In January, will Milwaukee finally decide to build a streetcar?

[beautifulplanet]

For years and years already, the city of Milwaukee is debating whether to build a modern streetcar system or not. Several obstacles already had to be overcome, and an initial starter route was selected:

Image source:

Streetcar proposal stirs debate about morality, racism

December 16, 2014

By Crocker Stephenson

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/milwaukee-council-delays-decision-on-city-streetcar-proposal-b99409715z1-285963691.html

The initial route would serve the Amtrak and Greyhound station (on the bottom left on the map), and also serve a lot of popular destination points in downtown, including a line to the lakefront to a current transit center, which would become the site of the new complex called "Couture", with a new transit center being part of it:

The Journal Sentinel's Tom Daykin reported that the $122 million Couture, which would replace the Downtown Transit Center, now would have 81,560 square feet of public space, along with 302 high-end apartments and 54,893 square feet of restaurant and retail space. Its parking structure would include 147 public parking spaces.

The public space would include a 29,385-square-foot park on the top of the development's 570-space parking structure; a 20,855-square-foot public transportation concourse with bus connections and a streetcar stop; a street-level outdoor plaza; a pedestrian bridge over Lincoln Memorial Drive to the lakefront and a bike sharing station, according to a statement released Wednesday by County Executive Chris Abele and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Here is one visual impression of the streetcar of the new transit-oriented development:

Image source:

Approve the Couture development on Milwaukee's lakefront

September 3, 2014

By Milwaukee-Wisconsion Journal-Sentinel Editorial Board

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/approve-the-couture-development-on-milwaukees-lakefront-b99343792z1-273776961.html

Eventually, the Milwaukee modern streetcar system should serve many more parts of the city than what is part of phase 1, as can be seen on this map from the modern streetcar's official website:

Image source:

http://www.themilwaukeestreetcar.com/route.php

Recently, there have been a lot of events regarding the streetcar, starting with a victory for supporters on December 9, securing more funding:

On Tuesday, December 9th, the city’s Zoning, Neighborhood and Development Committee voted to approve two TIF (tax incremental financing) districts to help fund the streetcar project. On Wednesday, December 10th a streetcar resolution was defeated by the Public Works Committee — a victory for streetcar opponents.

On Tuesday, December 16th, five aldermen voted to delay a decision on the project until January 21st.

Source:

Fate of proposed streetcar in downtown Milwaukee on hold for another month

December 16, 2014

By Rachelle Baillon

http://fox6now.com/2014/12/16/milwaukee-common-council-set-to-vote-on-streetcar-proposal/

So in January, what will that decision be? The press reports state that the Couture's developer, Rick Barrett, has told officials that the building is a non-starter without the streetcar. At least to some, this will be another example how streetcars can revitalize cities and spur real estate development, making clear that a decision against the streetcar might also be a decision against some significant future economic growth for the city. A lot of people might be excited to see how the developments regarding a possible new streetcar system for Milwaukee will continue, among them the creators of a campaign by local website Urban Milwaukee to contact the mayor and the Common Council with a message of support for the streetcar:

http://urbanmilwaukee.com/take-action-on-the-milwaukee-streetcar/

Also, there are hundreds of members of an unofficial Facebook support group for the Milwaukee streetcar project, who probably also are very interested to see how all of this will play out...

https://www.facebook.com/milwaukeestreetcar

 

[MikefromCrete]

Looks like a good idea. My wife and I were in Milwaukee last weekend and we could have used the streetcar to get around. There's buses,of course, but bus routes are often confusing and sometimes take a lot of study to get to where you want to go. A street car route is there, easy to follow on a map.

I hope Milwaukee officials get off their duff and get this done. Rail projects seem to die an early death in the land of the cheese-eaters.

 

[NorthShore]

The initial route seems to resemble the current downtown circulator bus route which runs summers and weekends.

 

[beautifulplanet]

The city of Milwaukee finally approved building the streetcar - now the question is, will the efforts of a petition drive to get in place a referendum on it still stop it, like it happened in San Antonio?

What might be encouraging for people supporting the streetcar, that some officials are already looking at possible expansion of the starter route, with possible additional future federal funding on the horizon:

Supporters of the project are now looking beyond the initial 2.5-mile downtown route. The proposed extensions would take the streetcar to UW-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Bronzeville, and Walker’s Point.

[...]

“So far, the feds have said ‘when you guys have demonstrated you can actually build something in Milwaukee, give us a call because you do have an excellent route on paper,'” [Council Alderman] Bauman said.

source:

Common Council okays $124 million streetcar project, Barrett signs legislation to move it forward

February 10, 2015

By A.J. Bayatpour

http://fox6now.com/2015/02/10/milwaukee-common-council-approves-streetcar-project/