The Milwaukee County Transit System has received $14.7 million in federal funding as part of efforts to modernize the agency’s aging infrastructure.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced July 7 that the U.S. Department of Transportation had awarded funding to the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) federal grant program.
Money from the grant will fund MCTS’s facilities modernization project, which would see upgrades that are expected to reduce operating costs by improving efficiency and, in turn, avoid “costly, unplanned” equipment repairs while helping avoid disruptions to the transit system, a statement from Crowley noted.
“Strategic capital investments are essential to building a sustainable future for our transit system. That’s why I remain committed to working with partners at every level to bring critical federal investments home to Milwaukee County,” Crowley, who is running for governor, said in a statement July 7.
“These investments mean fewer service disruptions, which will help businesses whose employees rely on transit, reduce congestion for commuters, and ensure families and students can depend on transit to get to work, school, and medical appointments.”
Implementation of the MCTS Modernization Project is expected to start in 2027.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joined Crowley in efforts to secure the funding, which will serve as a helping hand to the agency as the county continues to face looming fiscal challenges.
According to the statement, MCTS will take a three-pronged approach to upgrade some of its infrastructure, which will include:
“This funding will improve reliability for our riders and help ensure a more sustainable and resilient transit system for our entire community,” said MCTS President and CEO Steve Fuentes. “I want to thank our federal partners for their support and the team at the County and MCTS for their collaboration to secure this award.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: MCTS secures $14.7M federal grant to replace aging infrastructure
Reporting by Vanessa Swales, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Vanessa Swales, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
