Snow preparedness, Couture streetcar impact on committee’s agenda

The preparedness level of the Department of Public Works for removing snow and ice during the upcoming winter snow season – and the impact of the stalled Couture project on the streetcar’s Lakefront Line – will be among the items discussed during Wednesday’s meeting of the Public Works Committee at City Hall.

The Public Works Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday (October 2) in room 301-B at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.

Alderman Robert J. Bauman, chair of the Public Works Committee, said file #190954 is a communication from the Department of Public Works relating to the “readiness of personnel, reserve workforce, available equipment and necessary maintenance for the upcoming snow season.” The file was sponsored by Alderman Bauman and co-sponsored by Alderman Mark A. Borkowski in the wake of widespread Council and public criticism last winter of DPW’s snow removal efforts.

“The committee is looking forward to hearing about the department’s plans for avoiding the city-wide problems we had last winter with snow and ice removal,” Alderman Bauman said. Sponsored by Alderman Bauman, file #190352 is also a communication from DPW, relating to “the plan for the completion of the Lakefront Line of the streetcar with regards to the Couture project.”

The Couture project has been stalled by legal and financial hurdles for years and plans include a key streetcar stop on a future Lakefront Line. Streetcar track has already been installed along Michigan Street and Clybourn to the point where the streetcar would turn around at the Couture site.  –

Additionally, the Couture project is set to receive $17.5 million from the city through tax incremental financing – funding that would be used for public improvements such as the public transit concourse, visitor walkways, pedestrian amenities and publicly accessible plazas.

“With the viability of the Couture still a huge question mark, the committee will be looking to see if DPW has an alternate plan for the streetcar that can proceed without the (Couture) development,” Alderman Bauman said.

Wednesday’s meeting will be televised live on the City Channel (Channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and on AT&T U-Verse Channel 99) in the City of Milwaukee. It can also be viewed via streaming video on the City website at milwaukee.gov/Channel25.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.