Milwaukee Streetcar Line

It would be nice if a streetcar line in Milwaukee would spark development, increase business, and improve the overall quality of life in the city.

That would be nice, but it's a pipe dream.

This is a major time warp.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

After nearly 20 years of debate, Milwaukee aldermen voted 10-5 Tuesday to build a modern streetcar line downtown.

They stopped short of final approval, however. In response to concerns raised by Comptroller W. Martin "Wally" Morics, the Common Council agreed to limit spending to engineering expenses for now, and to seek a review by the comptroller before releasing money for construction.

Still ahead in the next year are key decisions about how to run the line, how to pay its operating costs and how to resolve concerns raised by utility companies about moving their underground lines out of the way of the streetcar tracks.

The measure now heads to Mayor Tom Barrett, the plan's chief advocate, for signing.

"We know there's a lot of work to be done," Barrett said. "I view this as a significant step, but by no means do I view this as the end of the road."

Plans call for a 2.1-mile line, from the lower east side to the downtown Amtrak-Greyhound station, starting in 2014. Streetcars would run every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends and during late-night and early-morning hours.

Modern streetcars, resembling light rail vehicles, would run on rails laid in streets, draw power from overhead wires and operate in traffic.

Rails laid in streets, overhead wires.

This would be a step in the right direction, if this were the 19th CENTURY.

...Utilities have warned it could cost $50 million or more to move utility lines along the initial route, but utility and city representatives have agreed those early projections are likely to come down with design adjustments and possibly even a route change. The council voted to cap the initial segment at $64.6 million and trim costs if needed.

Barrett has said he wants the streetcars to be operated by the nonprofit company that runs the Milwaukee County Transit System, but no formal deal is on the table.

Downtown Ald. Bob Bauman said the streetcar line would stimulate development, expand the tax base, create jobs and improve mobility for downtown workers, residents and visitors.

City officials predict the project will create 680 jobs at construction and supply contractors with the initial route, or 1,080 if the extensions are included. The extensions also would raise the number of permanent operating and maintenance jobs from 20 to 35.

The council voted 12-3 to reject south side Ald. Bob Donovan's move to subject the project to a referendum in the spring 2012 elections. Donovan cited the potential utility costs and Morics' concerns about insufficient information, while deriding predictions of economic development along the line as "incredibly rosy."

Of course, it will cost more than projected. That's certain. Additional costs will pile up. They always do.

I think Donovan's idea of having a referendum on this is an excellent idea.

Let the people of Milwaukee decide if they want a streetcar line.

It shouldn't be jammed down their throats.

Council members are probably afraid of a referendum because they know people don't want a streetcar line.

So, in their arrogance, they're bypassing the people, acting like they know what's best for the community.

They view residents as dolts, incapable of choosing the proper means of transportation to suit their needs.

...[Mayor Tom] Barrett, Kovac and Bauman said they viewed the initial line as a starter system that could be expanded if it is successful, with potential extensions to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Mitchell International Airport and various neighborhoods.

"This will remain controversial until people start riding it," and then begin clamoring for extensions to other parts of the city, following the pattern of similar systems elsewhere, Barrett said.

People are going to be "clamoring for extensions to other parts of the city"?

Yeah, right.

Back in the 1800s, streetcars replaced horses. That was progress.

This isn't progress.

It's a waste.

I'd rather have horses than streetcars.