Number
070242
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. WITKOWSKI, WADE, BAUMAN, HAMILTON AND DAVIS
Title
Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee's support for extension of the proposed southeastern Wisconsin commuter rail service to include the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County.
Analysis
This resolution:
1. Expresses the City of Milwaukee’s support for extending the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail service from the Downtown Milwaukee Amtrak station to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County along the 30th Street Rail Corridor, a distance of approximately 14 miles, and for the development of transit-oriented developments along this extension.
2. Expresses the City’s support for the development of a passenger station on the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line at East Greenfield Avenue.
3. Requests the agencies and entities with roles in studying and advancing this commuter rail project -- the Intergovernmental Partnership, the KRM Project Steering Committee, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission -- to take the actions necessary to expand the KRM project to include commuter rail service along the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County.
4. Directs the City's representatives on the KRM Project Steering Committee and the RTA board to advocate for extension of the proposed commuter rail line to include service along the 30th Street Rail Corridor.
This resolution does not call for using the $91.5 million in unexpended federal funds reserved for public transit improvements in the Milwaukee area to fund the KRM commuter rail service or commuter rail service in the 30th Street Rail Corridor.
Body
Whereas, A 2006 study by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development found that there has been no net job growth in Milwaukee’s inner city since 1994; and
Whereas, In recent years, Milwaukee County Transit System bus service has been reduced, and bus fares raised, in an effort to avoid property tax increases; and
Whereas, These service reductions and fare increases have disproportionately affected low-income residents of the City of Milwaukee, where the 25% of all households and 33% of African-American households (2000 Census) who do not own motor vehicles must rely on public transportation to reach jobs, education and health care and otherwise meet their day-to-day needs; and
Whereas, Lack of employment growth and low rates of car ownership in Milwaukee’s central city mean that residents could greatly benefit from improved mass-transit access to jobs in outlying areas; and
Whereas, The development of commuter rail service effectively links workers with employment opportunities; and
Whereas, The presence of commuter rail service stimulates development in the vicinity of rail stations; and
Whereas, In July, 2005, the Wisconsin Legislature created the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority (“RTA”) and designated the RTA as the agency responsible for coordinating transit and commuter rail in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties; and
Whereas, An intergovernmental steering committee working on behalf of the RTA and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission has recommended implementation of commuter rail service along a 33-mile, 9-station route between the Kenosha Metra station and the Downtown Milwaukee Amtrak station; and
Whereas, Section 59.58(6), Wis. Stats., which creates and empowers the RTA, does not limit the commuter rail system to this route, but merely states that the RTA “shall be responsible for coordination of transit and commuter rail programs in the region” (where “region” is defined as Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties), meaning that it is within the purview of the RTA to study and possibly fund and operate commuter rail service along other routes in the 3-county region; and
Whereas, The planned Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line, with a northern terminus at the Downtown Milwaukee Amtrak station, will not serve residents in greatest need of improved transit service and access to jobs or spur new development in the area where it’s needed most, namely, the North Side of Milwaukee; and
Whereas, Extension of commuter rail service from Downtown Milwaukee up the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County, a distance of approximately 14 miles, would provide vital transportation links between areas of high unemployment in the central city and areas of job growth in outlying areas of Milwaukee County, and would also stimulate development along the Corridor, particularly in the vicinity of rail stations; and
Whereas, Governor Jim Doyle, Mayor Tom Barrett and County Board Chairman Lee Holloway have all indicated their desire to stimulate new development along the 30th Street Rail Corridor; and
Whereas, Extension of the proposed commuter rail service up the 30th Street Rail Corridor would bring balance to the commuter rail system, which, as currently proposed, would have the majority of its route-miles in Kenosha and Racine counties, even though the bulk of local funding for the service would come from Milwaukee County and the need for improved transit and access to jobs is greatest in Milwaukee County; and
Whereas, Because it uses separate rights-of-way (namely, existing rail lines), commuter rail can operate at relatively high speeds without interfering with or disrupting local street traffic, thereby providing a more effective transit connection between central-city neighborhoods and outlying areas of Milwaukee County; and
Whereas, Commuter rail service within Milwaukee County would not reduce the level of existing bus service on city streets because commuter rail service represents an entirely new transit service providing a high speed backbone that would connect with, not replace existing bus service; and
Whereas, There is strong bi-partisan support at the state and local level for development of commuter rail systems in Southeastern Wisconsin; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee supports extension of the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail service within Milwaukee County to serve the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County, a distance of approximately 14 miles; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee supports the development of transit-oriented residential and commercial developments along the 30th Street Rail Corridor; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee supports the development of a passenger station on the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line at East Greenfield Avenue in Milwaukee; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Intergovernmental Partnership, the KRM Project Steering Committee, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission are all requested to take the actions necessary to expand the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail project to include commuter rail service along the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City's representatives on the KRM Steering Committee and the RTA board are directed to advocate for extension of the proposed commuter rail line to include service along the 30th Street Rail Corridor to the northern boundary of Milwaukee County.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB07280-3
JDO
05/18/2007