Whither MCTS?

$2 billion to widen I-94 while MCTS has to find change in the couch cushions

Courtesy of Bryce, Strong Towns South Milwaukee

Last night, at least three members of Strong Towns South Milwaukee joined our Milwaukee County Transit System at the Cudahy Family Library for a conversation about looming service cuts and the future of our transit system and our buses.

To be honest, it’s hard not to leave a conversation like that feeling a little depressed. MCTS is planning for a potential 25% reduction in service, and the effects will be real and painful for communities across Milwaukee County. As part of its system redesign, MCTS is asking for input on a difficult choice: Should the system prioritize coverage, reaching more places across the county, or ridership, providing more frequent service on fewer routes?

There’s no easy answer. There are no real winners when we’re deciding how to distribute less service. But there’s a big question at the heart of the redesign: How do we build a transit system we can sustain in an environment where transit funding is not a priority?

MCTS is the largest transit agency in Wisconsin, providing roughly 25 million rides each year and serving 242 square miles across 19 municipalities. Our county buses connect neighbors to jobs, schools, healthcare, shopping, friends, family and opportunity. And yet, despite the system’s size and impact, our region still lacks a dedicated, sustainable source of transit funding. Long-term, sustainable funding would allow MCTS to plan further ahead, provide more reliable service, and make strategic investments that benefit riders and the entire community for years to come. We can debate routes. We can debate frequency. We can debate coverage. But ultimately, we need to fund our transit system adequately. Our bus is part of our community infrastructure. It matters. And right now, the choices being forced upon MCTS will impact us all. MCTS is asking for your input as it plans for the future. Take the survey and make your voice heard. Learn more here: https://www.ridemcts.com/programs/mcts-forward