Wisconsin's Foxconn Deal Inspiring Lots of Transit Planning

The msot recent proposal for new public transit to serve the Foxconn facility in Racine County: a commuter rail connection from Downtown Milwaukee.

1 minute read

April 2, 2018, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"With Foxconn’s proposed $10 billion factory campus in southern Racine County poised to reshape southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee Alderman Robert Bauman has introduced the idea of a commuter rail line to connect city residents to the estimated 13,000 jobs the company is poised to create," reports Jeramey Jannene.

The new Foxconn facility has already inspired several transportation planning schemes, including a proposal for two new bus routes announced earlier in March by Milwaukee County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. Another, introduced in February by Bauman, "would leverage the expansion of the Amtrak Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee to provide fast service between the city and rural factory campus," according to Jannene. Reports from November 2017 revealed that Foxconn executives pushed for autonomous vehicle lanes in its negotiations with state and regional officials.  

As for Bauman's idea of building a new commuter rain line, the proposal would connect N. 35th St. and W. Capitol Dr. in Milwaukee to Highway 11 in southern Racine County. The proposal would require additional public financing, which could be included in the $4 billion the state has pledged to devote to the Foxconn deal. The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission has already included in a rail line along the proposed alignment in its Vision 2050 plan.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 in Urban Milwaukee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight