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Doyle adds full funding for rails to his wish list

Wisconsin governor seeks federal aid for proposed train line

In an effort to bring more stimulus money to Wisconsin and provide citizens with more jobs, Gov. Jim Doyle said he hopes to receive federal assistance to fund all of the proposed $519 million rail line between Madison and Milwaukee instead of applying for grants to only cover partial costs of the plan.

According to Doyle spokesperson Lee Sensenbrenner, when many states are finding it hard to implement projects that will help employ workers in the tough economy, the governor and other legislators feel confident the rail project can be well underway in coming months.

“Clearly this would be a project that would create a significant number of jobs. Not only in the construction phase of it but then to keep the trains running,” Sensenbrenner said. “The trains might be running as soon as, say, 2013.”

Promising numbers from the Amtrak that runs from Milwaukee to Chicago spurred many legislators to push for the new rail that will run between Madison and Milwaukee, Sensenbrenner added.

“[Chicago Amtrak] ridership has risen 25 percent, and this rail initiative is something that people have been thinking about for a long time, and it would give people another tool to travel,” Sensenbrenner said.

According to the Department of Transportation website, the high-speed rail is just one piece of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a proposed 3,000 mile system that will branch out across the Midwest from Chicago and will provide service to various Midwestern cities.

In response to Gov. Doyle’s push for full federal funding, Wisconsin Republican Party spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski argued the cost is a mere speculation and future burdens may fall on Wisconsin residents.

“Wisconsin taxpayers will still be on the hook for operating costs, which Doyle hasn’t even given a number on yet, even if the federal government pays for Doyle’s entire request,” she said. “The responsible thing would be for Doyle to fully understand and be honest about the total costs before asking for federal tax dollars.”

Kukowski added supporters have not presented a strong enough case to prove the rail will benefit citizens and questioned how many jobs the construction process and further maintenance will create.

Despite the debate over the additional rail line, construction on the Milwaukee Intermodal Station is currently underway. According to the Department of Transportation, nearly $16 million is being invested into the renovation of the transportation link.

Studies show that over 500,000 Amtrak passengers pass through the hub each year. Remodeling the current station will allow developers to include hubs for passenger rail, intercity and regional busses, and taxi and limousine services. In addition, amenities such as retail stores and food will also be incorporated in the new makeover, DOT reports said.

According to Sensen-brenner, Doyle’s visit to Madrid opened him up to new ideas for a rail system. Madrid’s rail system branches out from the city and serves a great number of people who live in the suburbs but may need to travel to the city for work or other needs.