Why we need transit to transition

Transportation is about connecting people.

The most valuable thing we can provide each other with are ideas.

By denying Wisconsin a connection between Madison and Milwaukee, the current state govenrment is impeding statewide transition. Too often I hear about rivalries between people in Madison and Milwaukee. While I've never been one to frown upon a little friendly competion, competion without cooperation is counterproductivie. Both cities have so much innovation that the divition is stifling real change that can bring about change beyond this state. With their tactics of divide and conquer this country is missing out on what can come about when a reinvigorated city with a progressive and industrial background can create when paired with an exceptionally progressive innovation chamber like Madison.

We are also missing out on true imagination right hear in Milwaukee. Strategically underfunding public transit just as our economy necessitates its use even more, the same adminstration when governing Milwaukee county has masked the true demand for public transit in Milwaukee. Schedule changes, fair increases and decreases in operation discourage people from utilizing public transit to as much as they would prefer. As a result, Milwaukee's growth is stifled. Not only do we miss out on the results of people going out into the community and accomplishing all that they could, more signifantly we miss out on the random interactions that inevitalby happen when people get on public transit to go about their life. As John Lennon said Life is what happens when your busy making other plans. Our city is held in place as a hypersegregated formation in large part because of the state of public transit in Milwaukee. It's difficult to expand the circle of our interacations when they are always deliberate. There are broader ramifications of this than the explicit justice implied. Having different cultural backgrounds people in their own communities here in Milwaukee have so much to offer each other. The serendipidity of meeting someone that you did not intend to meet going about your daily life has the power to transfrom a place. New interactions, opportunites and ideas emerge. It is this kind of serendipidity that is critical for opening the creative space to remake our city and society in a more just and sustainable way. Join us this Saturday September 24th at 8am in front of the Amtrak station as we demand more funding for public transit and bike infrastructure as a part of 350.orgs day of action. Not only to help our environment because we would be emitting less greenhouse gases by avoiding cars but because of reasons we do not yet know.