Passenger movie madison8/6/2023 Improvements to curve radii and slopes of existing track to improve speed and safety of operation, and.Refurbishment or replacement of deficient bridge structures between Milwaukee and Madison,.We anticipate that the effort will lead to: Here in Madison, we’re working to leverage federal funding for new Amtrak service, which will not only provide the foundation for passenger service, but significantly improve the safety and efficiency of freight operations in our region. The BIL provides $102 billion in funding for rail planning, capital improvements, and service expansion. Historic amounts of funding has been allocated for passenger rail service and related infrastructure investments. And we are in the Amtrak Connects US vision – however, our ability to implement the service could be imperiled by the precedent set in this decision. Residents, our neighboring cities and the many people who visit Madison for business, government and leisure travel – all would benefit from direct Amtrak service to Madison. This discourages travelers from using rail and increases individual automobile use at a time when the nation and our City are working diligently to reduce GHG emissions and fight climate change. In an effort to bring passenger rail service directly to the City, Madison recently obligated funding to plan for passenger rail service implementation. The demand for the service is prevalent in Madison. Madison, like many other communities across the country, currently lacks adequate passenger rail access. In fact, Madison lacks direct access to passenger rail – our closest station is located over 30 miles away. One of the rationale outlined for rejection of the Sunset Limited service is that the service would “unreasonably impair” freight operations. I understand the importance of freight rail networks – especially now – at a time when supply chain issues and trucker shortages are plaguing our economy. And yet, the importance of investing in passenger rail – a greener connective tissue linking cities across the nation – cannot be ignored. This vision can only truly be achieved by ensuring that Amtrak has the access to freight rail lines, as outlined in laws that are already on the books.įor communities like Madison, the ability to establish passenger service could be unreasonably impaired if freight operators are given this broad ability to block passenger rail implementation. Further, granting this ability would directly undermine Amtrak’s right to use any rail line in the US, which was specifically granted when Amtrak was created to relieve freight operators of their obligation to provide passenger service. The Surface Transportation Board’s decision on whether service can be restored on the Sunset Limited line will have profound impacts not just in the Southeast, but on communities throughout the country. The result of this decision will set precedent – determining whether or not freight operators have the right to refuse passenger rail service. A bad decision in this case could make it impossible to bring passenger rail to Madison, which is why I am here today. I am Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor of Madison Wisconsin, and I am here to advocate for greater passenger rail service to all America’s cities. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today, and thank you for your service. You can see me give my remarks here or read them below. My testimony was in support of Amtrak’s right to access freight lines which will be crucial to bringing passenger rail to Madison. Last week I spoke to the national Surface Transportation Board on behalf of Amtrak.
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