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Working Together to Shape Wisconsin's Future Transportation System - Wisconsin TransLinks 21
Click HERE for graphic. MISSION STATEMENT TRANSLINKS 21 - Wisconsin's 21st century transportation plan - will outline a comprehensive transportation system that moves people and goods efficiently, strengthens our economy, protects our environment, and supports our quality of life. Working with DOT, the public will identify Wisconsin's transportation needs - and help to make tomorrow's transportation choices. Tommy G. Thompson, Governor Charles H. Thompson, Secretary A new era in transportation partnerships What transportation systems will Wisconsin need - and how should they be integrated - to move people and goods efficiently, support our economy, protect our environment and maintain our quality of life in the 21st century? Wisconsin's citizens, local government officials, legislators, statewide organizations, business leaders and environmental groups will help the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) find the answers through a new statewide planning process called Translinks 21. Translinks 21 overview Translinks 21 - the planning process and 21st century transportation plan - will be in place by the Summer of 1994. Its development will rely upon these fundamental "building blocks: Basic transportation goals and values New federal requirements Wisconsin's existing transportation system Responding to a changing Wisconsin Transportation financing Public involvement While Translinks 21 will not make decisions on specific transportation projects, it will set the critical framework and priorities to determine which projects are designed and built in the future. How we travel and how we do business in Wisconsin lay in the balance. Translinks 21 building block: Basic goals and values Translinks 21 begins with five fundamental transportation goals in Wisconsin, including: Mobility. Wisconsin's economy and quality of life depend upon the state's ability to move people and goods both within its boundaries and to worldwide destinations. Translinks 21 will focus on improving travel - in terms of timeliness, greater reliability, more accessible destinations, and lower costs. Choice. Whenever feasible, practical and economical, shippers and travelers should have more than one mode - highways, transit air, rail, waterways and bikeways - available to meet a range of - mobility needs. WisDOT's role is to support, and not limit, transportation choices. Safety. Every transportation user expects and deserves a system that is safe for personal and freight travel. Wisconsin has one of the safest transportation systems in the nation - but we can do even better. Improving transportation safety is a top priority of Translinks 21. Connectivity. A seamless transportation system with convenient and reliable opportunities to use more than one mode in a single trip provides a wider range of cost-effective options. Efficiency. Wisconsin expects its 21st century transportation system to be efficient and economical. Opportunities to reduce the monetary and time costs involved with building, using, improving and maintaining the transportation system will be aggressively pursued. The stakes are very high. While Translinks 21 will not make decisions on specific transportation projects, it will set the critical framework and priorities to determine which projects are designed and built in the future. How we travel and how we do business in Wisconsin lay in the balance. 1 Translinks 21 building block: Federal requirements Along with addressing Wisconsin's fundamental transportation goals, our state's 21st century transportation systems must also respond to new federal requirements. ISTEA has four key impacts for Wisconsin: 1) Develop a multi-modal transportation plan; 2) Review all existing plans; 3) Incorporate new stakeholders into the decision-making process; and 4) A new emphasis on urban transportation. ISTEA presents a call to action The federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) is a new call to action in transportation. It requires states to do business differently by re-examining their transportation systems and plans, and by developing comprehensive new plans for the future. ISTEA has four key impacts for Wisconsin - which are being addressed through Translinks 21. First: ISTEA calls on states to develop statewide multimodal transportation plans. These plans should look at the transportation needs within broad corridors, and the right solution or combination of solutions to address them. Highways, airports, railroads, harbors, and transit systems will all be part of the mix - with different solutions applied appropriately in different areas. ISTEA also provides the flexibility - for the first time - to spend highway funds on some other modes, such as transit. The key is to find where these tradeoffs are feasible and make sense. Second: ISTEA starts with a blank slate. All of Wisconsin's existing highway, rail and airport plans will be reviewed and could be changed. New plans - for intercity bus, urban mass transit, intercity freight and passenger rail, and bikeways - should be developed. Third: ISTEA brings many new stakeholders into the transportation decision-making process. Environmentalists, bicycle and rail advocates, and the elderly and disabled join local officials, road interests, transit providers and business groups in having input into transportation plans. Fourth: ISTEA places a new emphasis on urban transportation. Wisconsin's urban areas face unique challenges, such as traffic congestion, air quality limitations, and connecting people with jobs. Land use is also a growing concern, as more development moves to suburban and outlying areas served by automobiles and not efficiently reached by transit walking or biking. Federal law requires all federally-funded urban transportation projects to be included in urban transportation plans, which will be developed by the state's metropolitan planning organizations (MPO's) in cooperation with WisDOT. Planning will determine the transportation future of urban areas, and the economic development and environmental quality that depend upon it. Translinks 21 building block: Responding to a changing Wisconsin Wisconsin's economic needs, environmental priorities, population and land use trends are changing. For transportation to be a "good neighbor" - and a continued part of the formula for a successful Wisconsin - Translinks 21 must be in a position to respond to these changes. 2 Translinks 21 supports a competitive economy Translinks 21 will chart a 21st century transportation system that supports the expansion and diversity of Wisconsin's economy, and helps provide economic opportunities for our citizens. Wisconsin's economy depends upon good and production. It reduces the costs of shipping land production. It frees up resources for expansion, research and new jobs. It connects people with jobs and businesses with markets. And good transportation gives communities an edge in competing for businesses by providing access to four- lane highways, modern rail lines and airports. Just-in-Time shipping and intermodalism are changing how transportation serves Wisconsin's economy. Two key trends are influencing how transportation serves the economy in Wisconsin. The first trend is "Just-in-Time" operations, where companies move raw materials in and finished products out quickly at the time of production in order to reduce inventory and overhead costs. The second trend is "intermodalism," where companies take advantage of faster and more cost-effective methods by shipping goods in containers on trucks, and then transferring the containers to rail and ships in the same trip, in order to reach national and world markets. Manufacturing. Wisconsin is one of the nation's leading manufacturing states. With a competitive global economy, Wisconsin firms must have efficient, multimodal freight transportation systems that allow for "Just-in-Time" operations and increased productivity. Tourism. This mainstay of our economy depends upon convenient, safe and attractive transportation - bringing visitors to our state's many attractions and hospitality businesses. Agriculture. Efficient rural highway, rail and water transportation systems are essential for meeting the unique needs of agriculture -- delivering supplies to farms, collecting farm products, and taking products to processing plants and consumers throughout the state and nation. Services. All indications are that Wisconsin's service economy will be a primary source of future job growth. Transportation fosters this growth by connecting businesses with customers. Employment. Between 1970 and 1990, employment in Wisconsin climbed by an impressive 41%. This means that there are more workers who need highway and transit connections to jobs, and more economic activity that must be served by transportation. Translinks 21 focuses on the environment Quality transportation and environmental protection are two basic values that will be addressed and balanced by Translinks 21 and Wisconsin's resulting 21st century transportation plan. Air quality. Eastern Wisconsin shares a summer ozone problem with the three other states surrounding Lake Michigan. Quality transportation surrounding Lake Michigan. Under the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, emissions from transportation, industry and other sources must be reduced to comply with federal air quality standards. In urban areas that do not meet these standards, transportation plans must demonstrate that the projects they include contribute to emissions reductions. Energy consumption. Wisconsin imports virtually all of its energy resources. While transportation energy efficiency has improved dramatically, further progress is needed. Natural resources. A 21st century transportation system must respect clean water, habitat preservation and natural areas in order to maintain Wisconsin's high-quality environmental. Quality transportation and environmental protection are two basic values that will be addressed and balanced by Translinks 21. 3 Land use plays a key role in transportation Especially in urbanized areas, transportation is largely influenced by land use trends. The relationship between land use and transportation is complex - with each impacting the other. Where land is where land is developed; whether it is zoned for commercial, residential or industrial use; and the design of buildings and communities are key land use issues for transportation. During the second half of this century, population and employment centers have shifted from central cities to suburbs and outlying areas - presenting new transportation challenges. Central cities, for example, are generally designed in a way that can be served efficiently by many transportation modes. Transit service is flexible because there am more people and buildings per square mile, and neighborhoods have sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians. In suburban and outlying areas, by contrast, development is more dispersed. These areas are easily served by automobiles, and are much less accessible by walking, transit or biking. A key result of suburbanization is the changes in commuting patterns and subsequent pressures on the transportation system - with more suburb-to-suburb and city-suburb trips being made. Where land is developed and how it is used are key issues for communities and the transportation systems that service them. Demographic, employment and travel trends Wisconsin's growing economy and population - along with changes in where people are living and working and the trips they are making all have significant impacts on transportation. Population. Wisconsin's total population increased by some II% between 1970 and 1990. More than five million people now make their home in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, the average size of each household is decreasing, the number of households is increasing at a rate faster than population growth, and the average number of vehicles per household is increasing. The "high mileage age group" - people aged 25-44, who tend to travel the most - also expanded by 58% in Wisconsin from 1970 to 1990. Each of these factors contributes to an increase in travel, though the rates of both population growth and travel growth are expected to slow through the year 2020. Travel. National data indicate that business and shopping trips increased by 111% and 62% from 1970 to 1990. Our state probably mirrors these trends. Vehicle miles of travel in Wisconsin increased by 80% from 1970 to 1990. Work trips. Of all trips to work made in Wisconsin during the 1980's, the share of drive alone trips increased 37.3%. All other modes showed a dramatic decline as a percentage of work trips: car pooling (-31.8%). mass transit (-29.2%), walking (-26.2%), and bicycling (-17.2%). While these trends show that more people are commuting in cars, the number of people working at home - and therefore not requiring a commute - increased 8.9% during the 1980's. Serving community values WisDOT recognizes that while every Wisconsin community shares a need for safe, efficient, accessible and affordable transportation, the values of these communities can be very different. Transportation planning and programs must be flexible enough to respond - with a basic core of policies that addresses shared needs, and the ability to account for community diversity. 4 Translinks 21 building block: Wisconsin's transportation system In shaping a 21st century transportation plan, Translinks 21 will build upon the solid transportation foundation that is already in place and evolving in Wisconsin. State and local highways, public transit systems, airports, intercity bus service, freight and passenger railroads, harbors, bikeways and pedestrian facilities combine to make transportation in Wisconsin among the safest, most efficient, and most cost- effective anywhere in the nation. Click HERE for graphic. Highways Wisconsin is served by 110,000 miles of highways, streets and roads, with more than 13,000 bridges. This network - operated by state, county, town and municipal governments - ranges from heavily-used six-lane urban freeways to low traffic volume two-lane rural routes. In 1992, about 47 billion vehicle miles of travel were logged in Wisconsin - a 93% increase over 1970. A key subset of Wisconsin's roadway network is the State Trunk Highway System, which encompasses 12,000 miles. While this system comprises 11% of all road miles in Wisconsin, it carries more than 60% of all vehicle miles of travel statewide. The State Trunk Highway System also includes 640 miles of Interstate Highways (1- 43, 90, 94, 535, 794 and 894). The state's roads play a key role in moving freight as well as passengers. Trucks carried 1 17 million tons of freight in Wisconsin during 1989 (53% of the total), providing fast and direct service to businesses. Key passenger and freight routes are included in Corridors 2020, a 3,400-mile network of two- and four- lane highways connecting Wisconsin communities with other regions of the state and with national and international markets. Corridors 2020 serves as a blueprint for Wisconsin's portion of the National Highway System, a network of nationally significant highways authorized by ISTEA that must be in place by 1995. In Wisconsin, 6,150 miles are also part of the National Truck Network. The role of trucking is expanding nationwide. More than 43% of the nation's total freight tonnage was carried by trucks in 1990, a 42% increase over 1980. Trucking also accounted for 77.4% of the nation's total freight shipping costs in 1991, up from 72.7% of the total in 1980. Public transit Some 52 public transit systems - both fixed-route bus and shared- ride taxi systems - operate in communities and rural areas throughout Wisconsin. Public transit carried approximately 73 million riders in 1992. This declined 28.5% from a total ridership of 93 million in 1980. In Wisconsin's urban areas, public transit typically carries up to 5% of all trips made. Public transit is a key part of the mobility equation, helping reduce congestion and air pollution, and providing mobility for people without access to cars or who choose not to drive. 5 Wisconsin is also served by privately-owned intercity bus carriers, with the major routes connecting Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Intercity bus ridership totaled approximately 900,000 passengers in 1992. Passenger rail Passenger rail, as provided by Amtrak, is another option for intercity travel in Wisconsin. Amtrak offers two Wisconsin routes: the Hiawatha, with seven daily round trips between Milwaukee and Chicago; and the Empire Builder, with daily round trip service to six Wisconsin' cities via Chicago, Milwaukee, the Twin Cities, and on to the Pacific Northwest Amtrak carried about 450,000 passengers in Wisconsin during 1992, with most on the Hiawatha service. In Wisconsin, ridership on the Empire Builder route increased nearly 9% from 1980 to 1992, with ridership on the Milwaukee- Chicago Hiawatha route rising more than 78% since 1986. Nationwide, passenger rail travel (in passenger miles) increased by 24% from 1980 to 1992. Total rail ridership, however, grew by only 600,000 passengers during that same period. As a result, rail carried slightly less than 1% of all intercity passenger trips in 1992. Click HERE for graphic. Freight rail Wisconsin is served by 14 freight railroads operating over 4,100 miles of track. In 1991, rail moved about 59 million tons of freight in Wisconsin (2% of the total) serving key industries such as manufacturing, pulp and paper, food and agricultural producers, and utilities. Railroads also provide key intermodal connections with truck and waterway shipments. During 1992, rail carried approximately 25% of all intercity freight tonnage nationwide - a 3.7% drop from its 1980 share of the total. Rail's share of the nation's intercity freight bill also declined, from 13% in 1980 to 8.3% in 1991. In Wisconsin, freight rail -- especially as a link in intermodal shipments -- has followed positive trends over the past decade. Air transportation Wisconsin has 142 public use airports, with ten offering scheduled passenger flights. Nearly all Wisconsin residents live within 45 minutes of commercial airline service. In 1992, approximately 3.5 million passengers boarded commercial flights in Wisconsin - an increase of 31% over 1980 levels. Approximately 60% of airline passengers in Wisconsin use General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee County. General aviation airports - serving smaller communities without scheduled commercial flights also play a key role in providing Wisconsin businesses with access to national markets. 6 Air travel carried 29,000 tons of freight in Wisconsin during 1992, primarily low-volume, high-value commodities such as express mail. U.S. Mail accounted for 25% of the total shipments. Nationally, air shipments (measured in ton-miles) increased 131% from 1980 to 1992, though air continues to carry only a very small percentage of the nation's total freight tonnage. Water transportation The Great Lakes and the Mississippi River are dotted by 14 Wisconsin ports. These facilities moved 46 million tons of freight in 1992 (21% of the total), including coal, grains, metals, sand and gravel, and petroleum products. The majority of waterborne freight in Wisconsin travels through Superior/Duluth, Brown County (Green Bay) and the Port of Milwaukee. From 1980 to 1992, Great Lakes shipping - including Wisconsin ports - dropped by 12.5%. Passenger ferry services are also available to carry trips across a river or lake or to connect islands with the mainland. The Lake Michigan Carferry, a privately-operated service connecting Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan, carried the most trips in 1992, with 115,000 riders. Translinks 21 building block: Transportation financing State transportation programs in Wisconsin are financed through a combination of state, federal and local funds. Private funding - for vehicles and some systems - is also included. State funds. The state-generated revenues for WisDOT's transportation programs - with motor fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees accounting for more than 90% of the total are collected in the state's Transportation Fund. This comprises more than two-thirds of WisDOT's budget. The Transportation Fund is reserved for transportation programs and projects, and it remains separate from the state's General Fund that collects sales and income taxes and funds other priorities. Wisconsin is different from other states, in that its Transportation Fund revenues are used to pay for all modes of transportation - state and local - and not just highway programs. Federal funds. Federal highway user fees account for 20% of the state transportation budget. Under ISTEA, Wisconsin was to receive significant increases in its annual level of federal highway and transit funds, though the actual levels have been lower than those authorized. Local funds. The state transportation budget also includes local revenues that are used to match state and federal funds in sharing the costs of transportation projects that benefit communities. The local match varies depending on the project involved and its direct benefit for a community. Private sector. Wisconsin's transportation picture would not be complete without the involvement of the private sector. Many rail lines, ferry services and harbors are owned and/or operated by private entities. And the cars on our highways, planes in our skies, bicycles on our streets, and trains that carry freight are owned and financed privately. Wisconsin's transportation system is financed through a combination of state, federal, local and private sector funding. 7 Translinks 21 building block: Public involvement Translinks 21 will be - and must be - a team effort. As with all transportation planning efforts and programs, WisDOT is not going it alone. Public involvement is the key to success. WisDOT has already initiated a series of newsletters that update Translinks 21 developments and explain the process. To explain both past and future issues, contact WisDOT at 608/266-3581. During the Fall of 1993, WisDOT officials will conduct a series of regional forums throughout the state, in partnership with Regional Planning Commissions. These half-day forums will bring local government officials, business leaders, transportation interests, environmental and community groups together at the same table, to start building the Translinks 21 plan. At these forums, WisDOT will present an overview of what Translink's 21 is, what it will examine and produce, the perceived needs and priorities of each region, and how the public will be involved. More importantly, forum participants will share their transportation needs and suggestions with WisDOT officials - in a variety of "give-and-take" formats. Along with regional forums, public outreach will include periodic meetings between WisDOT officials and key statewide organizations with an interest in transportation, along with visits to key communities statewide. Topical forums - focusing on urban, rural, economic development, freight, transit, tourism and environmental issues - will also be held beginning in 1993. In the Spring of 1994, WisDOT will conduct a second round of regional and topical forums and organize community visits, to present and gauge reactions to alternative transportation plans developed with earlier public input. Plans will include choices to solve specific transportation challenges - for example, the tradeoff between passenger rail and transit service or highways to move people. Hearings will also be held to actively involve the general public. By the Summer of 1994, WisDOT will again return to community and regional forums and statewide organizations, presenting the Translinks 21 plan selected for public review. The Translinks 21 plan can only be shaped by the public - so everyone must be involved by sharing their needs, priorities and ideas with WisDOT. And remember, transportation revenues will remain limited, so Translinks 21 must involve choices and tradeoffs. Everything cannot be in the plan - so WisDOT needs the public's help in making the best decisions for the future. Partnerships build a multimodal transportation vision With all of these "building blocks" in place, here is how Translink's 21 will look. Intercity transportation Under the federal ISTEA legislation, WisDOT is responsible for developing freight and passenger transportation plans connecting regions and key population and economic centers. Translinks 21 will focus on the key issues (i.e. population, demographics, economic development, the environment and technology) in broad corridors. These are the areas through which people and freight travel, instead of just the highway, rail or transit facility on which they travel. 8 WisDOT will then look at the transportation needs within different corridors, such as connecting people with jobs; taking the elderly to health care; bringing raw materials to factories; shipping finished products to regional, national and international markets; and serving tourism. The unique needs of rural Wisconsin will also be identified through Translinks 21. With the issues and needs identified, WisDOT will target the most appropriate mode - or combination of modes - to address Wisconsin's transportation needs. It will also look at how to connect different regions and metropolitan areas with an integrated multimodal system. No longer will WisDOT plan and develop highways, airports, railroads, harbors, transit systems and bikeways in isolation of each other. Instead, Translinks 21 will develop and integrate intercity plans for all modes to meet identified travel needs. Translinks 21 will ensure that Wisconsin's intercity plans not only connect regions, but connect with urban with urban transportation systems. Urban transportation A parallel effort to WisDOT's intercity planning will occur in our urban areas. Under ISTEA, Wisconsin's 11 metropolitan planning organization (or MPOs, which are public bodies representing local governments in the state's 14 urbanized areas over 50,000 population) are responsible for developing the multimodal transportation plans for their transportation areas. MPO's are expected to follow a similar process to WisDOT's intercity planning - evaluating transportation needs within broad travel corridors, and identifying the best mode or combination of modes to meet those needs. MPO planning will take place with input from WisDOT. Specifically, WisDOT has a proactive role in helping MPO's develop their transportation plans. WisDOT will provide MPO's with planning guidance and technical assistance in about 20 different areas, including bicycle/pedestrian facility planning, land use Transportation planning, transit planning, travel demand management strategies, environmental evaluations, management of access to highways, and achieving connections between various transportation modes. The purpose of this guidance and technical assistance is to ensure that all MPOs work from a similar planning foundation, so that each plan can be more effectively and consistently incorporated into Translinks 21. WisDOT staff is also represented and active on the various MPO policy and technical committees with responsibility for shaping MPO plans. WisDOT will also work with local officials to help identify mobility needs and develop transportation plans in the state's smaller urban areas (5,000 to 50,000 population). In all urban areas, issues such as coordinating transportation and land use plans, and implementing travel demand management techniques to limit the growth in drive-alone vehicle travel, will present unique challenges that must be addressed through the planning process. Bringing the blueprint together With WisDOT's intercity plans and each urban plan completed, Translinks 21 will combine these two equally important elements to shape the state's overall 21st century transportation blueprint making sure it provides seamless connections between and within all areas of the state. 9 Join the Translinks 21 team With this introduction to Translinks 21, you're now prepared to come to the table and help WisDOT build the vision for Wisconsin's 21st century transportation system. For more information on Translinks 21, or to obtain copies of the newsletters, contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at 609/266-3581. Let's work together for an even better transportation future! 10 WISCONSIN TRANSLINKS 21 FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSLINKS 21, CONTACT: WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS P.O. BOX 53707-7910 MADISON, WI 53707-7910 608/266-3581
