President Barack Obama today announced a new push today to transform travel in America, creating high-speed rail lines between cities, and the Chicago corridor that could link Milwaukee with several other major cities in the Midwest, may rise to the top of the priority list.

Obama released his strategic plan, outlining his vision for high-speed rail in America to reduce the nation's dependence on cars and planes and could spur economic development.

The plan identifies $8 billion provided in the American Restoration and Reinvestment Act and $1 billion a year for five years requested in the federal budget as a down payment to jumpstart a potential world-class passenger rail system and set the direction of transportation policy for the future. The high-speed rail system between cities would move as fast as 100 mph.

Obama identified 10 corridors for possible priority high-speed rail projects, including the Chicago Hub Network, which would link Chicago, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville. Madison would be included in the section between Milwaukee and Twin Cities.

Obama, who is from Chicago, called the Chicago Hub Network "something close to my heart" this morning.

"My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come," Obama said. "A major new high-speed rail line will generate many thousands of construction jobs over several years, as well as permanent jobs for rail employees and increased economic activity in the destinations these trains serve. High-speed rail is long-overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed cars on the highways."

In addition to the Chicago route, the other nine sites identified as potential priority targets for high-speed rail are:

• California Corridor (Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego)

• Pacific Northwest Corridor (Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver BC)

• South Central Corridor (Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Little Rock)

• Gulf Coast Corridor (Houston, New Orleans, , Mobile, Birmingham, Atlanta)

• Florida Corridor( (Orlando, Tampa, Miami)

• Southeast Corridor ((Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, , Savannah, Jacksonville)

• Keystone Corridor ((Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh)

• Empire Corridor ((New York City, Albany, Buffalo)

• Northern New England Corridor ((Boston, Montreal, Portland, Springfield, New Haven, Albany)

The strategic plan will be followed by detailed guidance for state and local applicants. By late summer, the Federal Railroad Administration will begin awarding the first round of grants, Obama said.

Additional funding for long-term planning and development is expected from legislation authorizing federal surface transportation programs.

To view the president's formal announcement and link to the maps of the proposed routes, click here.