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REMINDER: LET'S THINK REGIONALLY
Some Great News for Passenger Rail in Wisconsin
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The Amtrak Borealis also just surpassed 500,000 passengers since launching in May 2024, demonstrating strong demand for passenger rail service connecting St. Paul and Chicago through Wisconsin.
These projects represent exciting opportunities to expand transportation choices and connect more communities, but passenger rail is just one piece of the puzzle. Reliable local and regional transit is essential to connecting people with rail stations and destinations and transit systems across Wisconsin are still facing significant funding challenges.
As we celebrate progress on rail, we also need to think about the transportation system as a whole. Regional Transportation Authorities (RTAs) could offer communities new ways to coordinate services and support sustainable regional funding. 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) are exploring opportunities to build statewide awareness and understanding of this approach.
| | Photo Credit: “20050916 53 Kenosha, WI” by David Wilson, licensed under CC BY 2.0 | | |
SPEAK UP FOR MORE HOUSING!
To Allow More Development, We Must Let the Capitol Set the Limit for Downtown Housing
By Jen Walker, Community Engagement Manager
| | | | Help ensure that the Madison Area Downtown Plan provides residents with the downtown they need! Downtown has the city’s best transit access and huge potential for more homes, people, and businesses. But unnecessary building height restrictions and transition requirements limit that potential. | | |
The state already sets height limits to protect views of our iconic Capitol. And the city has zoning and design tools to manage development. Let the Capitol set the ceiling – and let downtown grow!
Take a few minutes to weigh in. Visit the Downtown Area Plan website and comment specifically on building height restrictions and the need to plan for growth on pages 13-15 of the online document.
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MILWAUKEE TURNS OUT
750,000 Fans Celebrate Brewers at the World Series Parade
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A Local reflection of the event...
"Maybe having higher development density supported by slower-speed streets, less automobile parking, and more public space designed for people to walk, bike, and interact could create the conditions for our community to experience this connection more regularly."
-Robert Schneider, Professor at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
| | Photo: Wisconsin Department of Transportation traffic camera, October 30, 2026 at 10:00am - showing empty 794 as crowds gather for Brewers World Series parade on the streets below. | | |
2027 SNEAK PEEK
Community Transportation Academy Coming to Eau Claire + Milwaukee
| | | | We’ve been busy behind the scenes at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin planning our next Community Transportation Academies. We’re headed to Milwaukee and Eau Claire in 2027! | | |
Welcome, Raphie! 1000 Friends' Transportation Policy Analyst, Raphie Torralba, will lead the upcoming Milwaukee 2027 Academy! Raphie is the driving force behind our Rethink 794 campaign to bring I-794 down to an urban boulevard that reconnects and revitalizes downtown Milwaukee. As a non-driver herself, Raphie also brings valuable lived experience to this work.
Jen Walker will continue to manage the CTA program and will lead the Eau Claire Academy in 2027.
| | Photo: Raphie Torralba leading a walk and roll audit as part of her transportation work in Milwaukee. | | Stay tuned for schedules and more details. Know someone in either community who might be interested? Spread the word and encourage them to watch for registration next year! | | |
HOUSING NEWS
October Updates & Conclusion of the Milwaukee Community Housing Academy
| | | | Wisconsin’s political landscape is changing, but the work to expand housing opportunities continues. | | Photo: Our Community Housing Academy facilitators – Tehila Cohen, Montavius Jones, and Housing Policy Director Ken Smith | | Housing Policy Director Ken Smith shares updates from across Wisconsin, including a Rhinelander summit focused on the region’s housing shortage and statewide conversations about sustainable housing. Plus, a look ahead at how we can shape housing advocacy and land use reform in the next legislative session. | | What does it take to turn housing concerns into meaningful action? Milwaukee’s first Community Housing Academy brought residents together for seven weeks of learning, conversation, and collaboration around the policies and decisions that shape our homes and neighborhoods. Montavius Jones reflects on the experience, the ideas that emerged, and how community members can help shape Wisconsin’s housing future. | | |
RETHINK 794
Reimagining Milwaukee's Future: A Path for Community Wealth and Equitable City Planning
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What could Milwaukee gain by rethinking I-794? Join us for a conversation about what we can learn from Milwaukee’s highway history, the opportunities that could emerge along the I-794 corridor, and how communities can shape what comes next. We’ll explore lessons from the Park East freeway removal and hear from local voices about building a more connected and equitable Milwaukee.
Co-ordinated in partnership with the Center for Equity Practice and Planning Justice at the📍UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture & Urban Planning
Featured Speakers:
- Ian Lockwood, Transportation Engineer, Toole Design
- Peter Park, Former Milwaukee Planning Director
- Dr. Kirk Harris, Founding Director, Center for Equity Practice and Planning Justice; UWM Associate Professor
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RETHINK 794
From Freeway to Transit Hub: Imagining Milwaukee's Next Chapter
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Our latest three-part blog series from Rethink 794 volunteer advocate Nate Loy explores how replacing the freeway could build on existing transit connections, create new opportunities for housing and development near transit, and support a more connected regional transportation network.
From MCTS and The Hop to regional rail and a potential Regional Transit Authority, read Nate's thoughts on how rethinking 794 could help shape Milwaukee’s transportation future.
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ACTIVE WISCONSIN
E-Bikes, E-Motos, and Why Clear Rules Matter
| | As concerns about electric two-wheelers grow, it's important to distinguish legal e-bikes from higher-powered electric motorcycles, or e-motos. Even South Park recently devoted an entire episode to the topic, poking fun at the growing controversy while still touching on some very real concerns. | | | | |
This new Streetsblog article explores how the confusion between these devices is fueling misconceptions about e-bike safety and potentially misguided restrictions.
Active Wisconsin has also been following this issue in Wisconsin, where communities are developing their own rules in the absence of consistent statewide guidance. Clear definitions and consistent regulations can help protect public safety while preserving access to e-bikes as a practical transportation and recreation option.
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Join us for a casual happy hour in Green Bay as we cheers to healthier streets, stronger connections, and communities that work for everyone! Come meet the community leaders and local elected officials who are helping make Green Bay easier to get around, no matter your age or ability.
We’re also celebrating that Green Bay has joined AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. Community Transportation Academy alumni, partners, and anyone who cares about how our streets and neighborhoods work are welcome.
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The event is free, and food and drinks are covered thanks to AARP Wisconsin. Titletown’s upstairs space has elevator access. Space is limited, so RSVP here to attend.
Organized by AARP Wisconsin, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, and the City of Green Bay.
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- 🍺 What: Casual Happy Hour
- 🗓️ When: Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (4:00-6:30 pm)
- 📍 Where: Titletown Brewing Co., 320 N Broadway, Green Bay
- 👥 Who: Community Transportation Academy alumni, partners, and anyone who cares about how our streets and neighborhoods work
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Help make Green Bay's streets safer for everyone! Take the city's Safe Streets survey before 11/23 to identify dangerous intersections, share transportation safety concerns and suggest where improvements are needed.
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CLIMATE
Milwaukee Neighborhood secures $1.1M for community solar project
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What if communities could own the energy they produce and keep the economic benefits closer to home? Milwaukee’s Walnut Way is now making that vision a reality, securing $1.1 million to develop a one-megawatt community-owned solar project in Lindsay Heights.
But this is about more than clean energy. It's about local ownership, building community wealth, and giving neighborhoods a greater stake in their energy future.
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CASE STUDY & DEMO WEBINAR
Green Stormwater Infrastructure in the I-794 Corridor
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🗓️ Tuesday, December 15, 2026
⏰ 12:00-1:00 PM CST
🔗 RSVP here
Please join The Nature Conservancy (TNC), 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, and Milwaukee Riverkeeper for a webinar on the benefits of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI).
TNC’s GSI Impact Hub provides free resources for practitioners, advocates, and public officials to evaluate how green infrastructure can better manage stormwater in urban areas. We will explore and discuss potential social and ecological benefits of GSI projects in the I-794 corridor in Milwaukee, WI.
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The World Day of Remembrance is an opportunity for the community to honor the lives lost and forever altered by traffic violence. Progress is happening to improve the safety of our streets, but any number of fatalities or life-injuries is unacceptable.
Events will allow families and friends who have been impacted by traffic violence to remember their loved ones, and to provide all event attendees with support and connection. Traffic violence is a complex issue, and the solution requires community-wide participation. Come be a part of the solution, and help move Wisconsin towards Vision Zero!
Milwaukee Event:
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MILWAUKEE, WI
Save the Date: Housing Zoning Code Week
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The City of Milwaukee is updating its zoning code.
Please attend one of these Milwaukee City Development sessions to learn about the proposed changes and be the person in the room advocating for zoning changes that facilitate more housing, more attainable housing, and more housing types across your great city!
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HOUSING NEWS
Together for Homes Presents Milwaukee Permit Dashboard at Data Day Conference
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Together for Homes, a Milwaukee-based partner organization of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, recently presented at Data Day, a one-day conference hosted by nonprofit Data You Can Use.
The event brought together community leaders, advocates, data professionals, and nonprofit organizations to explore how local data can solve pressing community challenges.
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Together for Homes is currently fine-tuning a public-facing dashboard to track housing permits in Milwaukee and hopes to unveil it very soon. The dashboard will provide accessible information on the number and types of residential permits issued, development trends, and permitting timelines. By making this data more transparent, we hope to better understand housing production, identify barriers and delays, and measure the impact of zoning and permitting reforms.
Recounting the event, Patterson-Ramos said her biggest takeaway was “seeing the different ways organizations are using local data to tell stories, identify community needs, and make complicated issues easier for the public to understand.”
The Milwaukee Permit Dashboard is a perfect example of this sentiment, itself bridging public understanding of housing policy. By making complex housing systems, policies, and processes more transparent, Together for Homes helps equip residents and advocates with the knowledge they need to support effective housing solutions in their communities.
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VISION 2060
Southeastern Wisconsin's Next Regional Plan
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ATTENTION Residents of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties: SEWRPC is gathering input for its VISION 2060 plan. VISION 2060 is the Region's long-range plan for how we grow, move, and live over the next 35 years.
Take this quick, five-minute survey to help shape the region’s future transportation and land-use decisions.
| Photo: www.vision2060.sewrpc.org | | |
YOUR INPUT MATTERS!
WisDOT is Seeking Public Input on the US 18/151 Corridor Study
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WisDOT and the Federal Highway Administration are studying approximately 35 miles of US 18/151, from Dodgeville to Fitchburg, to identify transportation needs and evaluate potential improvements.
WisDOT is hosting two Public Involvement Meetings (PIMs) to share updates, present initial design concepts, and gather public feedback.
In-person meeting
November 18, 2026 | 5:30–7 p.m.
Mount Horeb High School
Virtual meeting
November 19, 2026 | 5:30 p.m.
Learn more and find meeting details on WisDOT’s Public Involvement page.
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Community Engagement in October
By Sharon Johnson, Lead Organizer
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Photo: October 20th Dane County Affordable Single-Family Housing Workshop
(L-R) Kaba Bah, CEO of Kaba Bah Builders, Sharon Johnson, and Olivia Parry, Senior Planner with Dane County Planning and Development.
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October included important conversations with Madison leaders and developers about downtown housing, zoning reform, and development barriers. Highlights also included celebrating the opening of Park Loft in South Madison and participating in a Dane County workshop focused on overcoming barriers to affordable single-family homeownership.
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VIRTUAL HOUSING WEBINAR
Smart Growth America
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Trevor will be joining a panel discussion next week (Thursday, November 19 @ 1:00pm CST) focused on elevating smart growth housing policy in Congress.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed in July, but the work isn't over yet. In this post-election webinar, the panel will identifiy and discuss priorities and opportunities for the next Congress. Don't miss it!
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WE NEED YOUR VOTES!
A Few Clicks To Support Us
1000 Friends of Wisconsin has been selected as a nonprofit eligible for a grant from the Target Circle Community Giving Program. For every Target Circle vote that we receive before December 31, we earn money to continue funding our work.
It's pretty simple. Click here and open/login to your Target Circle account in your web browser or in the Target App.
Find our organization and cast your available votes!
Note: If you don't see 1000 Friends listed, temporarily change your designated store to a Madison or Milwaukee location.
| | Photo: Sightline Institute | |
Making ADUs Easier to Build in Milwaukee
Milwaukee is working to make accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or backyard homes, easier and more affordable to build through free, pre-approved designs developed by Montavius Jones of our Together for Homes campaign. With support from a $10,000 grant from the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation, Jones is collaborating with DREAM Builders to create designs that reduce upfront costs and simplify construction.
This builds on Milwaukee’s 2025 decision to relegalize ADUs to expand housing options and address affordability.
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Message from Our Executive Director
Wisconsin Climate Action Navigators (WI CAN)
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Just two weeks ago, dozens of organizations convened at the annual Wisconsin Climate Action Navigators (WI CAN) conference in Stevens Point. If you're not already familiar, WI CAN is a statewide coalition that exists to build the capacity of navigator organizations, enhance collaboration across organizations and sectors, and accelerate a Just Transition to a net-zero Wisconsin by 2050.
It was awesome having Ali join me in all of the networking and learning, making new connections and potentially brewing new collaborations/partnerships. Both of us met a lot of folks from around Wisconsin for the first time.
As a coalition, we dove into tough topics such as more sustainable transportation funding and planning, resilient housing options and retrofits, renewable energy, and more ...
Like one participant said, "In order to thrive, you gotta be part of the hive!" And sure enough, collectively, we can do incredible things!
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Trevor Roark
Executive Director
1000 Friends of Wisconsin
Got questions?
Email: trevor@1kfriends.org
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Wednesday, November 11, 2026 (2:00 - 3:00 pm). World Day of Remembrance Press Conference in Madison. Burr Jones Park. Hosted by Vision Zero Madison. A gathering to remember and honor victims of traffic violence. Will include comments from the City of Madison Mayor and other speakers. Learn More
Saturday, November 14, 2026 (11:30 am - 3:30 pm): World Day of Remembrance for Victims of Traffic Violence. ThriveOn King, 2153 N. Doctor M.L.K. Jr. Dr., Milwaukee. An opportunity for the community to honor the lives lost and forever altered by traffic violence. Be a part of the solution and help move Milwaukee towards Vision Zero! More Info & Updates
Tuesday, November 17 – Thursday, November 19 - Friday, November 20, 2026: Milwaukee Housing Zoning Code Week. Milwaukee. The City is updating housing-related development rules to better support the vision outlined in its Comprehensive Plan, including small-scale infill, multi-unit housing, mixed-use development, and building design. Community members are invited to learn about the proposed changes and share their perspectives at upcoming Community Dinner & Learn events November 17 and 19, or drop-in office hours November 20. Learn More
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (12:00 - 1:00 pm): UW-Milwaukee SARUP Innovative Lecture Series / Building Community Wealth with Community Land Trusts, Virtual Webinar. Explore how community land trusts can create permanently affordable homeownership and build long-term community wealth. The session will highlight partnerships, financing strategies, and Milwaukee and Madison case studies demonstrating how CLTs preserve affordability and strengthen neighborhoods. Register & Learn More
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (4:00 - 6:30 PM): Community Transportation Academy Alumni Meet-Up "Cheers to Healthy, Connected Communities." Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay. Come meet the people helping make Green Bay easier to get around, no matter your age or ability. We're also celebrating Green Bay joining AARP's Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. All are welcome! RSVP to: Michael.Bergman@greenbaywi.gov
November 18-19, 2026. Annual WHEDA Conference 2026: How Housing Happens, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison. Connects developers, property managers, elected officials, and housing leaders to learn, collaborate, and expand safe, affordable housing across Wisconsin. More Information
Thursday, November 19, 2026 (1:00 - 2:00 pm): On the ROAD to the 120th: Elevating Smart Growth Housing Policy in the Upcoming Congress. Join Trevor Roark, who will speak on a panel to discuss Wisconsin's perspective on the recently passed federal housing legislation. Register Here
Tuesday, December 1, 2026 (2:00 - 3:00 pm): Reimagining Milwaukee's Future: A Path for Community Wealth and Equitable City Planning. UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Join us to explore what Milwaukee can gain by rethinking I-794, drawing lessons from the Park East freeway removal and local perspectives on creating a more connected, equitable, and vibrant future for the corridor. Register Here.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 (11:30 am - 12:30 pm). UW-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty - Wisconsin Knowledge Boost. Virtual. Ken Smith will join the panel for this quarterly virtual learning series, which seeks to clarify housing policy implications for Wisconsinites. Details to come; Learn more here.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026 (12:00 - 2:00 pm): A Case Study on Green Stormwater Infrastructure Impact in the I-794 Corridor. Virtual Webinar. Please join The Nature Conservancy, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, and Milwaukee Riverkeeper for an engaging virtual webinar demonstrating how to use the Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Impact Hub. Register Here
Saturday, January 9, 2027 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm): Transportation For America: America TransportationCamp DC, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Join the hundreds of professionals who travel from across the country to share, workshop, and connect over new ideas with transportation nerds just like them. More Information
| | THE COUNTDOWN IS HERE. MAKE A PLAN FOR END-OF-YEAR GIVING. | | | | |
Before we know it, we'll see those first snowflakes hitting the ground. The holiday season will ramp up, and you'll be prioritizing your end-of-year giving plans.
Did we make the "nice" list? Be sure to include 1000 Friends of Wisconsin on your charitable roster this holiday season.
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1000 Friends of Wisconsin
608-259-1000 | 1kfriends.org
We work remotely, so please contact us via email:
Trevor Roark
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