In hopes of finalizing details for the high-speed rail, Wisconsin Department of Transportation has asked for public assistance.
The development of a high-speed rail has been in the works since the Department of Transportation submitted an application to the Federal Railroad Administration to fund the rail line that would connect Milwaukee to Madison.
The public has been able to provide input on the high-speed rail project in scheduled community meetings. The main objective of these meetings is to focus on ideas for the location of Madison's downtown station.
The effect a downtown station would have on traffic was one of the concerns brought up by some residents at a community meeting held June 23.
There is another chance for the public to give their input on more issues in July once renderings are disclosed, at which time there will be an additional community meeting.
The proposed location plans are both located near the Monona Terrace. The Department of Transportation is considering 101 E. Wilson and 1 W. Wilson as possible locations for the station. Currently, there is not a clear favorite between these two properties.
Many residents have also expressed excitement about the economic opportunities the proposed location could offer.
The Monona Terrace location would allow easy access to the state Capitol, State Street and the UW campus, according to the State Journal. It would also allow passengers easy access to buses and cabs to get around the city.
In mid-June Mayor Dave Cieslewicz suggested the possibility of adding a new public market square as another addition in conjunction with the plans for Madison's high-speed rail station.
Cieslewicz said he is hoping to use the need for construction of a high-speed rail station as leverage.
The public market square could include underground parking needed for the rail station, more office space, a public market, bike station and an inter-modal station for Metro buses, WISC-TV reported.
However, some say the city is getting a little ahead of itself, as plans for renovating the Central Library and Edgewater developments are currently in the works as well.
Wisconsin will receive $810 million from the federal government to build the high-speed rail. Construction is expected to start in 2012.
