In a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, seven other Midwestern governors and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley joined in bipartisan support for the creation of a high-speed, intercity passenger rail network to link cities throughout the region.
The new system would link Milwaukee to Madison and Chicago as part of the first phase of the system.
"President Obama's vision of making high-speed rail a part of our nation's future transportation network holds great promise," Doyle and the co-signors of the letter wrote. "We recognize that a high-speed rail network has the potential to reduce highway and airway congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and the nation's dependence on foreign oil."
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty co-signed the letter.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and mandates high-speed passenger rail, and the Midwestern network would include 3,000 miles of existing rights of way to connect cities with trains capable of at least 110 miles per hour. Chicago, which is bidding to host the 2016 Olympic Games, would serve as the hub, just as it does for freight. The rail network would link large and small metropolitan areas, airports, bus stations and highways.
A copy of the letter is available here: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=16392
Midwestern governors unite to support high-speed intercity passenger rail
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