The University of Wisconsin’s Associated Students of Madison will sponsor a presentation for the concept of the Yahara Commuter Rail Station this Tuesday and discuss how students can make the project a reality.
Currently, the city and the Department of Transportation are debating about whether to build a high-speed rail station near the Dane County airport or on East Washington Avenue near the Capitol.
Topf Wells, chief of staff to Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, said in a previous interview with The Badger Herald that the airport location could provide advantages in the form of greater multi-modal potential and increased parking availability. The site was also previously earmarked by the state as a possible station location.
Wherever it goes in the end, the station would provide regional transit to Milwaukee and Chicago, and eventually Minneapolis and most of the upper Midwest, ASM Legislative Affairs chair Adam Johnson said.
The campus presentation will be in 3650 Humanities this Tuesday at 4 p.m. and is open to all students.
Johnson said the meeting would layout the station plans and discuss how students could take action and encourage the city to opt for the downtown rail location.
“It’s important to have our say about whether we want a station here or not,” Johnson said. “It’s a student’s responsibility to know their options, know what’s going on and act on those options.”
Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, said he is a strong advocate for the Yahara Station. He said the downtown location makes more sense than the airport because it is more convenient for students.
Susan Schmitz, President of Downtown Madison Inc., said students should be getting involved in the process, as the Yahara Station is an opportunity to gain valuable public transportation.
“When there’s over 40,000 [students], you guys should not have to have cars on campus,” Schmitz said.
Johnson said the city wants to promote growth around East Washington Avenue. He said a major rail station would be the perfect opportunity for the city to build up that area.
Eagon said the airport station would not provide the same economic opportunity as the Yahara location.
