Monday, January 5, 2009

Stimulus Funds Can Get Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine And Chicago On Track

There's been so much talk over the decades - - but little action - - about the wisdom of better cooperation involving Madison and Milwaukee, so here's a modest proposal:

The city councils and mayors of both jurisdictions sign letters or resolutions urging Gov. Doyle to elevate local and inter-city rail projects as top priorities for the spending of transportation stimulus funds from the federal government after the inauguration of Barack Obama.

This list would include rail to connect the two largest cities in the state, the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter line connecting SE Wisconsin to the Chicago market, and local trolley or additional commuter rail systems, so that both cities and their respective counties are not only linked together but can construct integrated, 21st century transit systems that augment their rather static bus operations.

This would be a state-defined-and-sponsored program that much more-tightly knits together Madison with the industrial and commercial centers in SE Wisconsin all the way to Illinois, and that induces transit-oriented development along the right-of-way and the creation of permanent, transit-system employment.

Here is good data about the increase in business development and long-term job growth associated with rail investment.

Without a coordinated approach, the stimulus money ticketed for transportation will get allocated to highway expansion first, with street and road repairs, local aides and transit bringing up the rear - - as per usual.

To say that Wisconsin and its cities are behind the times and the curve when it comes to rail is an understatement.

This is a huge, one-time opportunity to change the way transportation business is done in Wisconsin - - with an eye on job creation long and short-term, so getting it right is important.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jim,
I like the idea... hopefully someone is listening!

Anonymous said...

I actually don't know that what you describe is all that far away.

From my understanding, the 2009 Kerry Amtrak bill (of which I know very little about at this moment) is supposed to contain the money to setup Amtrak from Milwaukee to Madison.

The KRM really isn't that far away from happening.

Sadly, I think a street car system in Milwaukee is. And it's a shame because it's equally important.

It would be best if we could get money designated for the city of Milwaukee to build the street car and eliminate the need for the county. We could then use operating funds from the RTA to manage the street car (complete with BID #21 paying in some).

I would be hesitant to say we include much from Madison, only because I think Milwaukee is closer to construction on a lot of things (planning-wise).

But hey, if this Obama guy is just handing out money, let's take all we can get to undue 50 years of wrongs.

James Rowen said...

To Jeramey;

I', looking for two things:

State policy that puts rail on a footing equal to highways, and a coordinated effort by the cities for a bigger piece of that spending on urban rail, or connections.

I'm concerned about the direction of these efforts - - actually, their absence (see: http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2009/01/milwaukee-shut-out-of-assembly-urban.html).

Anonymous said...

Well I fully agree with you on the rail on equal footing with highways point, I don't know that we're going to get that anytime soon.

The effects of the Milwaukee shutout remain to be seen, but I'm genuinely encouraged to believe that people in Milwaukee have the ear of the governor.

That won't stop 94 from getting rebuilt and expanded, but it will at least get the ball rolling with the RTA/KRM and ultimately the Connector.