Forty university of Wisconsin system students are traveling this week
from Green Bay through Oshkosh to Milwaukee, to Madison and La Crosse,
over four days to show support for Wisconsin ’s proposed high speed
rail route.
Included in the grand effort is a connection of
Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Twin Cities route with high speed rail.
Congress this year passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,
which will spend $8 billion for high speed rail on projects that have
not yet been determined. Governor Doyle and WISDOT Secretary Busalacchi
are advocating to bring high speed rail to Wisconsin ; they are seeking
Recovery funds to connect Madison and Milwaukee with intercity rail as
part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a nine-state project that
would connect over 100 Midwestern cities and link the region’s major
economic centers. Doing so will give us more transportation choices,
alternatives to lengthy airport delays, and reduced dependence on oil,
while helping to rebuild our economy. Wisconsin would especially
benefit because it is perfectly situated in the corridor connecting
Chicago to the Twin Cities.
Enthusiasm for the project among
students and other young people is infectious. At most stops students
are planning a short bike route through each town to the location of
the media event. WISPIRG students will wear matching t-shirts and carry
a giant map of the proposed train route.
Come join in to show support for bringing high speed rail to Wisconsin !
Monday, May 25
10am Green Bay National Railroad Museum
1pm Appleton Houdini Plaza, downtown Appleton
3pm Oshkosh Opera House Square
Tuesday, May 26
10am Milwaukee Downtown Transit Center
1pm Brookfield Town Hall
3pm Oconomowoc Maxims, 115 E. Collins St .
Wednesday, May 27
10am Madison State Capitol
3pm Portage TBD
Thursday, May 28
10am Wisconsin Dells TBD
3pm La Crosse The Train Station, 601 St. Andrews St .
If you have any questions, contact Bruce Speight at WISPIRG at bspeight@wispirg.org or (608) 251-9501 (office) or (608) 658-3517 (cell).
