Word on the Street (12.21.2007)
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- Seattle mayor Greg Nickels is working on a plan that will encourage all city employees to use public transportation, by giving the free transit passes. Milwaukee should get behind this.
- The Daily Reporter has a good look at the issues affecting the 27th Street ramp off of Interstate 94.
- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has made a significant donation to promote the improvement of the Harambee neighborhood. It would be great to see more companies jump on board to help the process along.
- Neal Peirce has a piece on the rebirth of rail as a well-traveled mode for inter-city movement. He mentions how a leader is Frank Busalacchi, who ironically has been nothing but car happy in the past couple of years (failure of KRM funding source, expansion of I-94). But state initiatives are also vital. Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi heads the “States for Passenger Rail Coalition” of 30 state transportation departments appealing for an 80-20 federal-state funding split to put some real steam behind rail expansion.
- The National Corridors Initiative is hosting a conference, “Carmichael Conference On The Future of American Transportation“, in St. Louis discussing the promotion and expansion of inter-city rail travel in the United States. I won’t be able to attend because of financial reasons (if you have $300 to pay for the conference and hotel, let me know), but look forward to seeing the results. Inter-city transit is a huge boost for urban areas and Milwaukee could certainly use a boost with more linking with nearby Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, and Racine.
- An intelligent look at how individual route management might work in New York City and does work in Copenhagen. MCTS could use something like this for areas of its system to improve service. Bus design and management should certainly be different for routes that serve UWM and Marquette vs those that serve primarily the workforce.
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