May 25, 2010

1. Wisconsin High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail From vision to reality May 25, 2010 John Oimoen, High Speed Passenger Rail Program Director Paul Trombino, Division Operations Director Chris Klein, Executive Assistant-Office of the Secretary Wisconsin Department of Transportation MADISON Community meeting

2. Presentation Outline • History/Midwest Regional Rail Vision • High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Projects • Madison to Minneapolis/St. Paul Study • Milwaukee to Madison Project • Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison Corridor 2013

3. Midwest Region Rail Corridors (Note: Chicago – Milwaukee – Minneapolis/St. Paul Corridor)

4. Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Nine states and Amtrak working together since 1996 to plan and implement MWRRI Planning Goals • To provide network efficiencies to each corridor • To increase revenues through increased speeds and frequencies to reduce operating subsidies • To keep associated capital investment to reasonable levels • Regional service in 100 to 500 mile corridors hubbed in Chicago • Up to 110 mph top speeds • Shared corridors with freight • Travel times competitive with auto – in some cases with air

5. Recent Wisconsin Actions toward HSIPR • Purchase Watertown-Madison line (2003) • Construct new Stations: downtown Milwaukee(MIS), Milwaukee airport, Sturtevant, WI (2005-2007) • Capacity study of Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison (2008-2010) • Track improvements between Chicago and Milwaukee (2009) • Increase capacity of Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service (added more cars) (2007 and 2009) • Join other Midwest Governors in joint activities (2009)

6. Chicago – Milwaukee – Minneapolis/St. Paul Corridor:Madison – Minneapolis/St. Paul Service Level NEPA Study • Service level Environmental EA/EIS on corridor alternatives (Joint MnDOT/WisDOT effort, $1.2M) • Study tasks will be data collection of corridor route alternatives for analysis/review to pare down alternative route options • Public involvement • Completion of Service Level NEPA Study will lead to Project Level NEPA analysis with a minimum of 3 alternative route options including No Build Alternative

7. Milwaukee-Madison Project American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Federal Funding

8. Milwaukee – Madison Project Past • Environmental Document and Process (2000-2004) highlights: • April 18, 2001 – Assessment of Madison Passenger Rail Access Alignments and Station Location Alternatives • June 2001 – Environmental Assessment • Identified Access Corridor and Station locations (Brookfield, Oconomowoc, Watertown) • Public Involvement – Hearings, Meetings • Madison Station Alternatives • Alternative 1: Hoepker Rd, USH51/Acker Rd – Eliminated from further analysis • Alternative 2: Airport via Commercial Ave – Eliminated from further analysis • Alternative 3: Airport via First St – Retained for further analysis • Alternative 4: Pennsylvania Ave via First St – Retained for further analysis • Alternative 5: Kohl Center/Milwaukee Rd Depot – Eliminated from further analysis • Alternative 6: Downtown Alignment Monona Terrace Station – Retained for further analysis • June 2004 – EA: Finding of No Significant Impact • Federal Rail Administration signs FONSI, finalizes selected corridor and mitigation commitments • Madison Station Alternatives finalized: • Alternative 4: Pennsylvania Ave via First Street – not a preferred alternative • Alternative 3: Airport via First St – should proposed extension to Twin Cities be implemented, Airport Station would serve as the primary station for through trips • Alternative 6: Downtown Alignment Monona Terrace Station – downtown station would serve trips terminating in Madison

9. Milwaukee – Madison Project Present • October 2009 – WisDOT Applies for ARRA Federal Funding for Milwaukee to Madison project • January 2010 – Milwaukee to Madison project selected for $810M federal funding • Spring 2010 – WisDOT conducts Feasibility Assessment of Madison Stations sites • Review of previous work (EA process) and updated to reflect current issues • WisDOT adds additional station site for consideration – Yahara/1st Street • May 2010: WisDOT concludes that Monona Terrace/Downtown Station is best option • Monona Terrace Station best meets evaluation criteria • Consistent with 2004 EA FONSI

10. Milwaukee – Madison Project Present • Project Elements: • Rail corridor design and construction (track, structures, signals, maintenance facility, Positive Train Control (PTC), etc.) • Stations Environmental Document and Preliminary Engineering and, Construction of 4 stations (Brookfield, Oconomowoc, Watertown, Madison) • Train equipment acquisition for extension of service to Madison • Two additional train sets • Eight new locomotives • WisDOT closely working with FRA to develop grant agreements to proceed with all design activities. • May 18, 2010: WisDOT/FRA accepted Grant Agreement for Stations Environmental Document and Preliminary Engineering • WisDOT/FRA in process of drafting documents for Corridor Design Grant Agreement

11. Milwaukee to Madison Project Future • Public Involvement Process • Seamless communication gathering input on all issues surrounding overall project – stations, corridor design/construction • Involve local communities/stakeholders in the project process to as great an extent as possible • Stations Environment Document and Preliminary Engineering Process • Public/Community workshops (Beginning June 2010), Public Informational Meetings, Public Hearing (2011), Environmental Document Approval (2011) • Finalize specific site location at Monona Terrace – Early Summer 2010 • Proceed into Environment Document • Corridor Design Process • Public/Community workshops, Public Informational Meetings • Noise and Vibration Outreach • Corridor Management Plan Outreach • Labor/Business Advisory Committees

12. Milwaukee to Madison Project Future • Noise and Vibration • Conduct Studies of issue along corridor • Gather information from neighborhood meetings and individual property owner meetings • Develop mitigation options, plans for addressing issues, and implement into final design • Madison Corridor Management Plan • Focus on design and appearance of corridor – landscape, signage, signals, grade crossing devices and fencing • Create Madison CMP Stakeholder Committee • Conduct series of CMP workshops and committee meetings • Define parameters of elements and community aesthetic character • Conduct Public Meetings on plan elements • Refine plan based on public input, develop design manual, and incorporate elements into final design

13. Milwaukee to Madison Project Future • Labor and Business Advisory Committees • Develop strategies to provide opportunities for local small businesses and labor to participate in the construction of the projects • Implement labor and business committees to identify opportunities in project work • Develop public information materials to disseminate opportunities on rail projects within labor and business communities along the corridor

14. Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison Corridor 2013 • Planned service beginning 2013: 6 daily round-trips Chicago – Milwaukee – Madison. All 6 are through trains between Chicago and Madison. • Speeds up to 110 mph once PTC installed (initially 79 mph) • Milwaukee-Madison travel time with implementation of PTC(one-way): ~1hr-13min; Express: ~1hr-4min • Completion of service extended to Twin Cities will increase to 10 daily round-trips: • 4 trips between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago • 6 trips between Madison and Chicago (~2hr-45min or less with express route)

15. Thank you. Wisconsin Department of Transportation May 25, 2010 Madison Community Meeting