MCTS services changes as a result of proposed Bayshore - Airport Express

The meeting, held at the Bay View Library, was focused primarily on the changes that would occur to existing south side service (Routes 11 and 15) as a result of the new service. The meeting was led primarily by Thomas Winter, Director of Schedule and Planning at MCTS, who guided the audience through the key points of the proposed Bayshore – Airport Express route, as well as changes to existing routes within the corridor. Winter did not focus on the other proposed express service routes, but they will include a Fondy – National Express and a Capitol Drive Express (a 27th Street Express was applied for, but not awarded).

MCTS will be utilizing CMAQ funds from two different sources, the cancelled Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail service (which died when the latest state budget pulled the plug on the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority) and the never implemented bus rapid transit service along Fond du Lac, Greenfield, and National Avenues.

The short explanation, the Bayshore – Airport Express will connect Bayshore, UWM, Downtown, and Bay View with stops roughly every 1/4 of a mile, seven days a week, with headways of 10-15 minutes during the rush hours, and 15-20 minutes during off-peak times. The fare for the express service will be the same as standard service. It is intended to achieve between 20-25% time savings running the same route as traditional MCTS service.

Details – South Side

• Route 11 will be eliminated, but vast majority of service area will continue to have service via the express and other new or adjusted services. Some areas will actually see an increase as a result of the change.
• In some cases, riders will need to about one block further to get to a stop. Current MCTS service spaces stops at 1/8 mile, but express plans call for 1/4 mile spaced spots.
• Route 52 will be introduced to service one branch of the former 15 route on Clement, Pennsylvania, and 15th (pictured in map). It will terminate at Lincoln and Kinnickinnic.
• Route 56 will be introduced to service Greenfield Avenue from 2nd Street to 124th Street. This will replace an area formerly serviced by Routes 11 (to Miller Park Way) and 18 (70th to 124th). Service along Miller Park Way, previously provided by Route 11, will be eliminated.
• New Route 15 will still run unmodified on 1st Street, Kinnickinnic Avenue, Chicago Avenue, and Packard Avenue to Columbia Avenue.
• New Route 15 will run down Pittsburgh Avenue to Milwaukee Street through downtown. This will replace the service lost from the elimination of Route 11. The Bayshore – Airport Express will service Water Street.
• The Bayshore – Airport Express will divert from the current Route 15 at Lincoln and proceed south towards the airport on Howell. This will replace Route 11 service on Howell and Chase. Route 11 service on Boliver, Pine, and Layton will be discontinued. This new service supports the Aerotropolis concept.

Details – North Side

• Route 11 is being eliminated, but the stops on the north side of its route, Milwaukee Street, Ogden Avenue, Van Buren Street and Holton Street, will be serviced by new route 15.
• The new route 15, replacing the northern portion of Route 11, will continue north to Bayshore Mall instead of terminating at Capitol Drive. It will use Port Washington Road to get to Bayshore.
• The Bayshore – Airport Express will replace Route 15 service from Bayshore to downtown, running the same route to downtown as the 15 currently runs. Because of the express service, this will result in the elimination of some stops (from 1/8 mile spacing to 1/4 mile spacing), but stops will still be placed at all major destinations and transfer points.
• Route 68 is being eliminated. Limited 68 service on Green Tree, Lake Drive, and Brown Deer Road will be eliminated entirely. Route 68 service on Port Washington Road north of Bayshore will be replaced with Route 63, which currently terminates at Bayshore. Route 68 service south of Bayshore will be replaced by the new Route 15 to Capitol Drive. South of Capitol Drive to Keefe Avenue will no longer have service.

Following the introduction of the service changes by Thomas Winter, and brief comments in support by the Milwaukee County Supervisors in attendance, Supervisor Dimitrijevic led the question and answer session.

Questions from Audience

This is by no means a complete digest of the questions asked, but an attempt by myself to identify the most important and/or interesting questions and statements.

• When would the proposed changes go into effect? MCTS Manager Director, in attendance for the meeting, jumped in to note that the proposed changes would go into effect January 29th.
• One Howell Avenue resident noted that he liked the connection to the airport.
• Will the Bayshore – Airport Express run as late as other service? Yes
• Wifi in buses? Lloyd Grant – we are working with a local firm on in-bus advertising, this could happen. (My perspective – I don’t see it as likely, and I don’t believe that the new version of Transit TV proposed by Troy Shaw will produce the millions in revenue that has been projected, but I hope to be proven wrong.)
• Same commenter as wifi comment – Bus tickets should be handed out with tax receipts
• Same commenter as wifi comment – There should be park and ride areas on south side.
• Supervisor Jursik requested that Grant speak about the potential new farebox system. Grant mentioned that three years ago they received federal funding to help implement a new farebox system, and that he expected RFP responses this week. Supervisor Dimitrijevic noted that she hoped that a new system would utilize “smart cards” similar to those seen in other cities, which drew applause from the audience. Grant discussed a number of potential outcomes of the process, but noted that 40% of current fares are paid in cash.
• One commenter noted that park and rides should be installed across the south side to alleviate congestion at UWM and listed a number of potential locations including the airport. Supervisor Jursik noted that she didn’t think the airport would be likely, given its potential for abuse.
• How is service impacted from Brady and Farwell to downtown? Lloyd Grant noted that service would actually improve because of the switch from the 15 bus to express service.
• Will bike racks be on express route? Yes (drew applause from audience)
• MCTS driver – 1. Freeway Flyers being favored over local routes, not good. 2. The farebox is a trouble spot with the union, specifically the transfers. 3. How does it connect with streetcar? – Kris Martinsek, of Martinsek & Associates who is involved in the creation of the Milwaukee Streetcar, noted that streetcar project is in preliminary engineering and is being designed to have seamless connections with existing transit service.
• One life-long non-driver asked about smaller buses or vans to preserve service. Lloyd Grant responded that MCTS has retired their smaller vehicles over time as they aren’t as cost efficient given that they can’t be used on many routes.
• Express part of existing fare structure (following a comment thanking MCTS for their hard)? Lloyd Grant noted that this is the first time he has been asked, and that yes it would cost the same as a standard fare.
• Will Freeway Flyers stay the same? Yes.
• Multiple people noted the challenges in getting home from the airport to Bay View, that taxis frequently refused to give rides because of the airport fee structure. Where will the stop be at the airport? Where the Route 80 currently stops, at the south end of the Baggage Claim.
• Any change to Route 51? No changes at this time. This question was offered apparently in response to a neighborhood issue with bus noise, with people in attendance on both sides of the issue. Supervisor Haas remarked he was happy they have now met and could sit down to talk about it, which drew a laugh from the audience.
• What is the possibility that the CMAQ funds are not approved? Lloyd Grant said that rejection is not expected for any reason, and that it is up to Secretary of Transportation Gottleib to approve now.
• Samuel Jensen, representing the Milwaukee Transit Riders Union offered perhaps the most amusing remarks of the evening. He remarked that he was happy about the new service, but not happy to learn about it so late and that it was done in secret. He remarked that “we are not living in the Soviet Union or a third-world dictatorship.” During his comments he repeatedly said “this is absurd,” asking what other cuts were hidden (claiming the audience first learned of the Route 68 cuts today). He noted the lack of a real long-term funding solution for transit in Milwaukee, and asked when the Milwaukee County Board is going to do something about this? Supervisor Jursik downplayed his remarks, noting that he was attacking local politicians for an issue created by the state. She noted that she wasn’t pleased with being in the dark on the proposals before they were submitted. Her response ended with applause from the audience. Lloyd Grant noted that there were no unpublished cuts. Jensen responded by noting that Jacqueline Janz, MCTS Marketing Director, would do the USSR (Soviet Union) a service with her PR skills.
• After a few more questions, the meeting ended at 8 promptly because the Bay View Library closed.

Conclusion

Milwaukee County and MCTS have clearly been dealt a tough hand with the funding cuts to transit coming from the state budget. Despite the fact that the CMAQ funds at this point are only a two-year solution, and will result in some areas losing service, the solution is a creative one to stave off major cuts including the elimination of all Freeway Flyers, special event service (Summerfest, State Fair, Miller Park, etc, etc), and service reductions on many routes. In an ideal world, existing service would be maintained and new express service would be added on top, but given the circumstances this is a great solution to a terrible problem.

MCTS services changes as a result of proposed Bayshore - Airport Express

Aerotropolis by Greg Lindsay and John Kasarda

What would an aerotropolis bring to Milwaukee? What does Milwaukee need to do to get there? Better yet, what is an aerotropolis? I recently completed reading Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next by Greg Lindsay and John Kasarda, and couldn’t help but continually think about how the idea of an aerotropolis fits with Milwaukee.

According to leader of the aerotropolis movement, John Kasarda, “an aerotropolis is basically an airport-integrated region, extending as far as sixty miles from the inner clusters of hotels, offices, distribution, and logistics facilities.” My initial reaction when I first heard of the idea of an aerotropolis coming to Milwaukee was that it would be merely be a tool used to subsidized sprawl-patterned warehouse development near General Mitchell International Airport. After reading the book (review coming later this week), I remain leery of a potential outcome similar to that locally, but now know that the idea encompasses far more than just using land near the airport for warehouses.

I took away two key goals from the aerotropolis concept that seem applicable to Milwaukee. First, seek to derive as high as utility as possible from airport the aerotropolis is centered on by reducing friction to increasing service and planning the land around it. Second, provide the best possible multi-modal connections between the airport and the city to maximize the value the city derives from the airport. The general principles are likely very similar to what happened when sailing or railroading were the fastest mode of transportation, the cities that could best take advantage of the connections the transportation mode provided were more likely to flourish.

So how does Milwaukee maximize the utility of General Mitchell? It seems incentivizing logistics operations, both big and small, to locate near the airport and making land available for them to do so is a logical first step. To maximize the value of those companies that locate near the airport, it should be made as easy as possible for them to get to the airport, but strong consideration should be given to encouraging a compact-development pattern that maximizes available space, allows transit to best serve the area, and overall makes the area more attractive. The same compact-development pattern should be applied to new hotels and other developments near the airport, this will serve to make the area more visually attractive and make it easier to provide the amenities that will attract individuals and businesses to the hub of the aerotropolis.

Ultimately, planning for orderly development around the airport will make the region as a whole derive more economic benefits from the airport. Kasarda advocates for development that is locally dense and globally connected, the density portion of which is currently missing from the area around the airport. By building more compactly near the airport tax revenues from the area will be maximized. Likewise, potential future rail or express bus connections (possibly via accelerated service on the proposed Milwaukee Streetcar) to downtown will have a much higher utility by providing access to more thousands more jobs than just at the airport itself. Providing better multi-modal connections will not only increase the options for Milwaukeeans looking to access the airport or nearby jobs, but will encourage more visitors by reducing the cost of their trip by eliminating the need to rent a car. Compact, transit-oriented development patterns are what Kasarda is advocating other cities use (the book uses Mesa, AZ as an example), and it’s wise if we take advantage here.

Key Points on the Horizon for an Aerotropolis in Milwaukee

Relocate downtown USPS central facility to the airport

The groundwork is already underway for this, but it’s going to benefit three parties. One, USPS should benefit from a new modern facility close to the airport. Two, the Gateway to Milwaukee district will land a large new employer. Three, downtown Milwaukee will have new riverfront land available for development adjacent to the recently renovated Milwaukee Intermodal Station and along the proposed Milwaukee Streetcar system.

Better connect downtown with the airport

Interstate 94 currently connects General Mitchell International Airport with downtown Milwaukee (the largest jobs hub in the state). Those coming from out-of-town via the airport obviously don’t have cars and those in Milwaukee heading to the airport may not wish to pay to park them. Other connections are needed beyond the far too slow Route 80 bus and expensive airport shuttles. Lindsay refers to the failure of most American cities to connect their airports to downtown with trains as something that will go down “as yet another of our great infrastructure blunders.” Kasarda advocates for rail connections because every stop on the way to the airport becomes a transit-oriented development opportunity that maximizes the value of the airport. A rail connection to downtown makes no sense until there is rail service throughout downtown from the Milwaukee Streetcar, but once that system is in the ground it seems wise to invest in providing more express service between the airport and downtown. Portland may be the best example of this I’ve seen in person, where the light rail stop at the airport is as accessible as a flight gate and provides a single seat ride into downtown.

Continue to foster increased competition at the airport

Milwaukee has benefited from competition between Southwest and AirTran. Despite their coming merger, airport officials should seek out any way possible to keep the competition between airlines going. Ridership at General Mitchell is up thanks to lower fares from increased competition, and that’s good for Milwaukee as a whole.

Foster more inter-city passenger rail connectivity with the airport (Amtrak Hiawatha line expansion)

The aerotropolis concept took a hit when Governor Scott Walker refused the high-speed rail funds to expand the Hiawatha line to Madison, and plan for expansion to the Twin Cities. This would have provided passenger rail connectivity between downtown Madison, Watertown, Oconomowoc, and Brookfield with General Mitchell. This would have made it easier for Wisconsinites to fly out of General Mitchell, and made it more attractive for tourists to fly in. Thankfully the Amtrak Hiawatha Service connection still links the airport with Chicago and its north shore suburbs, encouraging passengers to avoid the congestion of O’Hare and Midway for the comforts of the Recombulation Area.

Be strategic and targeted with any tax incentives (AKA avoid the St. Louis debacle)

Gateway to Milwaukee definitely should provide incentives for firms with air-based logistical components to locate their the airport, similar to how the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee 7 have targeted “green” firms such as Helios and Ingeteam to locate in the Menomonee Valley. These incentives should be individually targeted through, and restricted to firms utilizing the airport. Missouri, and St. Louis in particular, has a mess on its hands in regard to a proposed state tax incentive program for an aerotropolis development targeted at Chinese Air Freight that is ripe for abuse many are arguing.

Foster connectivity with the Port of Milwaukee

Wherever possible connectivity with the Port of Milwaukee should be marketed as a key component of Milwaukee’s aerotropolis development strategy. Companies that have needs that involve just-in-time delivery by air, as well as massive parts delivered by water could take advantage of the proximity the port and airport have to one another in Milwaukee via Interstate 794 and the Lake Parkway.

Efforts Underway

I could spend another 1,000 words advocating for various nuances around the concept of a Milwaukee aerotropolis, but instead I’ll end by applauding the regional efforts underway by the Gateway to Milwaukee Aerotropolis initiative which has support from the business community as well as the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, South Milwaukee, Cudahy, St. Francis, Greenfield, Greendale, Franklin, Oak Creek.

Airport Privatization

The issue of airport privatization came and went quickly.  The idea was initially publicly floated by County Executive Scott Walker. Since nothing really changed as a result of the debate, I’ll spare breaking down the gory details.  The premise of the idea of privatizing the airport is such.

1. The airport generates a profit for Milwaukee County.
2. Milwaukee County is in bad fiscal shape.
3. Leasing the profitable airport for 99 years would result in a windfall of cash that could be used to pay down county debts.

Obviously, anytime the government is looking at giving away a profitable asset, considerable debate must be had.  A lack of political will on the part of Scott Walker, and substantial opposition to the idea ultimately tabled the idea for now.

Midwest Airlines

The fall of Midwest Airlines has taken the form of a three-stage play.  The first stage was the acquisition attempt by AirTran, and the eventual buyout by TPG.  The second stage featured TPG writing down the value of the airline as a total loss.  We’re now just into the third stage, where the airline has been acquired by Republic Airways, who will almost certainly transform the remaining pieces of the airline into a low-cost carrier.  For the many employees of Midwest, I don’t know that the play has a happy ending.

My bet on the last remaining “best care in the air” feature of Midwest Airlines has to be the cookies by the time Republic Airways is done.

For the residents of Milwaukee though, there is a silver lining to be found in the fall of Midwest.  Midwest has been a good corporate citizen, paying for naming rights to civic institutions such as the Midwest Airlines Convention Center and sponsoring teams like the Brewers and Bucks.  Those contributions, as well as the countless bits of small support they give, are certainly of benefit to the community.  But how did Midwest pay for those contributions?

One could guess the community support might have largely come on the back of passengers flying in and out of General Mitchell, where Midwest held nearly a monopoly on service until recently.

So while it’s certainly unfortunate to lose a Milwaukee-company, it’s quite likely that Milwaukee will benefit from the intense competition between low-cost carriers that will reduce costs for travelers.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines began service from Milwaukee on November 1st, 2009.  The low-cost, no-frills airline had announced their Milwaukee expansion on May 20th, and began advertising in the area shortly thereafter.  Southwest Airlines is already serving as direct competition to AirTran, triggering the heralded “Southwest Effect” before the airline’s first flight from General Mitchell.

Southwest’s arrival in Milwaukee hasn’t been a secret.  They threw a party on the lakefront, bought a bunch of advertisements on the side of MCTS buses, and have placed ads with numerous other outlets in town.  This has triggered a response from AirTran, who this year bought the naming rights to the field-level club at Miller Park as well as numerous other placements in outlets around town.  The local economy is certainly benefiting from the shot in the arm from Southwest and AirTran’s advertising budgets.

The Future

While the days of Midwest Airlines delivering “the best care in the air” are likely behind us, the lowest prices in the region lie ahead.  The competition between Southwest and AirTran will result in the previously mentioned “Southwest Effect”.  The “Southwest Effect” will bring not only reduced fares to Milwaukeeans, but will make General Mitchell a more attractive place to fly out of for residents of Northern Illinois, the Fox Valley, and Dane County.

Statistically speaking, things are already looking up.  Fares for the second quarter of 2009 were about $44 less on average than at O’Hare, and $26 less than the national average.  September saw record traffic at Mitchell, with 648,779 passengers crossing through the gates, up from the previous record of 597,102 in September of 2007.

Industry experts believe that the recent entrance of Southwest has already lowered fares in the months leading up to their entrance.

AirTran also announced a large expansion today, in partnership with Skywest.  Adding service to four new destinations, and expanding the number of flights (but shrinking the size of the planes) to three other destinations.

The increased competition, in addition to new destinations and more frequent flights already is good news for Milwaukee as it’s likely to bring more travelers to the area as well as reduce costs for Milwaukeeans looking to get elsewhere for business or pleasure.  But add to that the expansion of feeder systems to the airport, including the purchase of new railcars for the Hiawatha line that drops Chicagoan’s at the airport (or downtown) and the potential for the expansion of the Hiawatha route to Madison via stimulus funds, and you have a recipe for success.

They compete, we win.

In addition to the change in business model and ownership, Midwest is facing two new competitors that are sure to impact the market place. AirTran’s recent expansion in to Mitchell International has already begun eroding Midwest’s market share, and it’s almost guaranteed that with Southwest‘s arrival at Mitchell International in November, Midwest’s market share will continue to erode.  That said, this is actually a benefit for Milwaukee, as Mitchell Field will likely see what is known as the “Southwest Effect.”  For a community this generally means lower fares, more flights, and more travelers.  Yes, the airfare wars are coming to Milwaukee.

This combination of new rivals and cost cutting measures that are sure to come with the buyout make it likely that the few remaining luxury services that Midwest has left, will soon be abandoned.  Milwaukee might be losing out on “Signature Service,” and maybe down the road chocolate chip cookies, but that might not be the end of the world because in the near future residents of Wisconsin will be “free (well inexpensive) to move about the country.”

The end result of the patchwork quilt that is the Milwaukee region’s current transit systems is not pretty, nor productive. Constant budget battles for funding result in rising fares, reduced and or eliminated routes, varying service frequency, and antiquated equipment. At the same time, system operators are left without a budget to move riders across invisible lines that separate them from jobs.

The Milwaukee County Transit System is a prime example of the pitfalls of our current system of transit governance. In 2001, shortly before Scott Walker took office there was nearly $37 million available that Milwaukee County had received from the federal government for capital improvements to the transit system. Because the transit system, though a publicly-supported private company, is funded locally via property tax revenue it competes for funds against nearly all other county services. It is subject to yearly budget battles. The end result is a bitter fight between the Milwaukee County Board and the Milwaukee County Executive. This fight results in cuts and reductions in service across the board, not only for transit, but every service the county pays to provide. The federal funds earmarked for capital improvements (replacing old buses) have been used repeatedly for operating expenses to the point where they are nearly gone. The capital funds have been used to reduce the level of service cuts and reductions to the transit system, but at a great expense. A situation has been created where old and obsolete buses are being kept running well-past their expected lifetime. This has resulted in maintenance costs climbing at an ever increasing rate. Therefore, operating costs are now higher, and there isn’t money to pay for new buses to lower them.

The end result? The coming Milwaukee County transit funding crisis that has been studied extensively by the non-partisan Public Policy Forum.

What is a solution to this funding problem? A dedicated funding source deposited into a lock box account for a single use. A regional transit authority supported by a half-percent maximum sales tax varying by county service needs would accomplish this. A well-planned and budgeted sales tax could also create and support regional transportation initiatives that allow residents and visitors to easily move throughout the region. A move to a sales tax should not be viewed as a significant tax increase, instead using a sales tax should be seen as a logical tax transfer.

Sales taxes have a significant benefit to residents over property taxes, they’re paid by non-residents. Property taxes are paid by residents, either directly as a property owner-occupant or indirectly by renters as they are passed on by landlords. Sales taxes are paid by consumers. Consumers that come to the Milwaukee region for work or entertainment. This includes events at Miller Park and the Bradley Center frequented by out of region residents, and anything purchased at General Mitchell Airport by travelers. Furthermore, thanks in large part to Wisconsin’s progressive history, sales taxes are not levied upon unprepared food purchases at grocery stores. Using a sales tax creates a dependable revenue source to pay for existing transit service and new regional initiatives. A property to sales tax conversion would also allow a reduction to occur with property taxes, varying by the costs of the existing transit systems.

A regional transit authority with a dependable and dedicated funding source offers the best chance to move both the City of Milwaukee and the greater Milwaukee region forward. A dependable funding source will ensure reliable service that is largely free of yearly fare increases and route cuts. Furthermore, a regional transit authority will be able to operate similar to a utility provider, free to concentrate on providing one service, transit. This would be much unlike Milwaukee’s current systems which are political footballs subject to the whims of elected officials. Implementing a regional transit authority will provide the framework for future transit infrastructure improvements, including the potential use of the $91.5 million already allocated to Milwaukee by the federal government. A future with a regional transit authority is a future where people in the Milwaukee region can move within the region with ease utilizing a high quality transit system.

Within days after the announcement by Midwest, other airlines were ready to move in and add flights.

Since Midwest announced its cuts Sunday, AirTran Airways has said it will add flights to Baltimore, Florida and Las Vegas. Northwest Airlines Corp. will add nonstop service to Los Angeles.

With the Midwest service cuts that take effect Sept. 8, and the flights being added this fall and winter by AirTran and Northwest, travelers from Mitchell will end up with eight fewer nonstop destinations: Hartford, Conn.; Louisville, Ky.; Muskegon, Mich.; Raleigh, N.C.; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; and Wausau/Stevens Point, via Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee.

Clearly not all of the routes were big money losers, but previously cheap fuel prices may have been the nail in the coffin for Midwest Airlines as they appeared to hang on to old, fuel-inefficient planes a little too long. Now they’re only going to fly with new planes, but they can’t make it non-stop to the West Coast from Milwaukee.

So how did the airline industry end up stuck with a massive number of old, less efficient planes flying regular service? According to an anonymous insider, it all goes back to the dot com boom (and bust).

Christopher Hayes, DC editor of The Nation, posted an insider’s perspective on his blog after he asked his source the question “Why does flying suck so hard?” The response confirms a lot of things you were probably guessing, and makes you consider a few factors you probably weren’t.

Actually, people have been asking me this question for the entirety of the ten years I have worked in this business. I think the best thing I can do is to basically give you the answer I gave ten years ago, and then take you through the ways in which that answer has changed (or, really, gained additional layers and nuance) as 1) the tech bubble burst, 2) 911 and aftermath 3) the current fuel crisis happened.

Read the rest of the response on Chris’s blog. It’s highly intelligent and takes into account a lot of economic principles that your standard news cast and newspaper articles skip over.

This is a huge win-win for both areas. First, this should increase commerce surrounding the airport by adding a labor-intensive business near a large retail stretch. Second, it’s obviously going to be a boost for efficiency for moving mail in-and-out of Milwaukee. With a significant amount of mail moving through the air, this should get it sorted and on-and-off planes faster and reduce costs for USPS.

In regards to downtown Milwaukee, the Third Ward, and the Menomonee Valley, this is the start of a huge boost that has been a long time coming. The new Milwaukee Intermodal Station that is quickly becoming a well-known gateway to Milwaukee is in a terribly misused and underused area. Eliminating the Post Office and replacing it with nearly any mixed-use building would be a huge boost for the area and trigger development in underused buildings and surface parking lots across the street.

The land that Milwaukee’s Central Processing Facility for USPS currently occupies is not only in a great location because of the proximity to the train station, but it sits on the Menomonee River immediately adjacent to where it merges with the Milwaukee River. Any development on the site will certainly seek to reconnect the neighborhood with the river and further foster urban Milwaukee’s image as an area that is increasingly connected with its natural capital.

If you want to consider the kind of visual impact replacing the Post Office will have, consider the Harley Museum set to open soon just across the river. Not only has that development triggered another development in the Iron Horse Hotel, but it’s taken a long underused property and made it a legitimate piece of the city again. Replacing the Post Office will not only trigger development north across St. Paul Ave, but will increase the value of the Harley Museum and all of the land along that stretch of the rivers.

The ticket prices work on a sliding scale where the first few tickets are sold for $10 and eventually sliding up to higher prices.

The system might seem vaguely familiar to you because the upstart bus company Megabus uses the same system with rides starting at $1 dollar.

Small Business Times executive editor Steve Jagler has a special to OnMilwaukee.com entitled "Don’t Let Skeptics Derail Mass Transit Options", and it’s nothing short of excellent. Jagler takes typical conservative mindsets to task for their inability to understand the benefits of regional mass transit systems.

Jagler states everything really well. His article is definitely worth your time.

I have a few things to add, mostly as a result of the comments. The comments to the article are so-far off-base and demonstrate a lack of understanding by members of the community of the issue at hand. People clearly don’t understand those who can’t afford a car (students, children, those who need to get work, but lack the means), those who are unable to drive (the elderly), those who don’t want to waste their time driving everywhere (I’ll call them "the enlightened") and the fact that there is federal funding out there for the system.

The disgusting, growing notion of many Wisconsinites is that they can’t be taxed for new things, even if it improves their quality of life. These same Wisconsinites also go as far as to refuse to have existing taxes raised, while at the same time complaining for increased quality (and size) for things like roads and police protection. It’s this mentality ultimately that derails infrastructure improvements like the KRM system.

People complain that the business community hasn’t jumped on board with funding it. I bet you they would if we could get far enough in the discussion to ask them. Selling naming routes to certain runs (The Briggs & Straton Early Morning Express) or selling advertising within cars (or painted cars, like they do with buses) would certainly bring in money from companies to help support the system.

The one thing he doesn’t say that I wish he would have is that there isn’t a single city or region that built a system like this and is now actively trying to shut it down. Sure, for some of these systems the up-front costs may have been wrong, but the results of well-aligned stations and tracks have been great.

Also, if you’re interested in seeing what Milwaukee could become look no further than the $6 billion investment Denver is making to expand their system through FasTracks. Think if you didn’t have to worry about ice in the winter or your blood-alcohol content on Saturday night. You could read the newspaper, play with your iPhone, or work on your laptop on the way to work. Sleep on the way home. And when you get off the train you can enjoy the nice, clean air knowing that you’re one less car on the road.

When all is said and done you can’t talk about real economic development (the kind that comes with low unemployment) without the development of a transit system. I wish both parties could agree to this.

OnMilwaukee.com has published a guide to eating at General Mitchell International Airport, the newly redesigned Milwaukee Intermodal Station, or at the Badger Bus Depot.

It apparently must have been a slow news day for someone.

If you have a minute to kill read it. If you don’t, you’re not missing anything.