Construction will begin two years after funding is approved. If the bill passes this year, the rail will be complete by 2010, said Randy Wade, Wisconsin DOT passenger rail manager.

Students and commuters traveling between Milwaukee and Madison can either drive or hop on the Badger Bus, but if a new federal bill goes through, they could have one more option: a train.

The Milwaukee to Madison High Speed Rail initiative relies on S.294, a bill proposed by U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Trent Lott last week, asking for $12 billion in federal funding for nationwide Amtrak services over the next six years.

The Milwaukee to Madison High Speed Rail corridor is part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a nine-state coalition to connect the region with high speed passenger rail service. It includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota. The network stems from Chicago and extends 3,000 miles.

According to Randy Wade, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) passenger rail manager, the cost of the rail, which would be an extension of Amtrak’s Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago, is now set at $316 million. About $227 million would go toward infrastructure, including the track, controls and running devices and $89 million toward new equipment.

If the bill is passed by Congress, the Wisconsin DOT would then apply for a federal/state cost share ratio of 80/20. Eighty percent of the rail’s funding would be provided by federal funding, while the remaining 20 percent, around $63 million, would be paid for with state funds, Wade said.

Construction will begin two years after funding is approved. If the bill passes this year, the rail will be complete by 2010, Wade said.

“(High-speed rails) give residents another mobility choice that is predictable, dependable and affordable, for pleasure, business and family travel,” said Marc Magliari, Amtrak’s spokesman.

An executive summary of the project, which can be viewed at dot.wisconsin.gov, states that another benefit of high-speed rail is that it minimizes the environmental impact of travel. High-speed rails create less pollution than cars, airplanes and other modes of transportation. Rails also unite and benefit the economy of the connected regions, the site continues.

For these reasons, the already existing Amtrak Hiawatha service is successful. According to Wade, ridership has dramatically increased within the last few years. From 2004-2005 it increased at only 0.8 percent but jumped to a 10 percent increase in 2005-2006.

The Hiawatha currently runs seven roundtrips Monday through Saturday and six on Sundays from Milwaukee to Chicago. Speeds peak around 79 mph, with a one-way trip lasting about 90 minutes, Magliari said. Speeds between Milwaukee and Madison are estimated at up to 110 mph.

“The Hiawatha service has the best on time performance of any Amtrak in the U.S. outside of California,” Wade said.

Hiawatha currently makes stops at Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport; Sturtevant, Wis.; Glenview, Ill.; and Chicago. The extension would create additional stops in Brookfield, Oconomowoc, Watertown and Madison.

According to Magliari, it is too early to determine the cost of operation and fare as they are yet to be negotiated. However, he said it is relatively safe to assume that fare will be in the same range as Hiawatha’s current price of $21 for a one-way ticket to Chicago.

At this point, the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation owns the 32-mile corridor extending from Watertown to Madison. Preliminary engineering and an environmental assessment have already been completed, but the status of the project relies on federal funding.

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