With states throughout the country salivating at the chance to inherit Wisconsin’s more than $800 million for a high-speed rail connection between Madison and Milwaukee, local politicians and business leaders rallied Saturday to pressure Gov.-elect Scott Walker to rethink his stance on the funding.

Hundreds of protestors gathered at a parking lot on East Wilson Street, adjacent to the tracks that would be renovated to accommodate the high-speed connection, to ask Walker to resurrect the project, which outgoing Gov. Jim Doyle canceled earlier this month just days after signing an agreement with the federal government to accept the funds.

Although the rail project has gained significant attention among progressives and Democrats after Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett supported the train as part of his campaign, speakers at the rally said the development has bipartisan appeal.

Downtown Madison Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said he worked with Walker early in his political career while he represented parts of Milwaukee County in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Pocan added Walker was a bipartisan and independent figure willing to accept compromise, and said he hoped Walker would adopt a similar stance as governor. He said the project would create approximately 5,500 construction jobs in addition to 9,500 other jobs.

He also criticized Walker for seemingly caving in to pressure from talk radio hosts in Wisconsin.

“Forget the talking heads in Milwaukee and listen to the millions of people you represent,” Pocan said, directing his comments at Walker. “It would be political malpractice to turn back the money and the jobs that high-speed rail represents for Wisconsin.”

The most contempt in the crowd came when speakers mentioned the possibility of the federal stimulus dollars going to Illinois for a line which would eventually connect Chicago to the Twin Cities via Northern Illinois and Iowa.

In addition to liberal leaders like Pocan, Republican business owner Bob Lien said the project would stimulate Madison’s economy and reduce operating costs for his steel fabrication business.

Lien also said Doyle’s decision to abruptly ask the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to end the project after quietly signing the deal to accept the $810 million before Walker’s election was a political move to portray Walker negatively.

“Ultimately, the high-speed rail line is not about Scott Walker, Governor Doyle or the Republican or Democratic parties,” Lien said. “This is about the state of Wisconsin being offered a significant opportunity to build its infrastructure and I believe it would begin Scott Walker’s promise to open Wisconsin for business.”

In a letter U.S. Sec. of Transportation Ray LaHood sent earlier this month, Walker said rail projects similar to the one proposed for Wisconsin have had a history of inefficiency and delays, proving how they are unnecessary for a strong state economy.

“More than 60 years ago, the federal government had the foresight to recognize that the American people no longer wanted to be limited by fixed-track passenger rail,” Walker said. “For us to now go backwards on transportation makes little sense. I believe that continuing responsible investments in our road infrastructure is a key to growing our economy and creating jobs.”