Milwaukee and the surrounding communities have spent years fighting the proposal of Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to expand the I-94 Highway for $1 billion. That fight is ongoing. The City Council and County Board, along with community leaders and the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT), have been calling for a transit alternative that will accomplish the same goals (reduce congestion and increase safety), while also providing access for everyone in the community, whether or not they can, cannot, or can’t afford to drive.
Now, Milwaukee is moving forward on this, without waiting for WisDOT. Last week, the Milwaukee City Council and Milwaukee County Board both voted to approve the proposed bus-rapid-transit (BRT) project that provide faster transit between the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) and the Milwaukee County Research Park (MCRP) and downtown Milwaukee. Transit is a cheaper, better option that provides access to jobs, healthcare, and other needs. Milwaukee’s leadership is exactly what we need statewide. We need our leaders to recognize the importance of local transportation improvements, like funding for local roads and transit systems, instead of continuing to invest in unnecessary highway expansions.
In order to get the project moving, the Wauwatosa Common Council, the Milwaukee City Council, and the Milwaukee County board had to pass resolutions in support of the project. On June 21, the Wauwatosa Common Council passed a resolution supporting the project. Last Tuesday (July 26), the Milwaukee Common Council passed a resolution supporting the project with an overwhelming 14-1 margin. Subsequently, last Thursday the County Board passed a similar resolution. This is the final approval needed. The next step is the application to the Federal Small Starts grant program for funding. The grant will hopefully cover 80% ($36 million) of the project. This is a major victory that will create more access for those who cannot drive, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help keep Milwaukee's economy thriving.
Make sure to send a note to your County Board Supervisor thanking them for their support today!
We also learned last week that the state transportation budget is facing an almost $1 billion shortfall if we keep spending at the same level. While legislators are arguing over borrowing more or raising the gas tax, this is a perfect example of the solutions we need—emphasis on local, affordable transportation projects while saving money by rejecting unnecessary highway expansions.
Wisconsin has the third-worst roads in the country—largely as a result of our increasing numbers of potholes and crumbling bridges. At the same time, Wisconsin spends more money on highways per capita than any of our neighboring states. This is because we are expanding highways at the expense of our local roads and transit systems. We need to invest is filling potholes and fixing bridges. We need to invest in connecting people to jobs and healthcare appointments, even if they can’t drive or have outlived their ability to drive.
Governor Walker has asked WisDOT Secretary Gottlieb to submit his draft transportation budget by mid-September, kicking off this long debate. Better balancing our needs is the only solution that will maintain our transportation system, invest in the local transportation systems that are suffering, and can ensure we are addressing the needs of everyone across Wisconsin—from the elderly woman who needs to get to her doctor’s appointment to the man on the Southside of Madison that needs to get to his job.