Borealis Ridership Exceeds 18,500 in First Month | |
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According to an Amtrak press release, preliminary figures for the first full month of state-sponsored Borealis trains between St. Paul and Chicago show a ridership of more than 18,500. On average, about 300 passengers boarded the eastbound and westbound trains daily. Amtrak operates these trains under contracts with Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois.
“Borealis marks the first passenger rail service expansion in Wisconsin in 22 years, and people are responding,” said WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson. “The initial data is promising and reflects the hard work done by WisDOT, our partner states, and Amtrak to bring this service to the people of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. We’re hopeful the more people that ride Borealis and like it, the more successful it will be.”
Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in the late morning with eight stops in Wisconsin: La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus, Milwaukee, the Milwaukee airport, and Sturtevant.
This new rail service, which kicked off on May 21, resulted from years of collaboration between Amtrak, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
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WisDOT, FHWA Release I-39/90/94 Draft EIS | |
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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have completed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the I-39/90/94 Corridor Study.
The I-39/90/94 Corridor connects major population centers—Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis—to Wisconsin’s popular outdoor recreation and tourist destinations. It is also a primary long-haul truck route.
Improvement to the I-39/90/94 study corridor is necessary to address traffic demands, safety, bridge and pavement conditions, and corridor resiliency.
The WisDOT/FHWA recommended preferred alternative is modernization with added general-purpose lanes, consisting of a 12-foot inside shoulder and an additional 12-foot lane in each direction throughout most of the study corridor. Because of high local interest, WisDOT will continue to study the modernization hybrid alternative, which includes an 18-foot inside shoulder that could be utilized as a 12-foot travel lane during heavy travel periods with a 6-foot shoulder.
According to the draft EIS analysis, modernization with additional general-purpose lanes and the modernization hybrid have similar environmental impacts. While the upfront costs of the project with the additional general-purpose lanes may be slightly higher, the hybrid alternative will cost more over time due to the extra staffing and technical infrastructure maintenance required to operate the managed lane. In addition, the predicted crash reduction is significantly higher with the additional lanes than with the managed lanes.
For a quick summary of the corridor and its importance to Wisconsin's economy, visit the Central Wisconsin Interstate Alliance website. Or visit the WisDOT project page.
Upcoming Public Involvement Meetings
Monday, July 29, 2024, via YouTube Live www.tinyurl.com/InterstateVirtualPH.
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
4 to 7 p.m.
Madison College Truax Building
1701 Wright St., Conference Room D1630
Madison, WI 53704.
Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024
4 to 7 p.m.
Wisconsin Dells High School
1501 Brew Farm Road, HH Bennett Hall and Cafeteria
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965.
Comments on the Draft EIS are due by Aug. 12, 2024. Please send them to FHWA and WisDOT at the addresses listed below.
Lisa Hemesath
Federal Highway Administration
525 Junction Road, Suite 800
Madison, WI 53717
Lisa.Hemesath@dot.gov
David Schmidt, PE
WisDOT
2101 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53704-2583
David2.Schmidt@dot.wi.gov
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Appleton Raises Wheel Tax | |
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The Appleton Common Council voted 8-7 in June to increase the city's wheel tax from $20 to $30, effective Jan. 1, 2025. This increase is the first since the council approved the $20 wheel tax in 2015.
Even with the $10 increase, the wheel tax won't cover Appleton's costs to maintain its streets, which have become more expensive due to inflation. The increase will yield an additional $650,000, bringing the total amount generated from the wheel tax to $1.95 million annually.
According to the WisDOT website, 41 municipalities and 13 counties impose an annual municipal or county vehicle registration fee, commonly known as a wheel tax, to help with transportation costs.
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Federal Discretionary Grant Awards | |
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In late June, USDOT awarded $1.8 billion in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grants for 148 projects across the country, including two in Wisconsin:
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Valley Transit in Appleton – $25 million to reconstruct the Valley Transit Center with expanded passenger amenities, ADA accommodations, and transit facilities to improve operations. The City of Appleton also plans to build affordable housing units above the new transit center in a future phase of the project.
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City of Waukesha – $1.1 million planning and design grant for bicycle and pedestrian structures over US Highway 18/State Trunk Highway 59 and US Highway 18/State Trunk Highway 59/State Trunk Highway 164.
In addition, two tribes received grant awards in June as part of the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund program:
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Forest County Potawatomi Community – two grants totaling $263,573.
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Sokaogon Chippewa Community – two grants for $26,543.
See the WisDOT interactive map of federal discretionary grants here.
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House Advances $108 Billion in FY 2025 USDOT Appropriations | |
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The House Appropriation Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act on July 10.
The House Transportation-Housing Appropriations Subcommittee chairman characterized the bill as having “targeted investments and targeted cuts.”
The measure would fully fund airport and Highway Trust Fund-supported core highway and public transportation programs at authorized levels and provide some supplemental spending out of the General fund, mostly to cover congressionally directed spending (earmarks). However, the bill proposes cuts to the public transportation Capital Investment Grant program.
According to Eno Transportation, there is a high-level disagreement between the Biden Administration and House Republicans over the FY 2025 funding totals, with the GOP sticking to the letter of the spending caps in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Meanwhile, the White House and Hill Democrats are insisting on these levels plus adherence to non-public “side deals” agreed to by former Speaker McCarthy, which contributed to his ousting.
The White House has issued veto threats on all FY 25 appropriations bills passed by the House.
The Senate has yet to schedule any committee actions on FY 25 appropriations bills.
Resources
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Pedestrian Traffic Deaths Fall for the First Time Since the Pandemic | |
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A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows a decline in US pedestrian fatalities in 2023, even as levels remain above pre-pandemic levels. Based on 2023 preliminary data, GHSA projects that drivers killed 7,318 pedestrians in 2023. This number is down 5.4% from 2022 but up 14.1% from 2019.
Twenty-nine states, including Wisconsin, had fewer pedestrian deaths in 2023 than the prior year, while 21 and Washington, DC, had more. The report’s chart of pedestrian traffic fatalities by state (using preliminary 2023 data) shows that Wisconsin’s pedestrian fatalities declined from 72 in 2022 to 55 in 2023.
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The GHSA report analyzes the role alcohol impairment, excessive speed, dark conditions, and vehicle type play in many crashes involving a fatally injured pedestrian. | |
USDOT, NHTSA Announce New Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2027-2031 | |
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In a reversal of the previous administration’s rollback of vehicle emissions and efficiency standards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued finalized new vehicle fuel economy standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards), mandating fuel economy increases for passenger cars of 2 percent annually for model years 2027-2031. For light trucks, the standard requires a 2 percent annual increase for model years 2029-2031.
These increases should raise the average light-duty vehicle fuel economy to approximately 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031.
In the final rule, heavy-duty pickup truck and van fuel efficiency (Heavy-Duty Pickup Trucks and Vans (HDPUV) Fuel Efficiency Standards) will increase 10% a year for model years 2030-2032, and 8% per year for model years 2033-2035, resulting in a fleetwide average of approximately 35 miles per gallon by model year 2035.
According to the USDOT statement, the new fuel economy standards complement new emissions standards for similar vehicle fleets promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency projects the final standards will save consumers nearly $23 billion in fuel costs and reduce gasoline consumption by about 70 billion gallons through 2050.
On June 26, 26 Republican-led states filed a lawsuit in the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Kentucky, claiming that the fuel-efficiency standards exceed the authority of the NHTSA and the USDOT.
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WisDOT held two I-94 East-West Project meetings in late June to update the public.
TDA Executive Director Debby Jackson attended the second meeting. While Jackson was there, attendees were interacting with project staff and exhibits. The project model was a natural gathering spot, allowing participants to ask questions and have staff point out relevant project attributes.
WisDOT also had workforce development and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise staff at the meeting, a reminder that the I-94 East-West project is about jobs and economic growth from construction and beyond
Visit the project page on the WisDOT website for more information or to submit a comment regarding the selected alternative.
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TDA Podcast: TDA President Jason Culotta | |
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Jason Culotta, president of the Midwest Food Products Association and this year's TDA president, joins TDA Executive Director Debby Jackson on the latest On The Go podcast episode. A self-proclaimed "rail geek," Jason has a deep understanding of not only railroads but the entire transportation system.
The podcast explores a wide range of topics, from intermodal discussions and how the logistics of freight containers work to the supply chain and the state budget. The pair also discusses the crucial need to continually educate legislators - and their staff - about transportation issues, challenges, and opportunities. Debby and Jason also touch on TDA as an organization and its essential role in bringing together a broad mix of stakeholders to advocate for a safe, modern, interconnected transportation system.
Listen to the podcast here.
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TDA Joins Partners to Spark Community Engagement | |
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TDA is joining with partners, including the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Bike Fed, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, and local organizations, on the Avenues of Possibilities Tour, a series of six gatherings around the state.
Participants will have the chance to hear from area leaders and take part in engaging discussions and interactive workshops. These workshops are designed to provide a hands-on learning experience and empower participants to make a positive impact in their communities.
The tour kicks off in Waukesha on Monday, July 22. Click here for more information.
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Thank You 2024 Organizational Sponsors | |
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TDA Annual Meeting: Oct. 16 at the Marriott Madison West
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In Memoriam: Bill Kennedy | |
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Bill Kennedy, 74, co-owner and chairman of Rock Road Companies of Janesville, passed away on June 28. Kennedy was a driving force in Wisconsin's transportation industry and the Transportation Development Association for decades. TDA awarded Bill its Transportation Service Award in 2013 for significantly advancing the cause of a safe, modern, interconnected transportation system in Wisconsin.
TDA sends condolences to Bill Kennedy's family and celebrates Bill's life and contributions to Wisconsin.
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Kevin McMullen of the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association (WCPA) is retiring at the end of July. He has been with WCPA since 1995 and was president from 1998 until 2023. McMullen served twice as chairman of the American Concrete Pavement Association Chapter/State Committee. Before joining WCPA, he worked as the pavement engineering supervisor for WisDOT.
He has also represented the concrete pavement industry on National Cooperative Highway Research Program research panels and has served on several Transportation Research Board committees.
Beyond his work for WCPA, Kevin has been a steadfast transportation advocate and supporter of TDA.
Congratulations, Kevin!
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Registration Open for the Fall Wisconsin Aviation Conference
The Wisconsin Airport Management Association and the host airport, Dane County Regional Airport, will hold the 68th annual Wisconsin Aviation Conference (WAC) on October 2-4 at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton.
Looking to attend? Details and registration information are available here.
More information is available to those looking to exhibit at or sponsor the event.
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If you would like TDA to consider including your organization's update or event in an upcoming newsletter, please forward information to Luke Pearson at luke.pearson@tdawisconsin.org. | |
Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin10 East Doty Street, Suite 201 | Madison, WI 53703
(608) 256-7044 | general@tdawisconsin.org
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