Amtrak announced its Hiawatha West service will receive funding through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to extend existing service west.
Currently, the service stretches from Chicago to Milwaukee. The CRISI grant award will extend service to Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane counties in Wisconsin and extend passenger connections in that state. Amtrak said it is working with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to advance Hiawatha service to more Wisconsin communities, including Madison, Watertown and Pewaukee. The project is being developed in coordination with CPKC and Wisconsin & Southern Railroad.
“This award is a major step toward bringing the convenience and connectivity of the Hiawatha service to more Wisconsin communities,” Amtrak Exec. VP of Strategy & Planning Jennifer Mitchell said. “We appreciate the support of the USDOT and FRA, along with the collaboration of all our partners and communities helping to move this project forward. Together, we are advancing a project that will improve rail infrastructure, strengthen the regional economy and give more people a safe, reliable and convenient way to travel.”
CRISI grants support investments into existing rail infrastructure to improve safety, reliability and capacity. The investment into the Hiawatha West service will benefit that rail line while also benefiting Borealis and Empire Builder trains. Once implemented, Hiawatha West is expected to generate approximately 278,000 additional annual Amtrak riders, approximately $46 million in annual regional economic benefits and approximately 200 permanent jobs through ongoing passenger operations, officials said.
“We’ve been working hard to build the safe, reliable 21st-century infrastructure needed to support Wisconsin’s growing 21st-century economy and workforce, and we’re excited to move this critical project forward to do just that,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said. “We’re creating new passenger rail opportunities for folks to get to and from work, school, and other activities, all while creating 200 good-paying, family-supporting jobs that fuel our economy, and that’s a win-win for Wisconsin.”