
5:00 networking & refreshments, 5:30-7:00 PM program
At ManpowerGroup,100 Manpower Place, Milwaukee, WI, 53212
Join them for a fast-paced conversation, hear from community visionaries, and pitch in your ideas that will strengthen our communities, spur economic opportunities, and create the lifestyle that you imagine.
Speakers include Jeramey Jannene, Urban Milwaukee (moderator), Bob Monnat, Mandel Group, Inc., Dean Magda Peck, UWM Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, Carl Quindel, ACTS Housing, Jerry Roberts, Helen Bader Foundation and Alex Runner, transit and bike rider.
SE WI Regional Planning Commission will bring us up to speed on VISION 2050, and listen to your ideas. Your input will become part of VISION 2050, our region’s transportation and land use vision and plan, including the 5-year steps to reach the build out.
RSVP here: http://urbanmilwaukee.com/metrogo-community-conversation/ or visit MetroGo on Facebook for additional information and updates.
MV Transportation Open Houses in February
MV Transportation has been holding a series of Open Houses in locations throughout Milwaukee County to meet with residents and answer questions about their bid to provide transportation services. Click here to see a list of upcoming dates and times from February 6-27 or visit them at GoodBeingHere.com and scroll down for a list of FAQ’s
Also, SEWRPC has posted results from the first two phases of VISION 2050. This website is updated regularly and information about the process is available at http://vision2050sewis.org/Vision2050/The-Process
ARTICLES & INFORMATION
Federal government approves change to streetcar route (BizTimes 1/16)
Our View: Mayor Tom Barrett is right to push ahead on streetcar project (JSOnline 1/16)
Wisconsin should get on board (JSOnline Opinion 1/11/14)
Point Counterpoint Q&A: Debating Milwaukee’s streetcar (The Business Journal 1/10/14):
Wangard on benefits to development and Donovan on costs
Just wanted to remind you about tomorrow’s VISION 2050 public input workshop. UEDA is hosting this visioning session in partnership with the Southeastern Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC). A critical part of the VISION 2050 process will be public involvement and input.
Scroll down for details on the VISION 2050 workshop or RSVP here.
Also, below are a some recent articles, including the feature story by Milwaukee Magazine on MCTS, the history of Milwaukee’s transit system and the effort to switch to a private contractor.
ARTICLES & INFORMATION:
The Milwaukee Streetcar project recently launched a new Facebook page. “Like” them here and get all the latest updates in your newsfeed: www.facebook.com/themilwaukeestreetcar
Milwaukee Magazine: “End of the Line” (November 2013)
The Milwaukee County Transit System has been trapped in a budget-induced death spiral – increased fares and reduced service, leading to fewer riders and less revenue, leading to increased fares and reduced service. But it wasn’t always that way.
“Current transit system operator will run Milwaukee County buses for another year” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 10/25/14)
“Technology gives lift to car- and bike-sharing movement: Transit services also implementing mobile apps” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 10/1/13)
Moving Forward Together
Coalition for Advancing Transit
Thursday, November 14, 2013: VISION 2050 Public Input Session
UEDA will be hosting this visioning session in partnership with the Southeastern Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC). VISION 2050 is an important opportunity to talk about the future of our region and this workshop will give SE WI residents the opportunity to provide their input to create a land use and transportation plan for the year 2050.
Join us! Share your vision for the region.
Thursday, November 14 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm
RSVP HERE
At ManpowerGroup, 100 E. Manpower Place, Milwaukee MAP
Refreshments will be provided.
At the workshop, you’ll:
- Help map out Important Places
- View & vote on a slideshow of different land use & transportation options
- Share your opinions on the strengths, challenges & opportunities in the region
- Identify goals for the region.
Manpower is located east of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (3rd Street), off of Cherry Street and just north of downtown Milwaukee. Parking is available on Cherry Street and in the Visitors Lot north of the building (on Cherry). Bus routes 19, 80, 57 and Green line all run nearby. Visit www.ridemcts.com to plan your trip.
Our past work with UEDA and other partners on public transportation issues has made clear that a regional approach to investments in infrastructure and assets such as public transportation, housing development and land use is imperative to the economic vitality of SE WI.
Passing along a few updates we thought you may be interested in. Over the past few months, we have seen a number of changes related to SE WI transit, including the preservation of transit funding the state budget, continued progress on the Milwaukee Streetcar project, the proposal for a new manager for Milwaukee County Transit and the launch of the Regional Planning Commission’s VISION 2050 process.
Scroll down for more information, how you can get involved, article links and more!
Moving Forward Together
Coalition for Advancing Transit
Please Save the Date! Voice your ideas and vision for the future.
VISION 2050 public workshops
October 15-30, 2013
VISION 2050 is an exciting opportunity to help to drive a positive change in our transportation and the ways that our communities develop. This is an important time help identify transportation and growth options that will support healthy, prosperous lives and vibrant communities.
In October, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) is kicking off VISION 2050, One Region, Focusing on our Future, with 7 unique and interactive visioning workshops. Attend a session near you! One session will be held in each county, starting October 15th. The input gathered at visioning activities will become the framework for a regional dialog and a long-range regional land use and transportation plan, including the steps and funding needed to implement the plan.
View the VISION 2050 newsletter here, which includes a list of dates and times for workshops in the 7-county area or learn more at http://bit.ly/GLkAzk. Follow the project at www.Vision2050sewis.org
And please consider these additional ways that you can help shape a positive future:
- Please share this information widely among your friends, colleagues and networks.
- Invite SEWRPC to your organization to give a presentation and gather input.
The Milwaukee Streetcar project advances
Earlier this year, the City of Milwaukee recently began the Final Design phase of developing the streetcar, which will involve more detailed project development and a greater design consideration to minimize impacts within the public right-of-way. For example, they are refining the streetcar route as needed, closely examining utility concerns and updating cost estimates, etc.
Check out their website, www.themilwaukeestreetcar.com for updates on their progress, including video interviews that will give you a better understanding of who will ride the streetcar and the anticipated transit-oriented development along the route. The Milwaukee Streetcar YouTube channel can also be accessed here: http://www.youtube.com/MilwaukeeStreetcar
ARTICLES & INFORMATION
2013 WI Public Transportation Conference: October 21-23 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. Registration information here
Monday on Lake Effect: Milwaukee County Transit (WUWM 89.7 10/1/13)
In defense of County Bus System (Urban Milwaukee Op-Ed 9/24/13)
MV Transportation promises to transform Milwaukee County transit (JSOnline 9/4/13)
NPR & Youth Radio produced a series earlier this summer that focused on Millennials and our changing car culture. Read more here
Abele Anxious For New Transit Manager to Get Onboard (WUWM 8/26/13)
Transit system operator sues over pending loss of contract (JS Online 8/8/13)
Milwaukee County officials pick new firm to run bus system (The Business Journal 7/30/13)
Bidders to run Milwaukee County transit told how much to spend (JS Online 7/25/13)
Abele dumps county transit company (Urban Milwaukee 7/29/13)
Can you blow for that bus? (JS Online Opinion 7/5/13)
Milwaukee Transit supporters score wins in Madison (The Business Journal 6/5/13)
The Transit Legacy of Frank Lautenberg (Next City 6/4/13)
UWM students develop Milwaukee County app to track buses (The Business Journal 6/4/13)
Transit is vital to downtown’s vitality (JS Online Opinion 5/21/13)
Rise in transit tides lifts all boats (OnMilwaukee.com 5/16/13)
New transit lobbying group to support streetcar, Hiawatha (The Business Journal 5/13/13)
Abele, MMAC, Barrett join forces on transit funding (The Business Journal 4/15/13)
The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee is holding 4 public hearings on the Biennial Budget Bill. These hearings provide an opportunity to testify before legislators who will make critical spending decisions on transit. The SE Wisconsin hearing is on:
Thursday, April 4 from 10am to 6pm
At Greendale High School, 6801 Southway, Greendale MAP
Scroll down for more information on talking points and tips for testifying. If you are not able to testify at the hearing, send your comments to the committee members via email, phone or mail.
Also, share this information about transit with associates and friends!
Regional Transit Initiative Policy Platform and Joint Finance Committee Contact Information
Find your State Legislator here or call 1-800-362-9472
Transit is vital to so many aspects of the economy and community of SE Wisconsin, and yet the 2013-15 state budget bill, AB40, continues the harmful 10% cut to transit funding made in the 2011-13 state budget. It also undermines the future of transit by moving transit out of the segregated transportation fund into the general fund where is will be competing with every non-transportation program.
Without a change, communities in SE WI and across the state will continue to lose essential mobility. Milwaukee County faces a particularly devastating situation when the one-time federal funding expires in 2014 that is funding transit since the 10% cut in transit funding in the last state budget.
Implementing the following 2013-15 state budget priorities is essential to preserving transit service and protecting our ability to create and retain jobs, help train and educate our workers, and connect workers to employers in Southeast Wisconsin.
- Restore state transit operating aids that were cut in the 2011-13 biennial budget, to preserve vital transit services.
- Maintain transit funding from the segregated Transportation Fund, to provide crucial funding stability. Transit is as integral a part of the transportation system as roads and requires the same stable dedicated funding from the segregated funding source.
Tips for Testifying
- The hearings draw a big crowd, so arrive early to register to speak.
- Bring 20 copies of your testimony, if possible – enough copies for the committee (16) and some extras for those who are interested.
- Be brief – remarks are generally limited to 2 – 3 minutes.
- Begin with a clear and concise statement of our position and what you want. “I am urging you to amend the budget to include ______________.”
- Powerful testimony is a combination of personal stories and accurate, current statistics. Speak from your heart.
ARTICLES & INFORMATION
Milwaukee needs to save its Bucks and its buses (3/8/13) BizTimes.com BizBlog by Milwaukee County Supervisor Michael Mayo
Is Scott Walker killing of public transit? Transit’s funding is uncertain but road builders win big (3/6/13) Shepherd Express
Good Transit Policy Shouldn’t Lean Left or Right (2/16/13) JSOnline “Purple Wisconsin” blog by Alex Runner
Scott Walker says he’ll invest $6.4 billion for transportation needs (2/15/13) JSOnline “All Politics” blog by Don Walker
Growing Our Economy: Investing in Infrastructure (2/14/13) Press Release on Transportation Budget by Governor Walker
Wisconsin Transit Week is February 4-10, 2013! Ride transit, tweet and share. What’s your transit system? http://ow.ly/gNtgc #WITransit
Go to www.witransitweek.com, how MCTS is celebrating
Other news in Wisconsin transit…
WI Commission on Transportation Finance and Policy Report released, how to contact the Governor and show your support for Transit, and links to articles from the past month.
Scroll down for details and more information and don’t forget to ride transit, tweet and share!
Moving Forward Together
The Coalition for Advancing Transit
Contact the Governor about the State Transportation Budget
There is a troubling transit situation approaching, and an immediate opportunity to help, that we thought that you would want to know about:
In the last state budget, state transit aids were cut by 10%, or nearly $7 million for Milwaukee County. Only with a one-time influx of Federal funds did we prevent the funding gap from affecting transit service. But this could once again be at our doorstep in February 2014. If there is not a change, the magnitude of the funding gap will most certainly mean a decrease in transit services.
You may recall MCTS developed plans in 2011 to address the funding cut expected for 2012, which included the elimination of entire routes and route segments, reduced frequencies, shorter operating hours, reduced service areas, and more.
At the last minute, Milwaukee County was able to find a creative solution to keep services mostly intact by repurposing one-time federal CMAQ funds that were set aside for the KRM Commuter rail project, which was shelved in the same state budget. These funds have a 2-year life span, and are expected to be exhausted in February 2014.
In addition, last week the WI Commission on Transportation Finance and Policy delivered their report, “Keep Wisconsin Moving,” and recommended that the State restore transit aids. (The commission was created and appointed by Governor Walker and legislative leadership in the last state budget, and was expertly staffed by WisDOT over a very in-depth 15-month process. See more here
There is an opportunity right now to encourage the Governor to restore the 10% cut in state transit aids and maintain current transit services. The Governor has indicated that he will accept input on his transportation budget for 2013-15 through January 31st.
Your email to the Governor today or tomorrow would be very helpful in communicating the importance of maintaining transit services to you and to the economy, and urging him to implement the recommendation of the commission and restore state transit funding levels, so that vital transit service levels can be maintained.
The cost to restore the transit cuts statewide is so small, less than one half of one percent of the total Transportation Fund Budget, and would preserve crucial mobility that is essential to our economy.
An email can be sent through Andrew Davis in the Governor’s office: Andrew.Davis@wisconsin.gov
ARTICLES & INFORMATION:
- Panel Recommends Higher Gas Tax, Registration Fees to Fund Transportation Improvements (WUWM 1/23/13)
- Bike Czar: A Primer on Transportation Funding (Urban Milwaukee 1/18/13)
- Pay-to-play limits public transit funding (Wisconsin Gazette 12/13/12)
- Milwaukee County receives transit grants (The Business Journal 12/12/12)
- Advocates seek better ways to finance bus system (JS Online 12/3/12)
- Transit Advocates Warn of Funding Crisis (WUWM 12/3/12