Obama Administration Awards High Speed Rail Funds to Wisconsin

Madison, Jan. 28 – Statement of WISPIRG Director Bruce Speight on today’s announcement from the Obama administration that Wisconsin will receive $823 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to prepare for high speed rail in the state.

The President followed up on last night’s commitment to job creation by announcing today that several states, including Wisconsin, will receive funding to build or plan for high speed rail. Wisconsin will receive $823 million as an initial down payment towards a high speed rail link between Milwaukee and Madison.

Today’s down payment starts the long journey towards a stronger, faster rail system for America.

High speed rail in Wisconsin will put thousands of people to work, clean our air, cut our energy-consumption, and assist in the resurgence of American manufacturing. For millions of inter-city trips, high speed rail will be a faster, cleaner, more efficient way to travel across the state than driving or flying.

Congress needs to follow up on this initial investment by securing more long-term funding for both a high speed rail system and the local public transit systems that will eventually feed into it. There will never be a shortage of workers ready to build these projects, or riders ready to use them, but in order to finally realize clean, efficient transportation in Wisconsin, today’s investment must be followed by continued commitment from our leaders.

We look forward to working with Governor Doyle and State and Congressional leaders to build on this down payment and expand high-speed rail in Wisconsin and across the Midwest.

On Feb. 9, WISPIRG will release The Right Track: Building a 21st Century High Speed Rail System for America, a major national research report quantifying the public interest benefits of high speed rail.

WISPIRG is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization. www.wispirg.org.

Wisconsin will receive $810 million in federal stimulus money to establish high-speed passenger rail from Milwaukee to Madison and to study the possibility of extending it to the Twin Cities, President Barack Obama’s administration will announce Thursday.

That would eventually bring 110 mph passenger rail service from Chicago to Madison after years of fruitless attempts to jump-start the project and give Madison its first passenger rail service since 1971.

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Wisconsin will receive more than $800 million to build a high-speed rail line carrying passengers between Milwaukee and Madison at 110 mph and recapture a piece of a regional rail system largely abandoned six decades ago.

The high-speed line could be up and running as early as 2013, the state says.

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Posted: Jan. 19, 2010

South Milwaukee – Milwaukee County could create its own transit authority, funded by a sales tax of up to a half-cent, to take over the county’s cash-strapped bus system, under proposed legislation unveiled Tuesday.

The full 0.5% sales tax would bring in about $60 million a year, or roughly $20 million more than the Milwaukee County Transit System would need to end property tax support and meet its funding needs, bus system spokeswoman Jacqueline Janz said. The new transit authority would be required to use the additional money to restore bus routes cut since 2001, to increase service or to reduce fares.

Planners have warned the bus system would face a major service cut without new state or local funding to replace property taxes.

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Rachel Strauch-Nelson, (608) 266-4611 Joshua Wescott, (608) 267-8823

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/4/2009

Issued By: County Executive

View only releases from County Executive

Mayors Dave Cieslewicz, Joe Chase, Jay Allen and Kurt Sonnentag and County Executive Kathleen Falk announced their appointments to the Dane County Regional Transit Authority (RTA) today.

“I’m pleased to be taking this important step forward,” Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said. “An RTA will allow us to improve and expand our bus service, as well as explore options for a regional transit system. I’m confident that we are bringing together qualified appointees that will move us toward the goal of truly regional transit.”

“My appointees to the RTA will vote to have a referendum before there’s any sales tax for transportation improvements and they will honor the decision of the voters,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said.

“Mr. Opitz’s extensive background in transportation planning will be a perfect fit for the RTA Board,” Mayor Sonnentag said. “He has been the City’s point person for working with Madison Metro to develop Middleton bus routes and has been instrumental in developing the city’s Bike and Pedestrian Plan.  I am confident that he will be a strong voice for a practical transportation strategy that will meet the needs of our region.”

“As all have agreed, my appointee, Kimberly Warkentin strongly supports a referendum on the sales tax when the time is right.  I am particularly proud that Fitchburg’s representative will be Kim, who will bring her energy, knowledge, and experience at this critical time to Dane County,” Mayor Allen said. “In a great effort of collaboration, we have brought a lot of leaders in Dane County together to achieve a common goal.  I appreciate the work that County Executive Falk, and Mayors Cieslewicz, Chase, and Sonnentag have contributed to getting us to this point.  I look forward to continued work with them and others in Dane County to have an RTA that meets our needs for the future.”

“My thanks to the people who have stepped up to work on a governmental body that can offer alternate transit opportunities for all of Dane County’s residents,” said Sun Prairie Mayor Joe Chase. “I am confident that the new members of RTA board will be challenged, but as they educate themselves they will share their facts and vision with the public throughout the coming year.”

Appointments are expected to be confirmed in the New Year.

Appointments to the RTA Board are as follows:

County Executive:

Kristine Euclide, Vice President and General Counsel of MG&E

Dick Wagner, Former Chairperson, Dane County Board of Supervisors

Mayor Cieslewicz:

Steve Hiniker, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin

Susan Schmitz, President of Downtown Madison Incorporated

Mayor Sonnentag:

Mark Opitz, City of Middleton Assistant Planning Director and Dane County Board Supervisor for District 26

Mayor Chase:

Donald A. Esposito, Vice President of Land Acquisition & Development/ Executive Vice President for Veridian Homes, LLC.

Mayor Allen:

Kimberly Warkentin, State Director of America Votes

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The Dane County Board voted 20 to 16 to establish a regional transit authority Thursday that would oversee mass transportation planning within the county.

The vote falls in line with the 22-13 vote the board sent as a signal of support to the state government for the creation of an RTA in 2007.

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Metropolitan Madison residents, welcome to the Dane County Regional Transit Authority.

The Dane County Board voted 20-16 with one absence early Friday morning to create a new governmental body with the power to raise a sales tax to fund bus and rail transportation options. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said she plans to sign the resolution, which will make the new body official.

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Friends,

We are building strong momentum for regional transit and the formation of a Regional Transit Authority in Dane County, but Thursday evening (Nov 5) will be a critical step to moving forward – the full county board will vote on the formation of the RTA (Resolution 152) at 7pm.  The creation of an RTA is the first critical step to developing a seamless, region-wide transit system in Dane County that grows our region and local economy, meets our needs, and reduces our dependence on oil.

It won’t be easy.  The opposition to a seamless, region-wide transit system in Dane County is organizing and mobilizing!  We expect them to be out in force.

We need your voices in support of Resolution 152 on Thursday night to win this critical vote and continue on the path to bringing a 21^st Century Transportation system to Dane County!  Come and testify, or at least register your support for Resolution 152. Comments should be short (2 min max), and it’s as simple as telling a personal reason why enhanced transit will make a difference to you and your family (gas prices, convenience, reducing pollution, etc)!

RSVP to bspeight@wispirg.org, so that we can make sure we will have a large turnout Thursday. Help us show that Dane County is ready and eager to create an RTA and build a 21^st century transit system!

What: Establishing a Regional Transit Authority, Dane County Board – Resolution 152

When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 7pm

Where: Room 201B City County Building

Also, in advance of the vote, please email the county board to express your support for Resolution 152 by sending an email here: county_board_recipients@co.dane.wi.us.

The creation of an RTA is the first critical step to developing a seamless, region-wide transit system in Dane County that grows our region and local economy, meets our needs, and reduces our dependence on oil.  A public vote on RTA funding can only happen in the RTA service area if the RTA is created.  The County Board’s action to create an RTA is an important step, following state law, that will lead to a public vote on local transit funding.

A Regional Transit Authority will provide stable governance for transit, instead of relying on year-to-year agreements between localities. It will function like a school board, which provides specific services in a particular area, which may include multiple municipalities.  Ultimately, it will enhance transit and lead to the development of a seamless, region-wide transit system.  Better transit provides more transportation choices, and makes development more cost-efficient.  Even those who choose to drive can have transit as a backup, and transit can help lessen traffic congestion. Transit can also lower pollution, and can provide access to jobs for people who cannot drive.

For more information on the RTA, visit http://www.danetransit.org.  For more information on 21^st century transportation and the value of transit, visit http://www.wispirg.org/issues/transportation.

Join us Thursday to show your support for resolution 152. RSVP to bspeight@wispirg.org.

Bruce Speight
WISPIRG Director
(608) 251-9501
www.wispirg.org

A proposed Dane County Regional Transit Authority received recommendations from two Dane County Board committees at a joint meeting Monday evening, bringing the long-sought planning body one step closer to reality.

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Check out the Dane RTA Now! pages for more details.

“We saw commuter rail is such an asset to the area,” said Hoff, who was at a transit forum Wednesday night. “We can’t understand why they don’t have it here.”

More than 130 people attended the community forum “Tapping into Transit as a Game-Changer” Wednesday night at the DeKoven Center, 600 21st St. The forum, hosted by Racine Transit Task Force and Transit NOW, highlighted the benefits of public transit and specifics of the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail project. The Task Force is a group working to improve transit for Racine.

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BY JOE POTENTE
Kenosha News
jpotente@kenoshanews.com

MILWAUKEE — Gov. Jim Doyle wants to give Kenosha and Racine counties time to merge into an umbrella regional transit authority that would fund and oversee bus and rail transit across a three-county region.

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Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle on Tuesday announced a framework of a proposal crafted with legislators from southeastern Wisconsin on a plan to improve bus and rail service in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine through a Regional Transit Authority.

The proposal would give Milwaukee County the authority to raise local sales taxes by 0.5 percent to fund local transit and a commuter rail line.

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Gov. Doyle on Monday offered a new plan to continue planning for the KRM commuter service and to improve bus and rail service in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine. Doyle’s plan would:

• Create an umbrella RTA responsible for KRM planning and construction.
• Independent sub-RTAs would be responsible for local transit. Ultimately, the sub-RTAs would merge with the umbrella RTA.
• There would be a 0.05% sales tax for Milwaukee sub-RTA.
• Sub-RTAs created in Racine and Kenosha counties could be funded through a combination of currently authorized local revenue. All new transit revenue sources not authorized under current law would be subject to referendum.
• Incentive funding would be provided for local governments to create sub-RTAs. The incentive fee may consist of rental car fee revenue, funding from the transportation fund or other sources.