Milwaukee County eyes purchase of battery electric buses for planned Bus Rapid Transit service to medical complex
Don Behm
Zero-emission buses powered by electric batteries would carry riders on a proposed Bus Rapid Transit route between downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa, as part of a plan recommended Wednesday by a Milwaukee County Board committee.
County officials would seek up to $9.6 million in Federal Transit Administration grants to pay for 11 battery-electric buses and costs of installing the charging stations needed to keep the vehicles running along the 9-mile route, if the full board approves the plan on June 21.
This would be Milwaukee County's first purchase ever of battery-electric buses for the transit system and the county would pay up to 15% of the total cost of the buses and charging stations, under the resolution approved Wednesday on a 5-0 vote by the transportation, public works and transit committee.
More than 70 transit systems in the U.S. have deployed battery-electric buses and battery technology improvements continue to extend operating ranges for the vehicles, according to Dan Boehm, president and managing director of the Milwaukee County Transit System.
MCTS has asked Proterra, a California-based manufacturer of battery-electric buses, to design buses with the range needed to operate on the BRT route, Boehm said Wednesday.
If the county receives the federal grant, charging stations could be built at the same time as special BRT passenger platforms and dedicated, bus-only lanes are constructed beginning in 2019, transportation officials said. The service is planned to start in 2021.
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In addition to the health and environmental benefits of zero emissions, purchase of battery-electric buses also could save the county millions of dollars in operating costs, Boehm said in a report to the committee.
Costs of operating and maintaining a standard diesel-powered bus over an expected life of 13 years are estimated at $9.88 million. Cost of keeping a battery-powered bus on the road for 13 years is estimated at $6.14 million, or a savings of $3.74 million per bus, according to Proterra.
Washington, D.C., Greensboro, N.C., Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Tenn., Seattle and Dallas are among other metropolitan areas that have deployed zero-emission battery-electric vehicles.
Bus Rapid Transit route
The planned BRT route in Milwaukee County would extend west from the lakefront along Wisconsin Avenue through downtown and the Marquette University campus to North Hawley Road where it turns south to Blue Mound Road. The route follows Blue Mound Road west to North 95th Street where it turns north through the medical center and then west to the Swan Boulevard park-and-ride lot.
Bus-only lanes would line 53% of the BRT route to decrease the time needed for a full one-way commute in the corridor by eight minutes. More than 9,500 riders are projected to use BRT service each weekday by 2035.
A one-way commute on the entire length of the route is expected to take 37 minutes on weekdays.
Total capital cost of buying buses, installing charging stations and constructing bus-only lanes and special boarding platforms is estimated at $53.5 million. Federal grants are expected to finance up to 80% of the final price.
Annual operating costs would be paid in the same way as regular MCTS bus service with a combination of revenues from fares, advertising and sponsorships, state and federal funding, as well as local tax levy.
Supervisor Dan Sebring asked Boehm if MCTS intended to buy additional battery electric buses for other routes.
MCTS plans "to gain several years of experience on the BRT route before deciding whether to expand to other routes," Boehm said.
The committee on Wednesday also recommended the full board confirm the appointment of Donna Brown-Martin as County Transportation Department director.
Brown-Martin worked in state government for 25 years and most recently served as director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's bureau of planning and economic development.