Milwaukee Streetcar

The Milwaukee Streetcar

Milwaukee Streetcar track construction on St. Paul Avenue,
May 2017
Overview
Type Streetcar
Status Under construction
Locale Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Website www.milwaukeestreetcar.com
Operation
Operator(s) City of Milwaukee
Technical
Line length 2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Route map

Phase 1
 Burns Commons
 Ogden & Astor
 Ogden & Van Buren
 Jackson & Ogden
 Jackson & Juneau
 Cathedral Square Park
US 18 (Wells Street)
 Michigan & Jackson
 The Couture/BRT Hub Milwaukee County Transit System
 Clybourn & Jefferson
 Wisconsin Avenue
US 18 (East Michigan Street)
 I-794 (
Lake Freeway /
East–West Freeway
)
 St. Paul & Milwaukee
 Milwaukee Public Market
 Milwaukee River
 St. Paul & Plankinton
Milwaukee Intermodal Station Amtrak
Maintenance facility

The Milwaukee Streetcar is a new modern streetcar line under construction in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The 2.5-mile (4.0 km)[1] line will connect the Milwaukee Intermodal Station to the proposed "Couture" high-rise and connect Downtown to the Lower East Side and Historic Third Ward neighborhoods.[2] Construction of the line began in April 2017.[3] Work on utility relocation relating to the project began in 2016,[4] as did construction of the maintenance facility for the line.[5] Installation of the tracks along the route began in May.

History

Milwaukee had a streetcar system in the late 19th century, and early 20th century.[6][7][8] The city's last streetcar route was closed on March 2, 1958.[9]

Route description

The first phase of the route has streetcars traveling from E. Ogden Ave. and N. Farwell Ave to N. Van Buren St./N. Jackson St. The streetcar will travel north on N. Van Buren St. and south on S. Jackson St. to E. Wells St. It will then connect with N. Broadway and N. Milwaukee St. It will operate south on N. Broadway and north on N. Milwaukee St. until E. St. Paul Ave. It will then operate on E. St. Paul Ave. in both directions between the Broadway/Milwaukee split to N. 4th St. at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.

In October 2015, the project received a federal grant which will cover approximately half the cost of a spur to the lakefront.[10] This spur to N. Lincoln Memorial Dr. will go via E. Michigan St. and E. Clybourn St.

The route's carhouse, its storage and maintenance facility, is being built on 4th Street, under the on-ramps to bridges across the Milwaukee River.[11]

The City of Milwaukee has applied for a TIGER Grant to gain federal funds to fund 50% of the system's extension up 4th St. towards the new Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center and the Bronzeville neighborhood.[12]

Funding and approval

The total cost to construct the streetcar is estimated to be $123.9 million.[13] The project was approved by the Milwaukee Common Council on January 21, 2015, and upheld on February 10, 2015, by a vote of 10 to 5.[1][14]

On April 6, 2015, the city invited bids for the supply of four streetcars, with the issuing of a request for proposals to interested manufacturers.[15] In November 2015, the city awarded an $18.6-million contract to Brookville Equipment Corporation to build four "Liberty" model streetcars for Milwaukee.[16][17] In mid-April 2016, the city invited bids for the construction of the project's first phase, with a June 1 due date for proposals. At that time, it was estimated that construction could begin in late summer or early fall 2016 and be completed in 2018.[18]

On August 19, 2016, Omaha contractor Kiewit Infrastructure was announced as the winning bidder for the contract to construct the line, and carhouse.[11] In February 2017, it was announced that track construction was projected to begin in April 2017.[19][20][21] Installation of the tracks into the street began in early May.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Stephenson, Crocker (February 10, 2015). "Milwaukee Common Council OKs streetcar plan". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ Walker, Don (January 16, 2015). "Feds approve route change for proposed Milwaukee streetcars". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ Handelman, Luke (April 4, 2017). "'Huge project': Welding of steel begins as construction gets underway on controversial streetcar". WITI. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  4. ↑ http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/02/17/eyes-on-milwaukee-streetcar-track-construction-starts-in-april/
  5. ↑ http://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/city-opens-bidding-to-lead-milwaukee-streetcar-construction-project-b99708733z1-376096951.html
  6. ↑ James B. Nelson (January 16, 2015). "Rep. Jim Steineke says Milwaukee streetcar would be ‘1900s style trolley’". Politifact Wisconsin. Retrieved 2016-08-19. The previous system began in 1860 with a small network of horse-drawn cars. Those lines eventually grew into a large network powered by electricity. The streetcar became an important part of the city’s fabric -- and the foundation for the city’s electric utility.
  7. ↑ "Historical Milwaukee Streetcar Maps". The Squeaky Curd. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  8. ↑ "Speaking the Truth". The Milwaukee Streetcar. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  9. ↑ Schultz, Russell E. (1980). A Milwaukee Transport Era: The Trackless Trolley Years. Glendale, CA: Interurbans. p. 88. ISBN 0-916374-43-2.
  10. ↑ "Streetcar spur to lakefront awarded $14 million federal grant". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Sean Ryan (August 19, 2016). "Milwaukee hires lead streetcar contractor, allowing work to begin as early as fall". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved 2016-08-19. Kiewit Infrastructure Co. of Omaha, Neb., was selected for the estimated $60 million contract to lead the first phases of Milwaukee’s streetcar construction.
  12. ↑ Spicuzza, Mary (April 29, 2016). "Milwaukee seeks $20 million grant for streetcar extension". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  13. ↑ "Capital Costs/Construction". The Milwaukee Streetcar Project. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  14. ↑ Jannene, Jeramey (February 10, 2015). "Eyes on Milwaukee: Milwaukee Streetcar Approved". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  15. ↑ Ryan, Sean (April 7, 2015). "Milwaukee plans to buy four initial streetcars, could pay more than $4M each". Milwaukee Business Journal.
  16. ↑ "Milwaukee Approves Agreement With U.S. Streetcar Manufacturer To Build New System's First Four Vehicles". Milwaukee Streetcar. November 13, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  17. ↑ Vantuono, William C. (November 16, 2015). "Brookville streetcars for Milwaukee". Railway Age. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  18. ↑ Spicuzza, Mary (April 19, 2016). "City opens bidding to lead Milwaukee streetcar construction project". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 3A. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
  19. ↑ Spicuzza, Mary (February 17, 2017). "Milwaukee Streetcar route construction to begin in April". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  20. ↑ Aevermann, Kyle (February 17, 2017). "Milwaukee Streetcar Construction To Begin In April". WDJT-TV. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  21. ↑ Wainscott, Kent (February 17, 2017). "Construction of Milwaukee streetcar to begin in April". WISN-TV. Retrieved 2017-02-22.

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