City Hall
200 East Wells St.
Common Council Chambers
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Agenda

Water on Prospect

St. John’s on the Lake Construction

St. John’s Construction

Tower Crane over St John’s on the Lake

Construction Continues

The intercity bus service famous for their $1 tickets has substantially scaled back their operations in and out of Milwaukee. Megabus provided a wealth of options to and from Chicago just a few months ago, and their scaling back of a few daily runs in December wasn’t cause for much concern. Apparently, we should have viewed it as a sign of bad things to come though, with what used to be six trips each way everyday trimmed first to four, and now down to two.

We did not hear back from Megabus on a rational for the cut, but it would appear the buses are likely being used to run the route between Indianapolis and Chicago that was expanded in March. A route that for the time being probably is more profitable due to the lack of Amtrak service between the two cities more than once a day in each direction.

The Milwaukee stop is now exclusively part of a larger route to Minneapolis so departure and arrival times are based around end-points on the route, not Milwaukee. The convenient leaving times are now a thing of the past, as no bus currently originates it’s journey in Milwaukee.

What’s left of the service between Milwaukee and Chicago?

Milwaukee to Chicago (runs that were eliminated highlighted in red)

• 6:30 AM (arrive 8:30)
• 8:30 AM (arrive 10:25)
• 1:00 PM (arrive 3:00)
• 2:30 PM (arrive 4:25)
• 7:00 PM (arrive 8:55)
• 9:45 PM (arrive 11:45)
• 11:30 PM (arrive 1:15) – new service
  

Chicago to Milwaukee (runs that were eliminated highlighted in red)

• 6:30 AM (arrive 8:25) – new service
• 7:00 AM (arrive 8:55)
• 9:30 AM (arrive 11:05)
• 11:30 AM (arrive 1:25)
• 3:00 PM (arrive 4:55)
• 5:30 PM (arrive 7:25)
• 9:30 PM (arrive 11:25)

Effective Megabus and Amtrak Schedule – Milwaukee to Chicago (as of December 1st, 2009)

• 6:15 AM (arrive 7:57) – Amtrak – Monday through Saturday
• 8:00 AM (arrive 9:29) – Amtrak
• 11:00 AM (arrive 12:29) – Amtrak
• 1:00 PM (arrive 2:29) – Amtrak
• 1:00 PM (arrive 3:00) – Megabus
• 3:00 PM (arrive 4:29) – Amtrak
• 5:45 PM (arrive 7:14) – Amtrak
• 7:35 PM (arrive (9:04) – Amtrak
• 11:30 PM (arrive 1:15) – Megabus

Effective Megabus and Amtrak Schedule – Chicago to Milwaukee (as of December 1st, 2009)

• 6:00 AM (arrive 7:29) – Amtrak – Monday through Saturday
• 6:30 AM (arrive 8:25) – Megabus
• 8:25 AM (arrive 9:54) – Amtrak
• 10:20 AM (arrive 11:49) – Amtrak
• 1:05 PM (arrive 2:34) – Amtrak
• 3:00 PM (arrive 4:55) – Megabus
• 3:15 PM (arrive 4:44) – Amtrak
• 5:08 PM (arrive 6:45) – Amtrak
• 8:05 PM (arrive 9:34) – Amtrak

Service quality also seems to be a growing issue, as Megabus appears to frequently leave riders in the cold as to how long a delay will be (despite having a text messaging system in place that has never once been used in a delay I have been part of). Chicago Now blogger Glenn McBridge has a great breakdown of his experiences, which have been remarkably similar to mine it appears, noting that Megabus is great 50% of the time and that you get what you pay for.

We’ll let you know when and if Megabus adds more service out of Milwaukee again.

Green Drinks is a monthly event where you can meet people, network, do a business deal, learn something new or maybe even find a job! Check out green drinks to get an idea of the scope of this movement!

Join like-minded people in an informal and unstructured setting to talk about the latest sustainability happenings in Milwaukee and globally. Meet people in various green professions. Have a drink (alcoholic or not), order food (or not), but enjoy lively conversations and good ideas.

Anyone interested in green and sustainability is welcome.  No RSVP is necessary and feel free to pass this notice on to others who might be interested.

Location:

Club Charlies (located between Milwaukee St. and Broadway St. – across from MIAD in the third ward).
320 E. Menomonee, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

The back area of the bar will be reserved for Milwaukee Green Drinks and there is lots of street parking out front.

Join the Downtown BID as Mayor Tom Barrett and County Executive Scott Walker share their perspectives on the current and future state of Downtown Milwaukee.

Following the address, a brief program will recognize 2009 Downtown Achievement Award winners. Limited seating available. Register today.

PROGRAM

7:30 am – Registration

7:45 am – Breakfast Served

8:00 am – State of Downtown Economic Forum & Downtown Achievement Awards

9:30 am – Program Concludes

RSVP

RSVP to Pat Abram at 414.220.4700 ext. 21 or pat@milwaukeedowntown.com by Thursday, April 8.

PARKING

Limited valet parking available at the Wisconsin Club. Overflow parking available at the Library Lot at 815 West Wisconsin Avenue.

The meeting is Thursday, April 15, at the Wisconsin Club, 900 W. Wisconsin Ave.

Every day, decisions are being made about your community. From the trash pick-up on your block, to the operating hours of your corner pub, and even the fare increases for your downtown bus ride; a sophisticated and detailed process of government is in place to represent your interests.

But, do you feel included in the discussion? When’s the last time you felt invested in a conversation about stop lights, lakefront parking, street salting, public school reform, local holidays, public parks, business districts, sales taxes, or job creation? Perhaps these aren’t the most riveting topics to you— but what if they could be?

Join FUEL Milwaukee for Government 101, an interactive presentation and discussion about Milwaukee’s legislative structure. First, an expert presenter will explain the structure of local government, identify the decision makers and tell you how to get involved. Next, you’ll engage in informative round table discussions with local government experts, community leaders, and fellow members of the FUEL network.

This event will help empower you to take your seat at the table. And, as always, you’ll meet dozens of interesting people and reconnect with old friends. This is Milwaukee—and you’re a part of it.

REGISTRATION
http://www.fuelmilwaukee.org/event/government101

Event registration includes full-belly appetizers and cash bar. Registration closes at 9 AM on event day.
Early Bird (before April 23): $12 Members, $30 Non-members

Late Registration (April 23-27): $15 Members, $35 Non-members

Event Registration w/ New Membership: $50 (Register with this option and get FUEL membership and an event ticket!  This will save you $12, and make you a part of the FUEL network. Purchase your event ticket here, and FUEL staff will follow up to complete your membership process.)

**If you have an expertise in government and are interested in being a table host, please indicate that in your RSVP comments**

LOCATION

University Club
924 East Wells Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53202
United States

Dr. Gonwa will review the types of pervious pavement that are available and how its use promotes sustainable development. Various examples from the Milwaukee area will be discussed and audience members will learn about pervious pavement technologies, preferred applications and uses for each technology, and the successes and failures of different projects and pavement types.

Dr. Willie Gonwa is a professional engineer at Symbiont who has worked in the fields of wastewater collection, storm water management, and flood protection since 1984. He has a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from Marquette University. Dr. Gonwa has been responsible for the planning, permitting, design, and construction of dozens of projects involving storm water management and combined sewer overflow control. In addition to his work at Symbiont, Dr. Gonwa is an adjunct professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

More detailed information about the presentation will be available on the SARUP website at the following link:
http://www.uwm.edu/SARUP/planning/smartgrowth/index.html

Pizza will be provided, courtesy of the Department of Urban Planning.

This lecture is registered for 1.0 CM Credits for AICP members. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone whom you know that might be interested in attending.

Location:

UWM
AUP 345

Vast acres of land sit vacant in Milwaukee.  Sometimes they partially fill for part of the day, but most of the time, this land sits barren collecting trash, adding nothing to the city.  Surface parking lots take up prime real estate along the Milwaukee River, in East Town there are surface lots which sit a short walk from million dollar condos, and are used for truck parking.  On the East Side, there are still surface lots in prime locations, and there’s no question that opposition to the development of these sites will form, and parking will be a tool used to fight the development.  Far too often concerns over parking play a role in stopping investment, continuing the loss of our history, and destroying the urban fabric.

In fact just about anytime a new development is proposed in Milwaukee the “issue” of parking is sure to bubble up.  For example, concerns over the loss of public parking played a role in bringing Mercy Housing Lakefront’s proposal on the East Side to a halt.  When the concept of an on-campus basketball facility for UWM was floated, people hit the blogs to complain about the impacts on parking.  The list of projects opposed on the grounds of “parking” is endless, and unfortunate as this has worked against building the tax base and growing Milwaukee.

All over the city, and especially downtown more often than not where a parking lot sits today a building sat before.  These sites were cleared to make parking more available, but it came at a huge loss to Milwaukee’s history.  Even today Next Generation Real Estate Inc. is proposing the demolition of buildings along Broadway and Wisconsin Ave.  They aren’t proposing replacing the buildings with surface lots, though that is a potential outcome if the project were to go bad, but their plan does include adding more parking, despite that area having multiple parking garages and surface lots in very close proximity.

These lots damage the fabric of the city by creating gaps and dead spaces that are uncomfortable to the pedestrian.  Walking along any large surface lots has a is more like the edge of a desert, than it is the center of a city.  Density is reduce by surface lots as this pushes buildings further apart, in fact discouraging walking and encouraging more automobile driving.  The net result of this is that walkability, density, and the sense of place are all degraded, taking away key advantages that make cities work.

I hope that when projects come along that propose the development of a surface parking lot in the future, this will be looked at as a positive, not a negative.

The City Plan Commission (CPC) is the City’s official planning body established under State statute and is responsible for master planning activities. The CPC advises the Common Council on a variety of land development issues including zoning map changes, revisions in the zoning ordinance, subdivision approvals, business improvement districts, street and alley vacations, public land disposition and acquisition, new streets and the approval of development plans in certain overlay districts.

City Plan Commission (CPC) meetings are held in the First Floor Boardroom at the Department of City Development, 809 North Broadway, unless otherwise noted.

Agenda

• You know those roads? They’re heavily subsidized By David R. Riemer
• Americans rebuild for the ‘new urban century’ By John Blake
• No UWM Freshwater School decision at April regents meeting By Tom Daykin
• Alterra plans new wholesale bakery in Bay View By Tom Daykin
• State panels OKs taxing authority for county RTAs By Jason Stein
• Setting A Course for Cycling By Jessica Wineberg Binder and Kevin Luecke
• # Urban Almanac: The problem with melted snow is … By Outpost Exchange
• Why it’s only going to get worse By Chris Larson
• # A birthday wish list for the mayor By Outpost Exchange
• New poll shows Americans strongly support public transportation; more walking & biking By Stephen Lee Davis
• Grassroots Protection – Our MIlwaukee River By Nik Kovac
• Dream Bikes By Vince Bushell
• ‘Smart Growth’ Taking Hold in U.S. Cities, Study Says By Gabriel Nelson
• Milwaukee’s unlikely “Garden District” By Matt Hrodey
• Catalano Square may be spot for music and art By Mary Louise Schumacher
• The Zorro of Bay View By Matt Hrodey
• Lawmaker tries to slow high-speed rail By Paul Snyder
• Milwaukee targets contractor for city site By Sean Ryan
• Conservation district north of Brady St. may be scrapped By Tom Daykin
• Transportation is more than cars By Tad Johnson
• Milwaukee start-up licenses UWM nanotechnology By Kathleen Gallagher
• Many trucks ignored Zoo Interchange weight limit By Tom Held
• MMSD approves $2.1 million pipe purchase By Don Behm
• Development law splits Milwaukee neighborhood By Sean Ryan
• In Diversion Estimate, Waukesha Includes Unspecified Side Payment To Milwaukee By James Rowen
• South side tavern along Kinnickinnic River adding patio, boat slips By Tom Daykin
• DreamBikes makes dream jobs for Milwaukee teens By Julie Lawrence