Obama Administration Awards High Speed Rail Funds to Wisconsin

For Immediate Release:
2010-01-28
Bruce Speight
(608) 251-9501

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.

Continue reading Obama Administration Awards High Speed Rail Funds to Wisconsin

Wisconsin to get $810 million for high-speed rail

Jason Stein
Wisconsin State Journal

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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Critical Dane County RTA Vote on Thursday, Nov. 5th!

WE NEED YOUR HELP to make it happen!

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. Continue reading Critical Dane County RTA Vote on Thursday, Nov. 5th!

High-speed rail will boost Milwaukee’s economy

Milwaukee Biz Blog
Posted August 13, 2009

Milwaukeeans and the few million other residents of the region should let out a collective three cheers for Gov. Jim Doyle for his leadership and vision on high-speed rail in Wisconsin.

The governor deserves credit because decreasing travel times and increasing train frequencies on the current Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak service and inaugurating 110 mph inter-city service between Milwaukee and Madison will have a dramatic, positive economic impact on Milwaukee and the region.

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Wisconsin budget committee approves purchase of high-speed trains

By JASON STEIN
608-252-6129

Lawmakers signed off Tuesday on a $47.5 million state purchase of two high-speed trains from a Spanish company without a competitive bidding process.

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Rail contract to create WI jobs

By Ryan J. Foley
The Associated Press
August 5, 2009

MADISON — Wisconsin lawmakers on Tuesday approved a $47 million no-bid contract to buy two passenger trains from a Spanish company under a plan to jump-start high-speed rail service in the state

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High-speed rail should go through La Crosse

A Capital Times Editorial
8/05/2009

Wisconsin is closer than ever to gaining the high-speed rail service that is needed to put this state on the regional and national transportation map.

In fact, the likelihood that a Chicago-Twin Cities route will make stops across the state is now so real that communities are fighting to be on it.

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Advocates make last-minute pitch to site Madison Amtrak depot on isthmus

By Mike Ivey
The Capital Times

With federal funding for rail service between Madison and Milwaukee tantalizingly close, a group of downtown advocates — including a prominent real estate developer and a successful restaurant owner — is making a pitch for locating a new train station at First Street and East Washington Avenue rather than the Dane County Regional Airport.

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Group pushes for Eau Claire rail stop

By Christena T. O’Brien
Leader-Telegram staff

Prospects for a high-speed rail stop in Eau Claire have brightened considerably in recent weeks, encouraging local rail advocates who have been working toward that goal since 1999.

“This just makes sense,” said Scott Rogers, co-chairman of the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition. “This area is one of the fastest growing parts of the state, and the market is there.”

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Whitehall to get $391,000 in stimulus money for historical train depot repairs

By Dustin Kass
Winona Daily News

WHITEHALL, Wis. — Nearly $400,000 in federal stimulus funding will allow Whitehall, to refurbish one of its biggest tourist attractions.

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State touts no-bid deal with Spanish train firm

A Spanish train company landed a $47 million state contract without competitive bidding, because using its trains will cut the cost of building a high-speed rail network by hundreds of millions of dollars, state officials say.

The no-bid deal was allowed under a 12-year-old law that exempts all of the state’s passenger rail contracts from normal bidding rules.

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Milwaukee leaders want Talgo train production at Super Steel

The Business Journal of Milwaukee
July 29, 2009

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, state Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) and other members of the state Legislature this week are requesting that assembly of the trains Wisconsin agreed to purchase earlier this month be done at the Super Steel plant in Milwaukee.

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High-speed train purchase first step in Madison-to-Milwaukee line

MARK PITSCH 7/18/2009
The Capital Times

In a first step toward building a Midwestern high-speed rail line connecting Madison with Chicago and the Twin Cities, Wisconsin is buying two passenger trains from a Spanish company that will hire state workers to assemble and maintain them.

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“Today, Wisconsin moved one step closer to building a 21st century transportation system.”

For immediate release Contact: Bruce Speight
July 17, 2009 (608) 658-3517

Statement of Bruce Speight, Transportation Policy Analyst for the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, on a historic day for intercity passenger rail in Wisconsin.

Governor Doyle announced today an agreement with Talgo, the Spanish train manufacturer, that will bring jobs to Wisconsin manufacturing and maintaining high-speed passenger rail.
Continue reading “Today, Wisconsin moved one step closer to building a 21st century transportation system.”

State to purchase two trains from Spanish company locating here

Madison — Wisconsin will purchase two trains from a Spanish manufacturer that plans to establish assembly and maintenance facilities in the state, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Friday morning.

Talgo is expected to create about 80 manufacturing and maintenance jobs in Wisconsin. The company could add more jobs if other states buy its trains, Doyle said.

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