Request for Qualifications

The Commission is requesting qualifications (PDF) from interested and qualified consultants to develop a socio-economic impact analysis of recommendations set forth in a preliminary regional water supply plan.

Regional Housing Plan

The Commission has initiated work on a regional housing plan. The plan will address the availability, location, and density of housing, including affordable housing. The distribution of jobs in the Region as envisioned in the regional land use plan will be an important consideration in the preparation of the housing plan. The housing planning work will include an inventory and analysis of the existing housing stock and housing occupancy characteristics; the formulation of housing objectives and standards; and the preparation of a housing plan intended to achieve those objectives and standards, particularly addressing the issues of job-housing balance and affordable housing.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funding for Local Transportation Projects in the Milwaukee Urbanized Area

As the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Milwaukee Urbanized Area the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission is working with the State and local units of government to select projects for two categories of ARRA funds allocated to the Milwaukee Urbanized Area

• $28.5 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307/5340 formula funds
• $38.7 million in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Surface Transportation Program – Milwaukee Urbanized Area funds (STP-M)

The $28.5 million in ARRA FTA Section 5307/5340 funds has been allocated among the transit operators within the Milwaukee urbanized area based on the amount of transit service and ridership carried by each, with Milwaukee County receiving 90 percent, and the other four transit operators receiving 10 percent.

With regard to the $38.7 million in ARRA FHWA STP-M funding, the Advisory Committee recommended to the Commission for approval, and the Executive Committee of the Commission acting on behalf of the Commission approved on May 7, 2009, a procedure for funding allocation and project selection (PDF), and a list of projects (PDF) to receive ARRA FHWA STP-M funding. The funding allocation and project selection prepared by Commission staff attempted to treat each county and community fairly and equitably, and attempted to address the three criteria identified for consideration in funding allocation and project selection:

Recognize the overall need for funding is, and the allocation of funding and project selection should be, in proportion to the lane-miles of arterial facilities under the jurisdiction of each county and community.

Recognize that the ARRA states that priority is to be given to projects located in economically distressed areas, and the long used lane-mile funding allocation should be adjusted to account for this concern.

Recognize that the ARRA is an economic stimulus bill, and projects which would be under construction in 2009, as compared to 2010, should receive priority for funding.

The list of projects selected to receive ARRA FHWA STP-M funding may differ slightly from those identified in the procedure for funding allocation and project selection as local governments with multiple projects, including the City and County of Milwaukee, were provided the flexibility to reprioritize their projects provided they stay within the total cost of their approved projects.

For information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, we have provided below links to a presentation made by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and handouts distributed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation at the March 16, 2009 joint meeting of the Advisory Committees on Transportation System Planning and Programming in the Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Round Lake Beach Urbanized Areas that relate to ARRA funding for local transportation projects within Southeastern Wisconsin.

FHWA Presentation (PDF)

WisDOT handouts (PDF)

In addition to the information provided above, more information related to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 can be found at the following websites:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery

http://www.fta.dot.gov/

http://www.recovery.gov/

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/recovery/

Regional Natural Area Plan Update

The Regional Natural Area Plan Update documents a proposed amendment to the natural areas and critical species habitat protection and management plan for the Southeastern Wisconsin Region. That plan identified and recommended protection and management plans for the most important remaining

• Natural areas
• Critical species habitat areas
• Aquatic areas
• Geological areas
• Archaeological sites

Transportation Improvement Program for Southeastern Wisconsin: 2009-2012

A Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for Southeastern Wisconsin is now available. The TIP is a listing of all Federally funded arterial highway, public transit, and other transportation improvement projects proposed to be carried out by State and local governments over the next four years (2009-2012) in the seven-county Southeastern Wisconsin Region.

Regional Water Supply Study

Public informational meetings (PDF) were held throughout the Region from January 12 through February 2, 2009. The purpose of these meetings was to brief residents of the Region on the preliminary recommended regional water supply plan and to provide an opportunity for comment. Upon several requests, the written comment period was extended through March 16, 2009. If you were unable to attend a public meeting, you may go to presentations and study newsletters to find copies of the meeting PowerPoint presentations, display boards, and December 2008 summary publications.

Regional Water Quality Management Plan Update

The Commission has published SEWRPC Planning Report No. 50, A Regional Water Quality Management Plan Update for the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds, which documents a major amendment to the regional water quality plan. The greater Milwaukee watersheds include the Kinnickinnic, Menomonee, Milwaukee, and Root River watersheds, the Oak Creek watershed, and the Lake Michigan Direct Drainage Area. The plan update applies a multi-objective watershed approach to water quality management planning and it is coordinated with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District 2020 Facilities Plan.

Environmental Justice Task Force

The Commission has formed an Environmental Justice Task Force, which is an advisory body providing another avenue for public participation during the planning process. The Task Force has 15 members and is regional in scope. Its primary role will be to enhance the consideration and integration of environmental justice throughout the regional planning process. In so doing, the Task Force will help address three basic principles of environmental justice: (1) Ensure public involvement of low-income and minority groups in decision making; (2) Prevent disproportionately high and adverse impacts of decisions on low-income and minority groups; and (3) Assure that low-income and minority groups receive a proportionate share of benefits.

KRM Commuter Link

The next phase of planning and development for improved commuter transportation service in the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) corridor is underway. This phase is refining the commuter rail and bus transit alternatives considered to date to make them more cost-effective, identifying the potential impacts of these alternatives on land use development and redevelopment around station sites, and preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This phase will determine if a project will advance to Preliminary Engineering and eventual implementation.

Another round of public informational meetings was recently held and a new edition of the project newsletter has been published. To see the latest newsletter and find out more about this project, you are invited to visit the website established specifically for the KRM Commuter Link. Here, you will also find additional information, you can submit comments, and you can learn about opportunities to become involved in this planning process.