Number
160254
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. BAUMAN
Title
Substitute resolution relating to the development of a bus rapid transit line along the East-West Corridor through portions of the City of Milwaukee.
Analysis
This resolution supports the development of Milwaukee County’s Locally Preferred Alternate bus rapid transit connecting Downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center and Milwaukee County Research Park.
Body
Whereas, Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a popular approach used by communities to enhance public transportation services, reduce traffic congestion, improve mobility and increase transit ridership; and
Whereas, BRT systems feature specialized buses that travel in dedicated lanes and that stop less often than regular bus routes; and
Whereas, Milwaukee County has successfully concluded an East-West Corridor BRT feasibility study with a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) recommendation; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee received an update on the East-West Bus BRT feasibility study on June 22, 2016; and
Whereas, The proposed Locally Preferred Alternate (LPA) of the East-West BRT line will operate from Michigan Street and Lincoln Memorial Drive in the City of Milwaukee to the Swan Boulevard Park and Ride lot in the City of Wauwatosa; and
Whereas, The goal of the East-West BRT is to identify and implement a transit investment strategy that will:
1. Accommodate anticipated growth in travel demand and mitigate congestion within the corridor.
2. Support mobility options that match emerging demographic trends and preferences within the corridor.
3. Leverage the existing transportation infrastructure to expand network capacity and personal mobility within the corridor.
4. Encourage sustainability development patterns that reduce reliance on single-occupant vehicles.
; and
Whereas, The development of the East-West BRT is projected to provide expanded transit service for 47,000 people living near the BRT stations and increased access to 120,000 jobs in the station areas; and
Whereas, The implementation of the East-West BRT has the potential to take up to 6,700 vehicles per day off of the road, reducing carbon emissions and mitigating traffic along the corridor; and
Whereas, The implementation of the East-West BRT supports several plans initiated by the City of Milwaukee, such as Growing Prosperity, ReFresh Milwaukee, the Citywide Policy Plan, the Downtown Area Plan and the West Side Area Plan, that call for developing or enhancing a bus rapid transit system; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the, Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee supports that the East-West Bus Rapid Transit Locally Preferred Alternative recommended by Milwaukee County, as shown in Exhibit 1; and, be it
Further Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee will work with Milwaukee County to develop a BRT alignment that maximizes the use of an exclusive lane for BRT and transit operations by using an existing lane within the current right-of-way for the alignment depicted in attached Exhibit 1, provided, however, that the curb or parking lane of the designated rights-of-way east of 35th Street and between Hawley Road and 60th Street in the City of Milwaukee shall not be used for exclusive lanes for BRT or other transit operations but shall remain available for vehicle parking, standing, loading and other uses commonly associated with parking or curb lanes; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee will work with Milwaukee County to determine areas where the use and development of exclusive lanes is not feasible or possible and where the BRT will therefore, operate in mixed traffic; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee will work with Milwaukee County to develop this alignment and provide further analysis during the design and preliminary engineering phase, and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Public Works is directed to assist Milwaukee County, as needed, in the design and preliminary engineering of the BRT alignment, provided that Milwaukee County also cooperates with the City of Milwaukee including, but not limited to, giving periodic briefings to the City of Milwaukee Public Transportation Review Board; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the design and preliminary engineering of the East-West BRT alignment shall be reviewed and approved by the City of Milwaukee, including the Common Council, prior to construction of the BRT system.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB164823-1
La-Wanda G. Fletcher
07/07/2016