$5M to go toward Wisconsin transit projects

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Jul 18, 2007 by Paul Snyder

U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, D-Wis., announced Thursday that he directed $5 million toward the Wisconsin transit system for construction projects and bus purchases as part of the Senate appropriations bill that funds the Department of Transportation.

Kohl is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and had identified this project as a priority for funding.

"With gas prices hovering around $3 a gallon, more and more people will likely turn to public transit to help save a few bucks getting around town," Kohl said in a statement. "Wisconsin's vast mass transit system will use this federal investment to help rehab their facilities and replace some of their aging bus fleet. These efforts will do a great deal to making sure their important service runs smoothly."

Six projects involve construction of new or replacement of current facilities. This funding will be used for construction of facilities in Beloit, Janesville, Kenosha, La Crosse, Madison and Merrill.

In addition to the construction projects, a portion of this funding will be allocated to Milwaukee County for the purchase of buses. The balance will be distributed to the state's transit systems based on need for the purchase of vehicles, capitalized maintenance, intelligent transportation systems and transit equipment.

Kohl said that Wisconsin transit systems are operating an aging bus fleet that is in need of replacement. Deferring those replacements would create additional operating costs for Wisconsin's transit systems and jeopardize passenger safety. In addition, the new maintenance equipment, ITS and other transit equipment will ensure the continued operating effectiveness and efficiency of Wisconsin's public transportation systems.

Kohl fought for and won support for this project during last year's appropriations debate, although the bill was never reported out of the joint Senate-House of Representatives conference committee. The 2008 transportation appropriations bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.