Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Urging the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to partner with Minnesota DOT on the Milwaukee-Twin Cities High Speed Passenger Rail Study and other regional rail efforts.
Body
WHEREAS, the Madison Metropolitan Area is a fast-growing and strong economic region in the State of Wisconsin and the City of Madison is the state's second largest city; and,
WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's leadership in transportation planning has been of critical importance to the economic success of the Madison Metropolitan Area; and,
WHEREAS, state-of-the-art passenger rail transportation is vital to the continued economic success of the Madison Metropolitan Area; and,
WHEREAS, businesses travelers would benefit from passenger rail because the Madison Metropolitan Area is strategically located between Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis; and,
WHEREAS, trends in transportation suggest that the Madison Metropolitan Area would use passenger rail service, because Madisonians are moving more to public transportation; and,
WHEREAS, Madison is the only Midwest state capital that does not now benefit from daily scheduled passenger rail service; and
WHEREAS, the State of Wisconsin 2030 Rail Plan suggests no improvements in passenger rail service to Madison for the near term;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Mayor and Common Council of Madison urge the State of Wisconsin to fund planning and improvements to bring passenger rail service to Madison as soon as possible; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City urges the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to partner with Minnesota DOT on the Milwaukee-Twin Cities High Speed Passenger Rail study and other regional rail efforts.