Doyle's Transit Plan: Many Moving Parts

Gov. Jim Doyle laid out a complex plan Tuesday to rescue failing transit in Southeastern Wisconsin and improve services, too.

Steve Schultze of the Journal Sentinel does a good job explaining all the elements, here.

To succeed, the plan needs the approval of the legislature, officials in Racine, Kenosha and Milwaukee County, and an infusion of federal funding, too.

That's a lot of moving parts that have to be meshed by several units and levels of government that have been at odds with each other, or that have been disengaged from the process, depending on your perspective.

And, of course, Waukesha County is a non-participant - - by choice - - in a regional solution, which does removes an overtly hostile player, but which also leaves potential transit improvements stalled at 124th St.

Without a real solution, Milwaukee County's transit system could shrink through fare increases and service cuts to irrelevancy, or fall into a form of receivership necessitating a state takeover or bailout.

We'll see if Doyle can pull off this regional rescue. It's true that he has made himself a lame duck, but can work on a deal for Milwaukee County without feeling like he's also campaigning against County Exec Scott Walker at the same time.

I wish Doyle well: the public need is immense.