Common Council To Consider New Public Transit Plans

FRANKLIN, WI — The Common Council will consider paying $5000 to the Regional Transit Leadership Council (RTLC) Tuesday night to help improve public transportation in and beyond the city.

Busses struggle to effectively serve low-density suburbs, such as Franklin, sparking a need for new transportation modes. Better transportation can connect Franklin residents with higher-paying jobs otherwise just out of reach, according to the RTLC.

If approved, Franklin will sign a contract for RTLC to start planning ways to fix transportation connectivity issues between Franklin and Milwaukee County. RTLC will consult with national experts and community members to plan better options.

A report would be created and presented to the common council in Jan. 2022 for approval.

There are no rigid ideas yet, but transport connectivity issues could be relieved through new shuttle programs, rideshares and more point-to-point options, according to the RTLC.

The goal would be to connect employers and jobseekers across the Milwaukee city center and outlying suburbs, according to the RTLC.

Further, new business developments within Franklin may benefit from improved public transit. Business developers may require larger labor pools from outside their area - labor pools only accessible by the improved public transit, according to the RTLC.

Franklin would fund these new public transportation plans from Tax Incremental Districts and new developments in Franklin, according to the RTLC.

Franklin is a heavily car-dependent city. The majority of workers commute via personal vehicles, and only a small fraction of households in Franklin rely on public transit to get around, according to census data.