'It is for the greater good': Milwaukee County transit committee approves pausing Connect 2 BRT project

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A second Bus Rapid Transit line in Milwaukee County may not happen anytime soon.

The Milwaukee County Transit System wants to pause the Connect 2 project due to budget concerns.

The County Board of Supervisors Committee on Transit voted in support of MCTS' recommendation to pause the Connect 2 BRT project, and instead use those funds close a budget gap.

"This is one of these times where there's no good option. There's just a painful option and a more painful option," said Supervisor Steven Shea in the committee meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4. 

Supervisors said they're disappointed but understand the need for the recommendation.

"We had to take stock and see, are we going to be launching this new line, but at the detriment to our core ridership and core service elsewhere," explained David Locher, manager of enhanced transit at MCTS.

Connect 2 was planned to add a north-south bus rapid transit route along 27th street, replacing the current purple line with quicker service.

It would have been funded by federal project development dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act, but a recent five-year fiscal forecast shows a concerning figure.

"It shows us at a $15 million, annually, $15 million deficit in our operations budget by 2028," Locher said.

Connect 2 was set to launch in 2028 and add $6 million to the annual operating budget.

To balance the books, MCTS says it could have led to other system cuts.

"By pausing our project now, we'll free up $15 million in unspent project development funds that we can shift over to operations," Locher said, "And basically run all our routes the same way we do today through the end of 2027."

MCTS says the recent sales tax increase helped avoid cuts for this year, but closing the budget gap is their priority.

"It is for the greater good, and it is going to keep people that depend on our core services, getting them to where they go," Locher explained.

"Hopefully our budget will be a little more cooperative in the coming years," Shea said.

Could we see Connect 2 later in the future?

"Don't stop believin'," Locher said.

The recommendation to pause the project will go to the full county board later this month.