Pace suburban bus transit agency will hold a public meeting about the planned Arterial Rapid Transit service along Milwaukee Avenue.
The service will follow the portion of current Route 270, running between Jefferson Park Transit Center and the Golf Mill Mall. The new service, which will be known as Milwaukee Pulse, will make fewer stops and use a Transit Signal Priority system, allowing the buses to travel faster. The TSP system sends a signal to traffic lights, holding off light changes if the bus is running late. Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot described it as a system similar to one used by emergency service vehicles, except Pace buses would have lower priority. Milwaukee Pulse service is currently expected to launch in 2017.
To get the word out about the service, Pace will be hosting a public meeting at Niles’ Oasis Water Park. The meeting will take place on April 22, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will give residents opportunity to see the plans firsthand and provide feedback.
In a statement to the press, Pace Board Chairman Richard Kwasneski described the outreach as a vital part of the planning process.
“We have been developing the Pulse program for many years and are excited to present the concept to the public,” he said. “We rely on the feedback of our stakeholders and riders to help us shape the program, and this process is especially invaluable as we look to implement Pulse service on corridors throughout the region in the future.”
Igor Studenkov is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.