A Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story from January touched on the possibility of Madison finally getting an Amtrak station.
It noted that the Milwaukee-Chicago route, the Hiawatha line, is doing booming business and had over a half million passengers last year. Amtrak Board Chairman David Laney was in Milwaukee to check out the new station at Mitchell Airport and commented that "extending the Hiawatha to Madison was 'a terrific idea.'"
Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi was on-hand as well.
Plans for a 110-mph Milwaukee-to-Madison line have been on the drawing board for several years, but the line would cost $318 million to build, Busalacchi said. If the federal government would put up 80% of that cost, service could start within two years, he added.
Pushing for 80% federal funding of passenger rail projects - the same as highway and public transit projects - is backed by the States for Passenger Rail Coalition, a 26-state group led by Busalacchi. Laney said he supported that concept.
So we may get a station yet and not have to board up in Columbus.
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