It appears that the City is moving away from the proposed "Downtown Circulator" route and instead focusing on a more commuter oriented route, attempting to service the densest parts of the city and Downtown.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/59689692.html
I think that this is the correct move and I like to see that they look similar to the proposed streetcar route alternatives that I created a while ago.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=107292549626428610164.00046349b761eb5a87519&ll=43.044178,-87.887535&spn=0.068624,0.179043&t=h&z=13
My only concern with these is that they don't extend up Prospect/Farwell to North Ave. I really think that that extension of the route is what makes it economically feasible because it actually connects quality, high density housing with downtown (and presumably the jobs that support that housing). These are the people that are most likely to be converted to riders on the route and should be targeted with this starter system. Even in the state of the economy, this area has continued to see development - Latitude (Under Construction), Park Lafyette (still under construction), St. Johns (soon under construction), Transera and an unnamed apartment building (both proposed by New Land).
Looking at the distance, with reference to my streetcar route map, unidirectional track up Prospect and down Farwell is a similar distance of track as the original downtown circulator in bidirectional track. Therefore, I feel that it should be economically feasible to extend the route to North Avenue.
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I believe the new route is better as well, and do hope it can get to at least Brady.
Agreed - but any way you look at it, a "starter route" whether commuter oriented, or loop, is just a start. Until it goes well up the east side and elsewhere it's not going to hit critical mass. But a start is a start, expansion will be much easier once it's established.
Right, thats why I think it is really important that the first route extend up to North Avenue. If you take the proposed Route #1 with the Brady St. extension, then to get up to North Ave and back is the same distance as the Wisconsin Ave. "tail" and the optional 3rd Ward loop. I say eliminate both of those and concentrate the funds to get up to North Ave.
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