Go to Home Page

Historic, Harmful Changes Revealed in Milwaukee Co. 2012 Transit Budget:

August 16, 2011

The Wisconsin state budget was signed in late June and now the focus has moved to local budgets….where the rubber hits the road.

To cope with the cut in state transit aids, the Milwaukee County Transit System has proposed the biggest restructuring and reduction of service in its 150-year history, affecting nearly all routes. The total Wisconsin transportation fund is $6.4 billion. See more on transit in the state budget.

The depth and speed of implementation of the proposed service reductions would result in loss of basic access to jobs, school, shopping, medical facilities and other destinations required to lead productive lives and support a strong economic recovery.

The reality of those cuts and other funding challenges are becoming clear.

The Milwaukee County Transit System has recommended an historic 12.5% reduction in service in 2012 to meet the budget challenges. Changes are proposed on most every route in the system including

• Eliminating all freeway flyers, Summerfest, Brewers, State Fair and other special event and festival routes,
• Eliminating 7 other routes, eliminating segments of additional routes,
• Restructuring and combining additional routes,
• Reducing service frequency,
• Substantial reduction in the service area for paratransit.
• In addition, a fare increase to $4.50 per one-way trip is proposed for paratransit riders.

See:

Milwaukee County Transit Budget Fact Sheet

Transit Budget details and maps of restructured routes (MCTS web site)

Map of reduced paratransit service area proposal.

If this reduction in service is implemented it is expected to result in an additional loss of $3.3 million in fares. And, although MCTS continues to search for cost savings, it has been cut back 20% in the past decade and many cost saving and efficiency measures have already been tapped. MCTS has been found to be one of the most efficiently run transit systems in the U.S.

Now is the time to learn more and express your priorities with elected officials.

Here are ways that you can have a voice in shaping of transportation in Milwaukee County.

• Public Budget Hearings are slated See details
  • County Board Finance and Audit Budget Listening Sessions on Sept 14, 21, 26
  • County Board Budget Hearings on October 31
• Contact your elected officials. See budget timeline.
  Click for contacts for:
  • Milwaukee County Executive and County Board,
  • State Legislators
  • Governor Scott Walker .
  • For additional contact details, visit our partners at the Coalition for Advancing Transit.

Transit plays a major role in Metro Milwaukee's transportation system and economy.

Business leaders have repeatedly stated that good transit is vital to economic growth. Loss of transit will limit access to employers, events, and universities; and add congestion to crowded highways and parking facilities. MCTS carries 140,000 rides a day, almost half are for work purposes.
See facts about MCTS.

News

UWM Study: 13,500 jobs to become inaccessible by transit, 1000 firms to lose transit service

A balanced approach: Milwaukee County's fiscal challenges should be met by a balanced approach of service cuts, efficiency - and maybe a tax hike

Journal Sentinel Editorial | Sept 3, 2011

Abele: Tough Choices on County Budget
WUWM’s Lake Effect 9/13/11

See: Transit NOW and Coalition for Advancing Transit testimony delivered at County Executive Abele's listening session on August 25, 2011

Could Lack Of Public Transit Hamper Oak Creek Redevelopment?
Bus service limited or nonexistent to lakefront, Delphi, 27th Street.

A balanced budget
Milwaukee County will have a tough job putting together a budget this fall. Creative thinking, a reasonable balance of cuts and modest tax increases will help.

Milwaukee's Alarming Budget Prognosis

State budget cuts transit funding, but it could have been worse