–submitted by Ellsworth Brown
Liz Callin, City of Madison senior transportation planner and specialist in transit, passenger rail, public engagement and policy work, spoke about Madison’s Passenger Rail Station Identification Study that is fitting and necessary for the state Capital, the University and associated research, tourism, Madison’s new transit system, and linkage to the city’s biotech hub.
The goal is to provide two round trips per day between Milwaukee and Minneapolis-St. Paul while linking several Wisconsin cities associated with the new Borealis line, as well as the Hiawatha line.
Possible Madison station sites being studied: somewhere downtown (probably preferred), First Street corridor and the Oscar Mayer corridor. The best would contain associated space for development of lodging, businesses, and public functions.
A site could be identified in 2025-2026. Completion of planning, design, and construction could occur by 2031.
The benefits would include accommodation of 300,000 new Madison-Dane County residents by 2050; and more efficient, safer, cleaner and environmentally friendly city linkages.
Now the project needs federal leadership and a supporting coalition of potential benefactors in Madison and along related rail routes.
If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/ckc1Es-u0hM.
Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin 