Public Transportation Review Board discusses routes to get to Foxconn

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Connecting Milwaukee to Foxconn was the topic of discussion at Wednesday’s Public Transportation Review Board meeting.

There are two possible plans to bring workers from Milwaukee down to Foxconn’s future plant in Mount Pleasant. One is a new bus route and the other is adding more Amtrak routes.

The Public Transportation Review Board asked questions to representatives from the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission on the proposed routes.

The bus route would pick up riders in downtown Milwaukee and travel down Wisconsin Avenue. It would pick up riders at two Park & Ride locations along the way and then continue to the Foxconn site. It would be up to a 55 minute route and cost about $4 a ride. The route would strictly be used for carrying Foxconn employees.

There is also a proposal to add more Amtrak routes connecting Milwaukee to Sturtevant. Alderman Bob Bauman thinks this is the best option, "Sitting on a 36 seat county bus with kind of rigid seats and not a great ride and not designed to do long distance commuting, it’s not the fault of the county they are just not designed for that purpose. The rail equipment is designed for that purpose. They are designed for carrying people relatively long distances."

Foxconn could come out and say they are going to be providing transportation for their employees, but at this point Alderman Bauman says they haven’t said anything yet.