Project Description

In April 1997, the Minnesota Department of Transportation entered into cooperative agreement DTFRDV-97-H-60008 for Tri-State High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study Phase II. The purpose of this study is to conduct an objective evaluation of the feasibility of implementing high-speed rail service between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Milwaukee and Chicago. In doing so, the costs and benefits of selected technology and alignment options will be computed and compared. An appropriate number of high-speed rail technologies (steel-wheel on steel-rail, electric and non-electric powered) will be evaluated. Financial and economic analyses of the corridors and preferred rail options will be conducted. From this information an implementation plan for the design and construction of a high-speed rail system will be developed. The project staging, operational concepts, equipment scenarios and potential financing methods identified in the implementation plan will be compatible with other high-speed rail system proposals under development in the Midwest. The study work plan reflects the interrelationship with study elements of the Midwest Rail Initiative (MRI) Study. The project costs total $600,000 with Federal funding of $300,000 and State of Minnesota funding of $300,000, with $150,000 of that State funding provided by the State of Wisconsin. In 1997, additional funding of $100,000 was provided to extend the scope of work. The agreement was effective through December 1999.

In 1991, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation completed a study to determine whether the Chicago - Milwaukee - Minneapolis/St. Paul corridor could support a high-speed rail system. The Tri-State High-Speed Rail Study was conducted by TMS/Benesch consulting team of Chicago. The study evaluated three rail technologies, identified existing market shares for all travel modes, and forecasted ridership and revenue for three technologies. The states involved concluded that high-speed rail may be economically and financially viable and agreed to conduct a more detailed study of high-speed rail in the southern corridor (Chicago, Milwaukee, Winona, and Twin Cities).

In 1996, the Illinois and Wisconsin DOT completed a more detailed analysis of the feasibility of high-speed passenger rail service in the Chicago - Milwaukee segment of the tri-state corridor. The engineering/operating solutions developed under that study are to be input to the Wisconsin - Minnesota High Speed Rail Corridor Feasibility Study.

Wisconsin and Minnesota DOT are co-sponsoring this study. The study is guided by a Memorandum of Understanding between the two states, with the State of Minnesota being lead agency. A Study Steering Committee formulates work plan details and oversees the study, being conducted by a consultant team under contract with the State of Minnesota.

The study area is generally the southern corridor identified in the Tri-State High-Speed Rail Study. Alternative alignments will be evaluated. The corridor is defined as the existing Amtrak alignment between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago and alternative alignments of Twin Cities - Rochester - LaCrosse and Milwaukee - Madison - Wisconsin Dells (Madison Loop). Travel demand models for the corridors will be developed and used to forecast rail ridership and revenues. The Chicago end of the corridor includes the entire greater Chicago metropolitan area; although, the endpoint is downtown Chicago. The Twin Cities end of the corridor includes the entire Twin Cities metropolitan area, including the potential for access to the Twin Cities International Airport. The Wisconsin and Minnesota DOT are also working with other Midwest states and Amtrak to develop a blueprint for preserving, improving and expanding existing Chicago-hubbed rail passenger services under the Midwest Rail Initiative. The projects final deleverable is a final report of the study