Friday, April 3, 2009

As I Predicted, There Is Criticism Of The Madison Airport As High-Speed Rail Stop

People are noticing that putting the Madison high-speed rail station at the airport on the far NE side of town discourages riders interested in using the service between Milwaukee and Madison.

I raised this point a couple of weeks ago.

There will need to be connecting rail from the airport to the Capitol Square to make the service attractive, much as there is in cities like Washington, DC and St. Louis.

7 comments:

rich said...

Note they use one person in Waukesha to outweigh the benefit to all of Milwaukee and Madison ---and the efficiencies this physical layout will bring to the entire Great Lakes region.

Never mind that HSR and light rail connex @ Dane County Airport will bring Milwaukee and Madison into the 20th century. Roger Danielson of Waukesha -- one man! -- isn't having his hand held.

Why, he'd be inconvenienced!

What he'll find is he'll spend all his time driving, while his friends have more fun and get more done on the HSR-light rail system.

He'll be left out -- and then things'll shift, on a number of fronts.

These projects need to be fast tracked.

TWW said...

Another post and response with fluff over substance.

First half of 20th century:
passanger rail.

Second half of 20th century:
automobile.

21st century:
return to passanger rail?

Does that mean the freedoms provided by the automobile in the 2nd half of the 20th centruy was a mistake?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Spending billions of dollars to support a fraction of society is like investing $100 an loosing all but $10.

From Obama-nomics . . . that $100 is really burrowed money from China that my grandchildren will be paying back ... with interest.

TWW said...

fluff over substance.

First half of 20th century:
passanger rail.

Second half of 20th century:
automobile.

21st century:
return to passanger rail?

Does that mean the freedoms provided by the automobile in the 2nd half of the 20th centruy was a mistake?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Spending billions of dollars to support a fraction of society is like investing $100 an loosing all but $10.

From Obama-nomics . . . that $100 is really burrowed money from China that my grandchildren will be paying back ... with interest.

The River Otter said...

I wonder, after reading the arguments presented in the article about downtown madison traffic, if an elevated rail would be completely out of the question.

TWW said...

From Jim... There will need to be connecting rail from the airport to the Capitol Square to make the service attractive

So, let's pretend I am one of the few conservatives living in the burbs of Madison and I want to attend a Bucks game at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

I will drive to a bus stop and catch a bus to Capitol Square because parking stinks at Capitol Square. I take light rail from Capitol Square to the Madison Airport. I then take rail service to the passanger station in downtown Milwaukee. I then walk 5 blocks or take a cab to the Bradley Center.

Meanwhile, my liberal neighbor leaves an hour later and drives to Milwaukee, parking in one of the adjacent parking lots.

TWW said...

From Jim... There will need to be connecting rail from the airport to the Capitol Square to make the service attractive

Question: If rail from Milwaukee to Madison makes sense, but the attraction is in connecting to Capitol Square, why not just connect from Milwaukee to Capitol Square?

Answer: Because Doyle can sell the idea of service to the outskirts of Madison, but cannot/willnot soften the Peoples Republic's views toward rail within the Madison city limits.

Just ask Wisconsin & Southern - a service and revenue provider, not an expense siphon.

rich said...

TWW
"So, let's pretend I am one of the few conservatives living in the burbs of Madison and I want to attend a Bucks game at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

I will drive to a bus stop and catch a bus to Capitol Square because parking stinks at Capitol Square. I take light rail from Capitol Square to the Madison Airport. I then take rail service to the passanger station in downtown Milwaukee. I then walk 5 blocks or take a cab to the Bradley Center."

As one of the many burb-residing conservatives in Madison, I drive to the airport, park, and catch the high-speed rail to downtown Milwaukee, then walk blocks to the Bradley Center. Better yet, I walk or bike or catch a lift to a nearby light rail station.

After all, why pay for parking when light rail is so conveniently located for the conservative suburban residents of Sun Prairie and Middleton?