Milwaukee residents gathered in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union to review and discuss the status of the Milwaukee Downtown Transit Connector study and further consider an alternative to the existing transportation system.

The connector study, which began in 2000 and is now in its final stages, is an analysis of potential transit improvements for the city that would provide a desired linkage between housing, jobs, attractions, shopping and educational institutions downtown and in nearby neighborhoods.

After reviewing new transit options, planners proposed two user-friendly routes to be completed by 2010. The vehicles that will receive continued study include hybrid buses in exclusive lanes, which would cost $157 million, and guided street trams, a $300 million project.

“Approximately 80 percent of capital costs of this system could be paid for with federal funds,” said planner Nathan Guequierre, who is working on the connector study.

The remaining 20 percent of the construction costs, around $57 million, will need to come from a local match, he said.

Milwaukee’s current population lends 596,974 taxpayers to support the fixed transit system. Twenty percent of those residents do not have vehicles, project manager Mark Kaminski said.

Modern transit systems not only move people effectively, but also have proven to be an economic development stimulus, said Peter Beitzel, vice president of business development for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) in a Sept. Milwaukee Connector newsletter.

“We’ve seen amazing growth and investment in downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. We need to provide the public infrastructure to support these investments and encourage more in the future.”

The study is being conducted by the Wisconsin Center District in partnership with Milwaukee County, the City of Milwaukee and the MMAC. The District received initial funding for the study from Federal Transit Administration.

“It’s fantastic, I’m very impressed,” said Claude Schuttey, director of facilities planning and transportation at UWM. “It will make access to campus much quicker and easier and students will be able to park at remote lots.” It will not affect tuition because it is not funded by the university and the UPass program will remain as is because the new transit system will only serve students in the downtown area.

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