Milwaukee Biz Blog

Milwaukeeans and the few million other residents of the region should let out a collective three cheers for Gov. Jim Doyle for his leadership and vision on high-speed rail in Wisconsin.

The governor deserves credit because decreasing travel times and increasing train frequencies on the current Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak service and inaugurating 110 mph inter-city service between Milwaukee and Madison will have a dramatic, positive economic impact on Milwaukee and the region.

In essence, these improvements will shorten the distance between Milwaukee, Madison and the vast Chicago metropolitan area, and all three regions will become more economically integrated allowing each region to piggyback on the advantages and strengths of the others. These regions will form a mega-region offering a tremendous mix of commercial, educational, cultural and entertainment activities.

For example, it will become significantly more convenient to live in Milwaukee and work or conduct business in Chicago or Madison. In particular, it will become easier and more affordable to live in Milwaukee and commute to downtown Chicago than it is to live in many Chicago suburbs and commute to downtown Chicago. The effect on residential real estate will be positive, and the housing market in downtown Milwaukee and nearby neighborhoods will experience a surge of demand.

A high-speed rail link will also make it easier and quicker to travel from Chicago to the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin than to travel from Chicago to the University of Illinois campus at Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. The great educational institutions of Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago will all be closer together.

Likewise, Milwaukee's cultural and entertainment venues stand to benefit from closing the distance between Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago. It will become easier and quicker to travel from Chicago and Madison to downtown Milwaukee to enjoy dinner and a show or to visit our great museums and cultural attractions. It will also become easier and quicker to watch the Packers play the Bears at Soldier Field than at Lambeau Field. The seats of Soldier Field will be filled with many more green and gold clad fans, and we may have to rename the stadium “Lambeau South.”  

Last but not least, Mitchell International Airport (which is served by the Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak route) will also stand to benefit from closing the distance between Milwaukee, Chicago and Madison. Mitchell International will be 50 minutes from downtown Chicago - less travel time than an auto trip from downtown Chicago to O'Hare International Airport at rush hour.

It is frequently said that "time is money," and Gov. Doyle's high-speed rail initiative will offer travel time savings to hundreds of thousands of citizens who currently travel between Milwaukee, Chicago and Madison, and it will open the door for new commercial activity, job creation, population growth, and economic development in Milwaukee.

Very simply, this important infrastructure investment offers the potential to achieve a paradigm shift in Milwaukee's economy by placing Milwaukee in the center of the Milwaukee-Chicago-Madison region, and I believe that shift will create a buzz of development and growth like we've never seen before.

Thank you, Governor!

Alderman Robert Bauman, a longtime transit proponent, represents Milwaukee's 4th Aldermanic District and is chair of the Common Council's Public Works Committee.

One of the first things new visitors to Milwaukee will see upon arrival at the city's sparkling new $15.8 million Amtrak Depot/Intermodal Facility on St. Paul Avenue are rows of vending machines offering everything from Twinkies and Snickers bars to Sun Chips and Mountain Dew.

Instead of attempting to attract a local restaurateur by revamping lease terms for the facility's 3,200 square foot restaurant space, the state Department of Transportation and Wilton Partners, the California-based operator of the state-owned facility, want to welcome you to Vend-O-Land.

To me and others who have consistently worked hard to pull the facility's design, amenities and future prospects up to a higher level, the fact that WisDOT and Wilton Partners have decided to lease the 3,200 square foot restaurant space to a vending machine company which intends to install a convenience store and a vending machine emporium there is insulting. Moreover, I think it's insulting to the citizens of Milwaukee who deserve a facility that is not only attractive and vibrant but also full of amenities that today's travelers (and consumers) expect (remember that most similar facilities in large cities have sit down restaurants, including the famous Oyster Bar in New York City's Grand Central Station and the multiple restaurants at Washington D.C.'s Union Station).

Several years ago, the city and the federal government stepped up to the plate to provide additional funds to upgrade WisDOT's bare-boned remodeling plans for the state-owned Amtrak Depot (those plans actually included a drive-thru fast food restaurant!). The work, effort and resources called for by others and myself resulted in the magnificent facility that all Milwaukee residents can be proud of today. That's why it's unconscionable to me that just six months after the celebration and speeches at the VIP ribbon cutting ceremony we find there will be no counter service, no cocktail bar, no sit down food service, and no breakfast, lunch or dinner served at this magnificent facility any time soon.
It is truly a disgrace that Milwaukee has been saddled with this WisDOT and Wilton Partners' strategy to once again do the job on the cheap.

Also, it is indeed ironic that WisDOT has no problem spending billions of dollars expanding state assets like Milwaukee area freeways, but when it comes to the Amtrak Depot/Intermodal Facility - also a state-owned asset - vending machines will suffice. I believe the citizens of Milwaukee did not make this investment in order to see this iconic facility degraded after only six months of operation.
Milwaukeeans should demand that WisDOT immediately instruct Wilton Partners to rework the lease terms for the restaurant area in order to attract a quality local restaurateur. Failing that, WisDOT should terminate its relationship with Wilton Partners at once. I believe the citizens of Milwaukee, as financial partners in this venture, should accept nothing less.

If we settle for something less, new arrivals and Milwaukee travelers will have to make do with plastic wrapped sandwiches, soda pop and potato chips.

Robert Bauman is a Milwaukee alderman.

Three recent transportation developments demonstrate the need for a new strategic approach to transportation investments in southeastern Wisconsin.

The first was news that the recently approved state budget did not include a funding source for the local share of operating and capital costs of the proposed $198 million, 33-mile Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail service. As a result, the project may now be delayed for up to two years. (Ironically, a major concern expressed by KRM supporters is that the commuter service would not be up and running when reconstruction work commences on Interstate -94 from the Illinois state line to Milwaukee.)

Related to this story, was the recent announcement that WisDOT plans a $1.9 billion reconstruction and expansion of I-94 from the Illinois state line to Milwaukee - a 35-mile roadway that parallels the proposed KRM commuter rail service. Significantly, this project - unlike the KRM commuter rail project - does not require on-line counties and municipalities to pay any portion of the cost thereby eliminating potential opposition to the project because of new or increased local taxes. State and federal funds would cover this entire investment.

Finally, it was recently announced that WisDOT is again advancing a $400 million proposal to implement high-speed intercity passenger rail service between Chicago and Milwaukee (over the existing Amtrak line) and extend that service to Madison using existing railroad tracks. This plan would be funded by a combination of state and federal funds. However, the necessary federal action to make these funds available has been bogged down in Congress for many years.

Each of these proposed investments share many similarities: First, all three investments would utilize existing transportation infrastructure - two existing rail lines and an existing interstate highway. Second, each investment serves the 35-mile corridor linking Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee which in turn would link these communities with northern Illinois, Chicago and points west of Milwaukee. Significantly, these three transportation arteries are all within a maximum of seven miles of each other. Third, each investment is being promoted as being vital to economic development in southeastern Wisconsin.

But this is where the similarities end.

The $1.9 billion reconstruction and expansion of I-94 is proceeding while the $198 million KRM commuter rail project has stalled and the high-speed rail proposal is bogged down in Congress. The principle reason in the case of the KRM commuter rail service is that local communities must find a
local funding source while there is no such requirement for the I-94 project.

In the case of high speed rail, it is the historic distinction between how interstate highway projects are funded vs. the funding of interstate passenger rail projects.

Also, there is no discussion of structuring these investments in a way that will complement each other despite their similarities. For example, is it necessary to expand I-94 from six lanes to eight lanes if first
class commuter rail and high speed rail service were implemented in the same corridor that serves the same communities? Could that portion of the proposed I-94 investment pertaining to expansion be invested in implementing commuter rail and/or high speed rail service resulting in an overall savings to taxpayers and improved overall mobility within the region?

Finally, the I-94 investment seems to ignore the impact of rising gasoline and crude oil prices, increasing concerns about global warming, and the well documented cost of urban sprawl. It seems that price is no object when it comes to expanding highways; but when it comes to implementing rail projects financing always seem to be an insurmountable obstacle.

Yes, I-94 needs to be rebuilt. But it does not need to be expanded given the proposals to implement commuter rail and high-speed rail in the same corridor. Instead the funds that would be required for expansion should be invested in commuter rail and high-speed rail eliminating the need for a local funding source for the KRM commuter rail service and eliminating the need for state bonding for the high-speed rail service (which is WisDOT’s plan to finance the state share).

The combined cost of these projects would be reduced, implementation of all three projects would be assured, residents of southeastern Wisconsin would see a significant expansion of their travel choices and we would be creating viable alternatives to the private automobile for travel within the corridor as a hedge against the economic impact of future increases in gasoline prices.

In short, we need a new way of thinking about transportation infrastructure that emphasizes infrastructure coordination, increased mobility and more choices rather than maximizing highway lane miles while leaving all other modes to feed off the scraps.

Robert Bauman is a Milwaukee alderman.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's most recent transit plan (dubbed SMART - Suburban and Milwaukee Advanced Rapid Transit) proposes to spend $70 million on two bus rapid transit lines that will not connect with Mitchell International Airport or the downtown Amtrak depot.

As public transit systems around the country seek to provide enhanced connectivity between different transportation modes and improved links between major transportation hubs, Walker's plan goes in the opposite direction. His plan demonstrates an incredible lack of understanding about public transit and development activity in Milwaukee County.

He defends this decision to bypass these major transportation hubs on the basis that there's little current bus ridership generated by the airport or the Amtrak depot. He is absolutely right - there is little bus ridership generated at either the airport or the Amtrak depot because his bus system provides very poor bus service at these two facilities. For example, the Amtrak depot is served by one bus route that provides infrequent service and does not circulate through downtown.

His bus system provides very poor signage regarding the service that does exist at the Amtrak depot, so a visitor to Milwaukee would find it impossible to use this route. It is a simple axiom of public transit: if you provide poor service you will have low ridership.

Even more astounding, Walker is apparently unaware that the Amtrak depot is undergoing a $15 million renovation that will convert the facility into an intermodal terminal for intercity rail and intercity buses as well as proposed commuter rail service. Walker is apparently unaware that Amtrak ridership at the Milwaukee depot has been growing year after year and the transfer of intercity bus service to the depot will bring an additional 2,000 passengers per day to the facility - many of whom use local public transit to access the depot or reach their final destination.

Walker needs to go back to the drawing board to craft a transit plan that actually serves Milwaukee County's major transportation hubs. When he has finished that task, he can then take a walk downtown to better acquaint himself with the development activity that is underway, including the Amtrak Depot renovation.

Alderman Robert Bauman represents Milwaukee Fourth District.

In a Feb. 20 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker let it slip: his goal is to abolish public transit in Milwaukee County by, as he put it, growing the economy so that poor people who depend on transit can afford to buy cars.
By implication, if everyone has a car, no one will use or need a public transit system.
In this context, the reason for Scott Walker's obsessive opposition to any form of rail transit becomes clear: he is afraid it will succeed!
It turns out that Scott has been paying more attention to the success of new rail transit systems across the country than anyone thought. He has no doubt observed that these lines attract new riders - often individuals with higher incomes who own automobiles and homes and vote - potent political constituency.
To his chagrin, he has noted that some of these new riders actually live in suburbs and support Republicans. If middle-class Republicans will use and support rail transit, then he has a real problem achieving his goal of abolishing the transit system.
He has no doubt observed that overall transit usage in cities with new rail lines has often increased thereby broadening the base of political support for transit in general. He may have even observed that new rail transit lines are popular with the business community in general and the real estate development community in particular - groups that could stand in the way of his plan to abolish all transit.
We now know why Scott cannot allow rail transit to be introduced in Milwaukee, no matter how modest the plan: he has learned from the experience of other cities that new rail transit lines are popular and have even generated popular support for increased taxes to further expand and improve transit systems.
Clearly, any investment in a rail transit line that has the potential of reversing the death spiral of MCTS (Milwaukee County Transit System) and broadening the appeal of transit in general must be opposed at all cost because Scott knows that you cannot abolish a public service that is well-funded, used by a broad cross section of the community and has widespread popular support.
Who would have guessed that the biggest problem with investing in a rail transit line in Milwaukee is that it might be successful?

Robert Bauman is a Milwaukee alderman.

Editor's note: To read Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's previous Milwaukee Biz Blog on mass transit, visit http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/milwaukee-biz-blog/2007/2/19/citys-transit-plan-is-a-loser.