More than $27.5 million in federal stimulus dollars awarded to Wisconsin transit is a sigh of relief, according to a transit advocate. Kerry Thomas of Transit Now says services in the southeastern part of the state were facing major cuts until the money from Washington came in.
Especially dire was Milwaukee County which was facing a 30 percent service reduction but will now scale back about 5 percent. However Thomas says the money from Washington has granted floundering transit “a one year reprieve” but problems will resurface in 2011.
The Fox Valley is especially sensitive in coming times as the region will see a census recount that will cause their federal funding status to be reclassified meaning a million fewer dollars coming in annually.
The money headed to Wisconsin is part of $5.7 billion the Obama administration has directed toward transit.
