Wisconsin Rail Coalition Pushes For Passenger Train To Twin Cities

Residents of Stillwater and other towns near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border may one day have another transportation option for their morning commute, and a surge in population and jobs is driving it.

Businesses, and the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition, are pushing for a privately financed passenger rail service that would go from Eau Claire to Saint Paul’s Union Depot, with a stop in Stillwater. The train route has been official planning policy in Minnesota for years, but a Wisconsin county board recently passed a resolution supporting the project, the Star Tribune reported:

Tens of thousands of Wisconsin commuters pour into Minnesota each morning from Hudson and St. Croix County alone, and studies show that rail wouldn’t capture more than a fraction of that traffic. Nevertheless, based on the prospect of hundreds of thousands of rides annually, a Minnesota Department of Transportation study has classed the Eau Claire rail corridor as a Phase 1 project — a top priority — with good potential to recover costs from fares.

About the proposed service
From: Eau Claire to St. Paul
Trips: Four a day each way, 1 hour, 20 min. travel time
Fare: 20-37 cents per mile, $32 full-fare St. Paul-Eau Claire but with discounts for regular travel
Connections to: Express bus to airport, light rail, Amtrak, intercity bus, taxi, car rental
Amenities: Wi-Fi, food, drink
Source: West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition

Read much more at the Star Tribune.

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