Wisconsin’s Passenger RailDevelopment Program

Existing Service

Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha Service

Hiawatha Service

• Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service supported since 1989 by Wisconsin and Illinois

• Hiawatha carried over 430,000 passengers in 2003 up 9% over 2002

• Ridership in February was 32,808 -- highest February total in 10 years

• Double digit increases in ridership and revenue for last 9 months 2002-2003

Hiawatha Service

• On-time performance continues to be the best on the entire Amtrak system

• 95.5 percent 12 months ending in Sept.

Recent Initiatives

Recent Initiatives

• Hiawatha frequency increased from 6 to 7 roundtrips in October 2002

• Greatest number of frequencies outside of Northeast Corridor and California

• 6:00 a.m. departure from Chicago and 7:30 p.m. departure from Milwaukee

• Allows full day in Milwaukee• Facilitates future air connections at GMIA

Recent Initiatives

• Hiawatha marketing program• $500K CMAQ grant announced Dec. 15• 2 year program beginning July 04• Until recently, no Hiawatha-specific marketing• Ridership surveys Dec. 02 and July 03 showed

word-of-mouth as primary information source• Co-op opportunities with Amtrak, Midwest

Airlines, GMIA and Wisconsin Tourism Division

Milwaukee Amtrak Station Rehab

Milwaukee Amtrak Station Rehab

• Redevelop Milwaukee Amtrak Station as an intermodal terminal – gateway to downtown -- $7.37 million

• $1.4 million purchase of existing station using Milwaukee-Madison bond funds

• $2.6 million FTA grant and state match -- Kohl earmark• $1.4 million from developer – Milwaukee Intermodal

Partners• $2.9 million CMAQ grant for platforms and train shed

announced December 15• $470,000 land purchase for Greyhound facilities and

parking

Milwaukee Amtrak Station Rehab

• Developer will design, build, lease, manage, and operate facility

• Greyhound Bus will also occupy facility• Other operators possible• Development contract executed October 2003• Final design 2004• Construction Spring 2005• Project completion Spring 2006

Milwaukee Intermodal Terminal

Site PlanSite Plan

Gateway to Downtown Milwaukee

Train Shed and Platform Rehab

Passenger Rail Station at General Mitchell International Airport

General Mitchell Int’l Airport Station

!Amtrak, Midwest Express Airlines, GMIA, CP Rail and WisDOT

!Interline air-rail ticketing & transfer!Midwest Express: Chicago as a destination!Additional revenue for passenger rail service!$145,000 Preliminary Engineering and Environmental

Study: Parsons-Brinckerhoff !$6.5 million Kohl earmark for design and construction

General Mitchell Station

General Mitchell Station

Remote “B”

GMIA Passenger Rail Station

• Environmental Assessment and PE completed• FONSI signed by FRA• CP Rail track construction underway• Final design completed – bids to be opened May

20• Station and platforms under construction June

2004• Construction to be completed November 2004

Sturtevant Station

• Replace and relocate current station 1 mile north in Sturtevant Industrial Park

• $2.1 million -- $1.69 million CMAQ -- local funds for remainder

• Village of Sturtevant approved funding May 11

• Construction will start this summer

Midwest Regional Rail Initiative in Wisconsin

Rail service, top speed 110 mphRail service, less than 110 mphFeeder bus service

MWRRI Phase 1: Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago

Incremental Approach

Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago Phase I Service

• Infrastructure: $227 mil. • Equipment: $ 89 mil.• Total Capital Cost $316 mil.

• Federal funds required before proceeding• 20% State Share $ 63 mil.

Rail Alignment and Roadbed ImprovementsWatertown to Madison Roadbed

Modern Equipment Technology

Talgo

Siemens

Bistro car

Implementation Activities Milwaukee-Madison Corridor

• $3.01 million Milwaukee-Madison Corridor Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Engineering Study – Final public hearings held– FONSI document prepared

• $4.2 million HSR grade crossing improvements state line to Madison

Implementation Activities Milwaukee-Madison Corridor

• $7 million corridor purchase Watertown to Madison – 32 miles purchased from WSOR/CP Rail -- December

2003– $5.2 million initial installment, remainder 2004

• $2.0 million positive train control project – Advanced technology signal and control system– Freight and passenger collision warning and protection– Cooperative project with CP Railway

Wisconsin Investment

• $4.8 million Milwaukee-Madison EA/PE

• $1.4 million purchase Milw. Amtrak Station

• $470,000 land for intermodal bus facilities

• $4.0 million Station Renovation

• $2.9 million train shed and platform improvements

• $6.5 million GMIA Station

• $2.1 million Sturtevant Station

• $4.2 million for HSR crossing improvements

• $7.0 million purchase of HSR corridor Madison to Watertown

• $2.0 million PTC project Milwaukee to Madison

Wisconsin Investment

• Wisconsin has committed $35.5 million for intercity passenger rail development projects

Next Steps

• Federal funding is essential• Testimony by WisDOT Secretary Busalacchi, Senate

Commerce Committee, October 2, 2003• “The Milwaukee-Chicago Corridor can serve as an anchor

for future high-speed rail development in the Midwest” • “A high-speed extension of Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service to

Madison would be an effective demonstration of state-of-the-art passenger rail service”

• Wisconsin has taken the first steps • A Federal funding partner is required

Congressional Action is Still Needed

• A passenger rail funding program has not been included in Senate and House TEA 21 reauthorization bills

• Limited rail funding may be included in the conference committee bill

• Congressman Young, T&I Committee Chair, indicated his continued support for rail in the House mark up

• TEA 21 reauthorization is not assured• A separate rail funding bill may have to be

pursued next year

Questions or Comments?