Vision 2050 - "One Region, Focusing on Our Future"

The Near West Side Partners team recently had the chance to meet with representatives from the SouthEastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Committee (SEWRPC) to discuss some of their recent work that directly involves the Near West Side. The meeting centered around their Vision 2050 campaign, which they describe as “a regional land use and transportation system plan for southeastern Wisconsin”.

Recently, the SEWRPC team completed an extensive analysis of the current transportation systems and land usage for the seven-county region in which the Near West Side lies, which includes Milwaukee, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Walworth and Washington counties. What they found was that currently the region ranks amongst the slowest growing regions in the nation when it comes to employment, population and income, and these problems are even worse for minorities. SEWRPC’s analysis made it clear that one of, if not the biggest, factor contributing to the slow growth and racial discrepancies is a lack of accessible transportation. They then came up with a plan to solve these issues.

As we very well know here at Near West Side Partners, there are no problems - only solutions. SEWRPC’s Vision 2050 plan provides solutions to the Near West Side's problem by planning new methods of multi-modal transportation in and around the area, while also promoting more efficient use of those that are already in place.

Vision 2050 and the work being done by SEWRPC is extremely important to the Near West Side and its residents. One of the biggest challenges the area and its residents face is accessing good paying jobs. Currently, there is a problem with unemployment and underemployment in the Near West Side, while corporations in the surrounding counties cannot find enough people to employ. This is clearly a transportation problem, and solutions must focus on how we can get people from the Near West Side to these jobs efficiently and comfortably.

Vision 2050 is going to completely change the way people in the Near West Side and surrounding areas travel by adding a new bus rapid transit (BRT) system, a light rail system, more commuter buses with expanded routes and stopping centers, and even improving bike lanes. Solving the issue of safe and reliable transportation to and from suburban employment centers will allow households in the Near West Side to not only reach higher levels of employment, but save more money while doing so.

It is estimated that Vision 2050 will save residents in the seven counties a total of $144 million on transportation, and will allow for 8 times more minority residents to have access to over 100,000 new jobs within 30 minutes from their homes. Connecting a huge base of workers to employers would encourage more businesses to expand their operations to Wisconsin, which would also have extremely positive impacts on the local economy.

As much as the area stands to gain from implementation, Vision 2050 is not something that is going to happen on its own. The necessary work will have to come from neighborhood organizations like the Near West Side Partners, businesses and local representatives - but most importantly residents from the Near West Side and other counties.

Get involved by contacting your local and state representatives and let them know you support the Vision 2050 plan. Urge your representatives and your family and friends to support legislation that expands current transit funding and encouraging others to do the same. For more information on the status of our area’s employment situation and transportation system, and to learn how you can get involved with SEWRPC and Vision 2050, please visit their website at http://www.vision2050sewis.org.