160 likes | 320 Views
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.
E N D
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
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
Midwest Region Rail Corridors (Note: Chicago – Milwaukee – Minneapolis/St. Paul Corridor)
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
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)
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
Milwaukee-Madison Project American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Federal Funding
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
Thank you. Wisconsin Department of Transportation May 25, 2010 Madison Community Meeting