SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
REGIONAL PERFORMANCE MONITORING
Photo: VISIT Milwaukee
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact many facets of life in Southeastern Wisconsin. Due to reporting timeframes, impacts to travel and the economy that have been experienced as a result of the pandemic are not yet reflected in the measures reported on this website. Commission staff also recognize that there could be long-term impacts from the pandemic and will monitor impacts and update VISION 2050 as necessary.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
REGIONAL PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD
This website documents Southeastern Wisconsin's socioeconomic trends, land development activity, natural resource base preservation activity, regional transportation system performance, and regional housing plan implementation. Performance measures related to water resources in the Region will also be added to this site. When applicable, progress toward VISION 2050, which is Southeastern Wisconsin’s long-range land use and transportation plan, is reported.
In an effort to signal whether various aspects of regional performance are currently trending in the desired direction, the dashboard below summarizes progress by three general categories: generally on track, making slow progress, or not on track toward relevant recommendations or targets. These categories are assigned to each area of performance measurement. As data become available and more measures and areas of performance measurement are added, this dashboard will be updated accordingly. For more details, including the measures behind the progress ratings, click on the boxes below.
ON TRACK:
If implementation or performance continues at the same rate, the Region would be expected to meet most or all of the goals or targets.
SLOW PROGRESS:
Although implementation or performance is moving in the desired direction, improvement will be necessary to meet goals or targets.
NOT ON TRACK:
Implementation or performance is not moving in the desired direction and significant changes will be needed to meet goals and targets.
SOCIOECONOMICS
In recent years, the Region’s population has grown at a slower rate than in previous decades, creating a challenge for sustaining economic growth in the future. Population forecasts remain valid for long-range planning purposes.
Since 2010, the number of households in the Region has grown at a slower rate than in previous decades—trending just above the Commission’s low-growth projection.
The number of jobs in the Region has grown robustly from 2010-2019 and estimates are considerably higher than forecasts. Job growth is outpacing population growth, increasing the importance of attracting new residents to the Region.
LAND USE
Most new residential lots in the Region are located within planned urban service areas that are intended to be served by public sanitary sewer service; however, new single-family housing development has generally been at lower densities than recommended.
From 2010 to 2018, 34,000 new single-family, two-family, and multifamily housing units were developed in areas with public sewer service, consistent with the plan. Multifamily housing development is occurring mostly in Milwaukee County, but is increasing in other areas of the Region.
From 2006 to 2019, over 13,000 acres of environmental corridors were acquired and preserved in the Region. However, of the prime agricultural land that has been developed in recent years, most has been in locations not consistent with the plan.
TRANSPORTATION
While some transit improvements have been made in recent years, reductions and loss of transit service in other instances have resulted in minimal progress toward the significant improvement and expansion of transit service recommended in VISION 2050.
The Region's system of bike facilities is expanding in accordance with the bicycle network planned in VISION 2050. Annual crashes involving bikes are decreasing, but crashes involving pedestrians are increasing.
TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT
(TDM) & TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT (TSM)
Efforts to maximize the efficiency of the existing transportation system through technology and by expanding options continue to evolve, although the plan's more substantial policy changes have not been implemented. Park-ride lot use is decreasing despite increasing capacity.
The most recent annual unemployment data (2019) show the recovery of the Region's economy from the recession of the late 2000s, and the steady decline in unemployment that resulted. These data do not yet reflect the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic
Recent preservation and improvement projects on the Region's arterial street and highway system have been on track with VISION 2050, although increases in funding will be necessary for full implementation.
Recent planning efforts and policy changes represent notable progress toward VISION 2050. Congestion on the highway and rail freight networks and the lack of a truck-rail intermodal facility in the Region continue to represent challenges to freight transportation.