Commuter rail would have lots to offer

Dane County Board Chairman Mike Blaska this week is going to get the ball rolling n a project that holds a train-load of promise for the future.

Blaska and other supervisors are introducing a resolution to create a broadly based county committee charged with taking a long overdue look at the feasibility of starting a commuter rail system in Dane County.

It’s a small step, but a first step for an idea whose time has come.

Dane County is blessed with several rail corridors that would be capable of handling commuter rail that could serve most of Madison’s high-traffic areas from within walking distance.

Take the old Milwaukee Road route, now Soo Line, for example. Stops could be made all the way from East Towne to the depot in Middleton on the far west side.

The rail line runs past or close to Schenk’s Corners, the Wilson Street State Office Building (and Monona Terrace, when built), the UW’s southeast dorms (and the location where the new UW Field House is likely to be built), Camp Randall and Union South, the UW Hospital, the Hill Farms State Transportation Building, and into Middleton.

Further, the same line could extend service out to Mazomanie in the west and to Marshall in the east. Other lines could connect to places like DeForest in the north or Stoughton to the south.

The possibilities of attracting riders are enormous. Because so much of Madison is built on a narrow isthmus between two lakes, downtown stops would be in walking distance for most offices. And because the corridor runs so close to places like the Field House and Camp Randall, a rail line would appeal to many sports fans as well.

Under Blaska’s plan, which will be introduced to the County Board Thursday night, a committee of 16 or so would study the broad questions: Would there be sufficient demand? Are the existing corridors close enough to major destinations? How much would it cost to upgrade the tracks and who would pay for it? Who would operate a rail system if one were approved?

Blaska envisions that County Executive Rick Phelps, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, and representatives of various interested parties -- the University of Wisconsin, the Chamber of Commerce, the cities of Middleton, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, the village of DeForest, the rural areas of east and west Dane County, and railroad interest groups -- will serve on the study committee, among others.

There’s tremendous potential here and it could all be done at a cost that pales in comparison to the money needed to build more and wider streets and roads.

This is the kind of project that deserves support and encouragement.