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Rail service between Twin Cities, Milwaukee, Chicago: The design phase began and officials want your input

The design phase is expected to be complete in the Summer of 2023 with construction beginning in late 2023.
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Posted at 9:36 AM, Sep 23, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-26 19:16:54-04

MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Minnesota Department of Transportation are seeking public input on a new rail project that will take travelers between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago.

The design phase of the project has begun and now the agencies are hosting meetings so the public can provide input on potential design plans. A news release says the project will add a second daily round-trip rail service to the 411-mile corridor from Milwaukee to Saint Paul, MN.

The design phase is expected to be complete in the Summer of 2023 with construction beginning in late 2023 and wrapping up in 2025. The service is estimated to begin in 2024 or earlier.

According to a news release, the design phase follows a planning and environmental study that determined what improvements need to be made so the corridor can handle freight and increased passenger traffic.

The project has secured $53 million in federal, state, and Amtrak funding to improve tracks, signals, and railroad crossing improvements along the rail.

The public comment meetings are scheduled for late October or early November, with another expected in 2023. There's also apublic comment form available online.

You can read more about the new rail service on the WisDOT website.

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