Badger Rails Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers (Wisarp)
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Badger Rails Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers (WisARP) Volume 28, Issue 4 May-June, 2010 Second Section Doyle Chooses Monona Terrace for Madison Station Governor Jim Doyle announced May 6 that Cieslewicz said the city also has plans to build new Madison’s high speed rail station will be located underground parking to replace an existing downtown at the Monona Terrace. Government East parking ramp, and that those plans will be changed to accommodate parking for the “The Monona Terrace station will maximize station as well as Madison's first indoor parking ridership to and from Madison, and will provide facility for bicycles. easy access to other forms of transportation, the State Capitol, the convention center, businesses and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk also hotels,” Doyle said. “There were several other very approved Doyle’s decision in a May 6 statement. good potential locations in Madison, but when considering all the factors, the Monona Terrace is “Governor Doyle’s decision puts us on track for clearly the best option. In 2013, Wisconsin will taking advantage of our new state-of-the-art rail have modern high speed rail running from system that will spur job creation and economic downtown Chicago to downtown Milwaukee to development across southern Wisconsin,” Falk said. downtown Madison – a model for the future of rail “Now it is up to all of us to move ahead locally with in this country.” transportation plans to ensure that the new train station is an efficient transit hub that interconnects The State will now proceed with a complete with cars, buses and bikes and in the future, local environmental assessment of the Monona Terrace commuter trains.” station location, which will include opportunities for the public to provide further comments. As noted in our last issue, the state DOT at Gov. Construction of the segment between Madison and Doyle’s direction conducted a feasibility assessment Milwaukee will begin this year. By 2013, people of four specific site options in Madison: Monona will be able to ride in modern Talgo train sets from Terrace; Dane County Airport; First Street (“Yahara Madison to Chicago and beyond. Station”); and the Kohl Center. The assessment included a review of past studies done on the issue, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz was pleased with rail operations, ridership, access to other forms of the decision, calling it “a great day in Madison.” transportation, parking, traffic impacts, environmental issues, cost, site geometrics and “The governor couldn't have made a better choice,” opportunities for economic development. Cieslewicz said. “Downtown Madison is where visitors to Madison most want to be, along with the While the exact location of the station is not known University of Wisconsin. We'll get to work now on yet, Department of Transportation Executive plans to make sure that the campus is served with Assistant Chris Klein told the Wisconsin State frequent and fast bus connections to the new Journal the State is looking at three State-owned station.” Continued on Page 2 1 Kenosha Metra Station Undergoes Renovation Madison Station from Page 1 Work is expected to begin soon on a renovation of buildings along Wilson Street where the station the Kenosha Metra station. The station will be would be housed and vertical access to a platform getting an interior and exterior rehabilitation and would need to be built. reconfiguration, with the restaurant area shifted to the south end, and a ticket sales counter, waiting Klein further said the decision to go Downtown area and remodeled rest rooms. Exterior renovation does not mean the state has lost confidence in will be in keeping with the historic nature of the receiving federal funding to extend the line to 1890s-era building. Minneapolis. Rather, the state may consider a second Madison station at the airport when it extends the line. Minnesota was awarded $1 million by the Federal Railroad Administration to study that extension. In the coming weeks, the contract for the site analysis with Washington-based engineering firm CH2M Hill will need to be finalized. The state will then be able to establish a time line for developing station alternatives and holding public hearings. Station amenities and costs will be determined as a result of that process. Exterior Rendering by Partners in Design Meanwhile, the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad This work will comprise the first phase of the (WSOR), which operates on the track near Monona renovation, expected to be finished by September, Terrace, has expressed concerns that passenger 2010. The second phase will focus on the trains might interfere with yard operations and its restaurant/coffee shop, including equipment, gas freight service to Chicago. Railroad representatives and electrical services for the south end of the stated support for the Madison passenger service building. The Redevelopment Authority of the City May 7 but indicated there are still questions that of Kenosha hopes to finish negotiations for will need to be addressed as the DOT works to potential leasers/restaurant operator by June 1 and finalize the station site. have leases approved by June 15. The WSOR will be the beneficiary of the roadbed and track rehabilitation between Madison and Watertown necessary for high-speed operation. WSOR currently provides freight service over that State-owned corridor. The railroad will need to reroute its services during the period that the track work is ongoing. WisARP will be surveying candidates for State and Federal offices as the campaign season progresses, and will communicate their views to you when we Interior Rendering by Partners in Design receive them. Partners in Design Architects, a Kenosha The Wisconsin Partisan Primary Election takes architectural firm, did the design work for the place on September 14, 2010. The General Election renovation. takes place November 2, 2010. 2 Candidates for Governor Comment on Madison Service The three major candidates for the office of opposed to unfunded liabilities when it comes to Wisconsin governor issued official statements state funds and taxpayer dollars. Doyle's Stimulus following Gov. Doyle's announcement that the Train is the epitome of an unfunded future liability." Madison station site would be downtown. Tom Barrett, Democratic Candidate Scott Walker, Republican Candidate Barrett, the current City of Milwaukee Mayor, Walker, the current Milwaukee County Executive, issued a statement through a spokesman May 6: stated May 6: Phil Walzak, campaign spokesman for Mayor "Every announcement by Governor Doyle and Barrett, said the reason Democrats and Republicans, Mayor Barrett on their controversial train including former Gov. Tommy Thompson, support boondoggle further commits our state to their pet the train is because it's about "construction jobs, project that taxpayers literally cannot afford. Our manufacturing jobs and the economic corridor." state’s transportation fund has been raided to the tune of $1.2 billion, which has delayed badly "Just saying ‘no' to everything is not going to move needed investment in our existing roads and bridges Wisconsin forward," Walzak said. "What across Wisconsin." Wisconsin needs is adult leadership that's going to create jobs." Walker continued, "As governor, I will stop this misguided and wasteful project.” In a web chat April 12, Barrett said: "People should recognize that when we speak about Milwaukee to Madison high speed rail, this is all part of a Mark Neumann, Republican Candidate bipartisan vision that was created over 10 years ago Neumann, a small business owner and former U.S. by Democratic and Republican governors to tie Representative, stated May 6: together the upper Midwest region," he said. "That "In tough times we have to cut spending, not take results in economic growth because it ties those on hugely expensive projects that analysis has states together and creates more economic activity. shown are not self-sustainable," Neumann said. "It "You will see construction jobs, you'll see economic is that kind of thinking that has left Wisconsin with development occurring, as a result of this. And a huge deficit, rising taxes and fees, and wasteful tying together the two largest economies in the State spending across the board." is important." Neumann's website states: WisDOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi urged the U.S. "As Governor, Mark Neumann will immediately DOT May 12 to incorporate specific plans for long- stop this project in its tracks. Mark's business term revenue sources into its rail plan. Such fiscal background helps him understand the concept of certainty is essential for states that must line up 'sunk costs' — taking a small immediate hit is much equipment providers years in advance. "You can't start smarter and more responsible than accepting a long- building a house until you have enough money to buy term ongoing burden, especially when the money shingles for the roof," he said. belongs to the people of Wisconsin. By continuing a losing proposition, more scarce resources will be But Busalacchi also acknowledged the rise of political infighting over high-speed rail. "One of the problems lost when the project is revealed to have been a we have as a country is that we all continue to fight foolish investment." with each other. ... We spend a lot of our time defending this (Madison high speed rail) grant," he "To be clear, Mark Neumann is not opposed to said, as critics charge that "it's going to cost taxpayers trains as a system of transportation. He supports any money because you're subsidizing the line." transportation system that is sustainable as it relates ‐ Source: DC.Streetsblog.org to taxpayer dollars. Instead, Mark Neumann is 3 "I think it's importantLa Crosseto do this," Barrett Shows said. Support for Passenger Rail By Bob Fisher La Crosse has been fortunate in being passed Resolutions of Support for Amtrak and rail geographically blessed to favor rail service.