Stale transit ideas keep us getting nowhere

Eugene Kane wrote in his column in the May 27, 2007 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the long-running local controversy over new modes of transit.

Part of my revelation came after returning to Milwaukee from vacation. That's where I took note that, unlike in other medium-size cities, there's no way to get from the airport to downtown without a car or a hefty cab fare.

I emailed him pointing out that Milwaukee County Transit System route 80 runs from the Airport through downtown. I haven't heard back from him but he's a busy guy and it sounds like he gets a lot of more emphatic mail.

There are currently two local transit proposals, from County Executive Walker and Mayor Barrett. Walker's proposal has come in for other criticism like Mr. Kane's.

Downtown Ald. Bob Bauman blasted Walker's proposal as an "anti-transit transit plan" that wouldn't connect buses with the downtown Amtrak station and Mitchell International Airport.

Since I had a downtown appointment this afternoon, and the airport was more or less on my way home, I did an amateur simulation of Mayor Barrett's proposal, using the maps of the routes of his proposed Downtown Circulator and COMET express bus.

This was around 4:00 p.m.; I followed the proposed light rail line on St. Paul Ave. from the railroad station to Milwaukee Street: .5 mile, 2 minutes. I then took the COMET route: Milwaukee Street, 1st Street, Kinnickinnnic Avenue, Oklahoma Avenue, Lake Parkway, Layton Avenue, Howell Avenue, Airport: 9.8 miles, 26 minutes. With no time added for the transfer or any intermediate stops, the 28 minute total saves about two minutes off the existing local bus service.