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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWill Walker’s Wisconsin Win Mean No Milwaukee Streetcar?
from the Transport Politic blog:
Will Walkers Wisconsin Win Mean No Milwaukee Streetcar?
By Matt Dellinger | 06/11/2012
[font size="1"]A rendering of a Milwaukee streetcar, from milwaukeestreetcar.com[/font]
Governor Scott Walkers triumph in the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election seems to vindicate yet again his anti-rail campaign strategy. Supporters of the Millwaukee streetcar, his latest punching bag, must be worried now that Walker will make their pet project the next piece of trophy taxidermy on his office wall, right beside the high speed boondoggle train to Madison.
If weve learned anything these last few years its that an empowered Governor can do a lot to frustrate local wishes, be they for a commuter rail tunnel, a potentially profitable high speed train line, or a cherished lack of interstate highway. But theres reason to think Walker might be powerless to stop the streetcar plan, even if he wanted to do so.
A year ago, before the recall campaigning, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ran a thorough piece elucidating one possible reason the Republican Governor wasnt making a big deal of the streetcar at the time:
A 10-year-old civil rights settlement could explain the governors reticence.
That deal prohibits the state from blocking the streetcar project, according to a top federal transportation official and an attorney involved in the settlement.
Faced with allegations that it was discriminating against urban minorities by favoring freeways over light rail, the state agreed in November 2000 to cooperate with the Milwaukee Connector study and to incorporate its recommendations into the states long-term transportation plans. That study eventually spawned the streetcar.
That deal prohibits the state from blocking the streetcar project, according to a top federal transportation official and an attorney involved in the settlement.
Faced with allegations that it was discriminating against urban minorities by favoring freeways over light rail, the state agreed in November 2000 to cooperate with the Milwaukee Connector study and to incorporate its recommendations into the states long-term transportation plans. That study eventually spawned the streetcar.
We reached John Norquist, the President of the Congress for the New Urbanism, who was mayor of Milwaukee at the time of the agreement. He agreed that it wouldnt be possible for the streetcar funding to be re-purposed without the consent of the mayor, which seems unlikely since Mayor Tom Barrett was Walkers recall opponent. Walker cant take the money. Its a joint agreement, Norquist said. If Barrett doesnt agree to move the money, then the money stays where it is. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://transportationnation.org/2012/06/11/will-walkers-wisconsin-win-mean-no-milwaukee-streetcar/
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Will Walker’s Wisconsin Win Mean No Milwaukee Streetcar? (Original Post)
marmar
Jun 2012
OP
The initial street car service is downtown and Brady street...I don't think of that as minority
HereSince1628
Jun 2012
#1
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)1. The initial street car service is downtown and Brady street...I don't think of that as minority
neighborhoods...
Milwaukee metro area needs to invest in mass transit. Maybe this is the way, maybe not. I don't know enough to say.
But what is clear is that until the project get deep into future with greatly extended service (follow link and go down that page til you get to the second map) neighborhoods of ordinary people don't get much service at all.
I think of it as more than a tourist attraction but also I would sort of expect a route to Miller Stadium before minority neighborhoods would get service.
http://www.themilwaukeestreetcar.com/route.php#