Milwaukee Co. residents attend public input session on MCTS North-South transit project
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Less than a year after Milwaukee introduced better bus service connecting downtown Milwaukee with Wauwatosa and ridership increased by 15%, plans are moving forward for North-South travel.
Tuesday night was the first of three public input sessions on what's known as "Bus Rapid Transit" and "Connect 2."
Officials still need to secure funding for the project, but Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley sounded pretty confident that it's going to happen.
"And so today we are listening to what matters most to you," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Connect 2 of Milwaukee's North-South Rapid Transit System is expected to rely heavily on federal grants -- roughly 80%.
"We're gonna continue to talk about this and continue to lobby the federal government for the resources that we need," said Crowley.
As they wait for the money, officials are moving forward with open houses, getting public input from riders like Kydell Amos.
"So, I'd say that's my biggest comment about the Connect Two, is to put the stations closer to the actual transit points and make the schedule better for passengers with connecting routes," said Amos.
Amos has been on Milwaukee's Connect 1 that opened in June, and likes it.
"It's way faster. It's more frequent, like the frequency is like every eight to nine minutes," said Amos.
"So it's not speeding, but it has its own lane, so it doesn't have to compete and then it's elevated platform stations so that the bus doesn't have to kneel every time it pulls up. And then it's off-board fare collection so that you buy your ticket, or you pay your fare before you even board," said David Locher, manager of enhanced transit for the Milwaukee County Transit System.
The North-South corridor covers 18 miles along 27th Street, from Bayshore Town Center in Glendale to IKEA in Oak Creek, and could bridge racial disparities.
"When we think about the families who are struggling and who need access to employment, who want access to healthier outcomes for themselves and their families, I think that's gonna help us really tell the story of what this Connect 2 can do," said Crowley.
"And it's a lot of grocery stores that have closed up on the north side, and this would give them access to the same thing everyone else has," said Arva Parker, a Milwaukee resident who has friends who rely on the bus.
If you missed this open house at the Wilson Park Senior Center, there are two more opportunities this week. There is a virtual meeting Wednesday, Feb. 28, from noon to 1 p.m. The Zoom link is http://tinyurl.com/virtualnsbrt.
A live presentation takes place Thursday, Feb. 29, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Century City Tower, 4201 N. 27th Street in Milwaukee. And public input sheets can be obtained here.