A presentation by the designer of the proposed Yahara Station rail terminal Tuesday afternoon was characterized by a low turnout, but despite the attendance, organizers said the issue remains vital to Madison and the state’s continued economic development.
Barry Gore, the station’s developer and designer, said the impact of a station closer to the city’s downtown would have economic benefits that would greatly outweigh those of a station near the Dane County Regional Airport, a frontrunner in the contested station placement.
“I do station area planning,” Gore said. “My main interest is in what is the land use change that the transportation facilities can encourage. I’ve been saying to people, it’s not ‘Where do you want to put the train station?’ it’s ‘Where do you want the new development?'”
Gore outlined a variety of station location possibilities during the presentation. There are possibilities for a station at Pennsylvania Avenue, Blount Street, West Washington Avenue and Monona Terrace. Each of these stations would be located less than 2.5 miles from the downtown area. The airport location, Gore said, would be slightly more than five miles from the Capitol.
Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Adam Johnson said students hold a unique possibility to have substantial input on the location of the station, a project he said would significantly impact the downtown area for many years to come.
“We’re not just part of campus, we’re part of something bigger, so hopefully by staying involved in larger issues, issues that we may not even be directly affected by, we can help future generations,” Johnson said. “That’s something worthwhile.”
Gore noted during his presentation the advantages of preexisting bus routes, bike paths and parking in the area of proposed development could facilitate a new station more easily than the airport.
Regardless, the state has earmarked the airport as a favorable location for the station and Dane County representatives have cited a greater opportunity for multimodal transportation.
Both Johnson and Gore agreed the city of Madison needs to be more proactive in its approach to selecting and pushing for a station location. Unless some action is taken, Gore said, the opportunity to create a station most beneficial to the area could pass by.
Johnson noted the town of Waterloo has been very active in the site selection and design of its station.
The City Council and interested residents need to become more active if an effective and successful statewide rail system is to be implemented.
Gore said a downtown station location, particularly one as visible as the Yahara location, which according to Gore has approximately 80,000 vehicles pass by daily, could increase the status of Madison as a major Midwestern hub.
“It’s time for Madison to start thinking bigger, it’s time to start actually playing a bigger role in the economic development in the state of Wisconsin,” Gore said.
