Streetcars would improve quality of life in Milwaukee

From a post by Jeff Sherman, president of OnMilwaukee.com, on Milwaukee Biz Blog:

One of the many things I truly love about Milwaukee is its commitment to its past and its steady, although sometimes too slow and sure, movement through its innovative present and onward to its future.

Streetcars, no doubt, are a testament to a city’s past but also to its success. Look at any modern, successful city and nearly all have integrated transportation systems that involve roads, sidewalks, highways, rail, streetcars, bikes, busses and more.

Milwaukee’s lagged way behind in the past 30 years, but now it’s poised to move forward in the transportation game. I know some cry about the costs. Honestly, its infrastructure that we need. I live downtown and rarely use the Marquette Interchange, but I pay for it and see its need. Sidewalks, roads and highways – they don’t “make money” but they do provide quality-of-life that we must have in greater Milwaukee.

I also realize that we can battle back and forth on ridership. Projections, though, show that Milwaukee’s 3.6-mile modern streetcar line is estimated to generate daily ridership of 3,800 passengers, a level that exceeds the ridership of all 11 MCTS Freeway Flyer routes and 12 of the 29 MCTS regular routes.

All numbers aside, it’s time once and for all to put petty politics behind and improve transportation in Milwaukee.

Transportation isn't a Republican or Democratic issue; it's a simple, quality-of-life matter.

So, here are my 8 reasons why you should look forward to the new streetcar system in downtown Milwaukee . . .

Posted in: Trains