JOINT COMMITTEE ON DOWNTOWN STREETCAR IMPLEMENTATION
Regular MeetingMilwaukee, WI · May 8, 2015
Minutes
200 E. Wells Street
City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202
Meeting Minutes
JOINT COMMITTEE ON DOWNTOWN
STREETCAR IMPLEMENTATION
Ghassan Korban, Chair
Ald. Robert Bauman, Vice Chair
Mayor Tom Barrett, Common Council President Michael
Murphy, Ald. Nik Kovac, Comptroller Martin Matson, Dan
Boehme, Rocky Marcoux, and Jeff Polenske
Staff Assistant: Chris Lee, 286-2232, Fax: 286-3456,
clee@milwaukee.gov
Friday, May 8, 2015 9:00 AM Room 301-B, Third Floor, City Hall
1. Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 9:05 a.m.
2. Roll Call
Jennifer Gonda, alternate for Mayor Tom Barrett, was not present.
Present 8 - Korban, Bauman, Murphy, Polenske, Kovac, Matson, Marcoux and
Boehme
Absent 1 - Barrett
Individuals also present:
Timothy Clancy, The Concord Group
Ashley Booth, HNTB Corporation
3. Project Status
Mr. Clancy and Mr. Booth gave a PowerPoint presentation and briefing on the
streetcar project status relative to 30 day look back, 90 day look ahead, overall
project schedule, and budget status.
-30 Day Look Back
The triennial Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE) goal was finalized with
20.7% for construction and 17.9% for professional services. It is a major milestone
and it has been submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for review.
The goal was advertised on the Department of Public Works (DPW) website for 30
days (FTA requirement) and in local publications. There were no comments received
on goal.
There was a two day safety and security meeting session consisting of a design
team, DPW, and owner’s representative. The group reviewed all portions of design
elements to address safety and security throughout design, construction, operation,
City of Milwaukee Page 1
JOINT COMMITTEE ON Meeting Minutes May 8, 2015
DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
IMPLEMENTATION
and long term maintenance. Lead members from different design elements
participated. A meeting of the Fire Life Safety Committee consisting of members
from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Milwaukee Fire Department,
Milwaukee Police Department, and Homeland Security was also held during the
safety and security session. The State Safety Oversight (SSO) from Wisconsin
Department of Transportation has been involved early and will be engaged
throughout the life of the project.
There is an intention to apply for the Tiger Grant. A pre-application was submitted to
FTA last week. The due date is June 5, 2015. The request is to fund a track and
extra vehicle for the Lakefront Line extension. Application for the grant is being
developed over the next month.
Private and public utility kick off meetings have occurred with We Energies, AT&T,
Milwaukee communications, Milwaukee Water, Milwaukee sewer, and other
miscellaneous telecommunications companies.
Regarding design activities, over 40 soil borings along the entire alignment were
completed. Soil integrity will be reviewed along the alignment to help guide the
design of the Overhead Contact System (OCS) poles, and track slab. Kilbourn
Avenue and Jackson Street alignment options are being reviewed with City staff to
identify workable cross sections for all parties. Initial utility coordination meetings
with private and public utilities within the corridor were completed. Action items are
being developed as well as relocations on elements within the tracks lab and utility
review zone. Two relocation designs for possibly St. Paul Avenue and Jackson
Street have started for water facilities. Track alignment has been locked for majority
of the route to advance the design of the system and trigger the design of utilities.
Cross sections were developed to accommodate bicycle facilities along segments of
the streetcar route. Unique ways to make alignments multi modal will be looked at.
Conceptual plans were developed for the revised Operations Maintenance Facility
(OMF) building footprint on St. Paul Avenue and 4th Street.
-90 Day Look Ahead
The alignment for the entire 2.1 mile system will be finalized. Environmental analysis
will be finalized should the City move forward with route adjustments on Kilbourn
Avenue and Jackson Street similar to one done two years ago on Milwaukee Street,
which involved a 30 to 45 day FTA review process. FTA will evaluate the
environmental analysis when the actual routes are confirmed and the environmental
re-evaluation is submitted. FTA is in concurrence with the current approach and
review timeline of 30 days. Locking the alignment is critical to keep the project on
schedule to go in depth into the technical aspects of the design. Vehicle procurement
RFP responses will be received. The federal grant agreement will be amended.
Coordination with private and public utilities will continue. The final design will
progress further. Baseline project schedules for both design and construction will be
finalized.
-Overall Phase One Project Schedule
The schedule for City utilities (water, sewers and communications) is generally on
target. Design is anticipated to be completed by early summer, contracts awarded in
July, and construction to start in fall 2015.
The design for the OMF is anticipated to be completed in fall 2015. Contracts are
City of Milwaukee Page 2
JOINT COMMITTEE ON Meeting Minutes May 8, 2015
DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
IMPLEMENTATION
anticipated to be awarded beginning 2016. Construction is anticipated to begin in
spring 2016 and last one year.
The mainline design (roadway, track work, systems, OCS) is anticipated to be
completed by the end of 2015. Contracts are anticipated to be awarded in January
2016. Construction is anticipated to start in spring 2016 and end by spring 2018. A
system and safety start up process may follow until July 2018 when revenue service
may begin.
Budget Status
Projections for the phase one starter system are on budget. Expenses through April
2015 total $6.14M. The expenses are relative to professional services for
engineering and planning.
Further details of PowerPoint presentation can be found within Common Council File
Number 141879.
4. Vehicle Procurement Status
Mr. Clancy and Mr. Booth proceeded with a presentation and briefing on the streetcar
project status relative to vehicle procurement status.
-Vehicle Procurement Status
The RFP was issued and a pre proposal conference was conducted in April 2015.
The conference had great attendance. Major car builders participated. The RFP
deadline was extended four additional weeks into July from June to accommodate
requests from the car builders. The extension may yield better proposals, pricing,
vehicle, and bid results. Notice to proceed will be at the end of September. The
review process will be shortened to maintain the project schedule.
A selection committee will be established made of separate teams to evaluate
responses according to four distinct criteria: budget, qualifications, technical, and
aesthetics. Each team will share a common rating system, get together to review all
information, make ratings, and interview eligible respondents. A BAFO (best and
final offer) is a part of the review schedule. After initial interviews, suggestions to
reduce cost and modify specification will be collected. If appropriate, an amended
RFP may go out, and respondents will submit revised proposals. The committee will
then review the proposals a last time and make a recommendation to the joint
committee.
Further details of PowerPoint presentation can be found within Common Council File
Number 141879.
Joint committee members inquired about the selection committee, inspection of
proposed equipment, route realignment, realignment impact on events, and
realignment utility savings.
Discussion occurred with respect to potential tours of existing vehicles in operation.
Commissioner Marcoux said that those RFP respondents who may not have a
presence in the United States should not be put at a disadvantage.
Commissioner Korban, Mr. Clancy and Mr. Booth responded to the questions from
City of Milwaukee Page 3
JOINT COMMITTEE ON Meeting Minutes May 8, 2015
DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
IMPLEMENTATION
joint committee members.
The selection committee will be comprised of individuals outside of the joint
committee. The aesthetic part of the project will be extended to people outside of
DPW and the City to provide input. Some trips may be taken to other communities to
learn about those communities’ experience with its streetcar operations, such as the
City of Atlanta and Kansas City. There are technical folks involved with the streetcar
project currently who have experiences dealing with procuring vehicles from
communities with a streetcar system.
East Town Association is aware, has been in communication, and will continue to
collaborate in figuring out how festivals may continue to operate downtown
successfully while route realignment occurs. They are starting to look at different
footprints. Jazz in the Park can continue with minimal modifications. Bastille Days is
unresolved. Some possible solutions include halting streetcar operation during
festivals or having the streetcar system operate at a very low, controlled speed during
events. The main driver of realignment is saving money. Utility savings may be in
the millions. Two tracks may result on Kilbourn Avenue. The intent is to produce
four or five different alignment alternatives for review by stakeholders. The final
alternative that is chosen will be the one that has the most preferable cost saving
measure for all while still meeting ridership and operational needs. There are very
few utilities on the north potion of Kilbourn Avenue.
5. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 9:29 a.m.
Chris Lee, Staff Assistant
Detailed information regarding materials presented at this meeting can be found within
Common Council File Number 141879.
City of Milwaukee Page 4
Agenda
200 E. Wells Street
City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202
Meeting Agenda
JOINT COMMITTEE ON DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
IMPLEMENTATION
Ghassan Korban, Chair
Ald. Robert Bauman, Vice Chair
Mayor Tom Barrett, Common Council President Michael
Murphy, Ald. Nik Kovac, Comptroller Martin Matson, Dan
Boehme, Rocky Marcoux, and Jeff Polenske
Staff Assistant: Chris Lee, 286-2232, Fax: 286-3456,
clee@milwaukee.gov
Friday, May 8, 2015 9:00 AM Room 301-B, Third Floor, City Hall
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Project Status
-30 Day Look Back
-90 Day Look Ahead
-Overall Project Schedule
-Budget Status
4. Vehicle Procurement Status
5. Adjournment
Detailed information regarding materials presented at this meeting can be found within Common
Council File Number 141879.
Members of the Common Council and its standing committees who are not members of this committee
may attend this meeting to participate or to gather information. Notice is given that this meeting may
constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of its standing committees, although they will not
take any formal action at this meeting.
Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities
through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this
service, contact the City Clerk's Office ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456,
(TDD)286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53202.
City of Milwaukee Page 1 Printed on 5/6/2015
JOINT COMMITTEE ON Meeting Agenda May 8, 2015
DOWNTOWN STREETCAR
IMPLEMENTATION
Limited parking for persons attending meetings in City Hall is available at reduced rates (5 hour limit)
at the Milwaukee Center on the southwest corner of East Kilbourn and North Water Street. Parking
tickets must be validated in the first floor Information Booth in City Hall.
Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are
required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing
before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is
available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying.
City of Milwaukee Page 2 Printed on 5/6/2015
Get email alerts for Milwaukee
A daily email when new agendas and minutes are posted.