Overview and Key Issues

The introduction of commuter rail onto existing rail tracks or right-of-way will bring with it issues involving exhaust, noise, vibration, visual impacts, and potential safety concerns. These issues will potentially impact schools, residential development, parks, and other sensitive land uses. In addition, there are other environmental concerns.

Threatened or Endangered Resources - Threatened or endangered resources may be present along scattered remnant prairies adjacent to the highway/railroad corridors.

Other Natural Resources - The rail corridors pass through portions of natural areas and water courses.

Noise - Future pass-by noise levels of commuter rail operations would be lower than current freight rail operations, although the noise would occur more frequently. Noise at grade crossings could be reduced in the future because grade crossing protection could eliminate the need for horns at grade crossings.

Historic Structures - The Wisconsin State Historical Society inventory includes structures that may be potentially significant, including the old depot in Mazomanie, the old Milwaukee Road depot in Black Earth, and industrial buildings adjacent to the railroad tracks in Sun Prairie.

Initial environmental screening identified potential environmental constraints along the rail study corridors and at the proposed station locations. More detailed evaluation will be required to determine specific impacts if the study progresses and is subject to requirements of the National and Wisconsin Environmental Policy Acts.

5.1 Introduction

Initial environmental screening was done to identify potential environmental constraints along the rail study corridors and at the proposed station locations. More detailed evaluation will be required to determine specific impacts if the study progresses to a proposed project subject to requirements of the National and Wisconsin Environmental Policy Acts.

5.2 Methodology

The initial screening was based on a review of mapping, aerial photographs, and written information. The environmental screening effort focused on potential threatened or endangered resources, wetlands and other natural resources, historic structures, and possible sources of environmental contamination (hazardous materials).

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provided information on threatened or endangered resources-Bureau of Endangered Resources. Information on wetlands and other natural resources was obtained primarily from aerial photos, USGS Quadrangle maps, and the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan-1996-2000, adopted by the Dane County Board of Supervisors on September 19, 1996. The historic structures inventory file maintained by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin was reviewed to obtain information on potential historic structures. Screening for possible environmental contamination sources was based on Dane County spills records and Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) records from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Bureau for Remediation and Redevelopment. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA-or Superfund) lists maintained by the US Environmental Protection Agency were also reviewed.

5.3 Potential Impacts

5.3.1 Threatened or Endangered Resources

Threatened or endangered resources may be present along the Mazomanie to Madison rail corridor. Scattered prairie remnants are adjacent to the highway/railroad corridor in areas known as the "Highway 14 Prairie" (Towns of Black Earth, Cross Plains, and Middleton), and the "Center Railroad Prairie" (Town of Black Earth). These prairie remnants provide habitat for the following species:

• Agastache nepetoides (giant yellow hyssop), a State-listed Threatened plant
• Napaea dioica (glade mallow), a plant listed as Federal Species of Concern, and State Special Concern
• Papaiepema silphii (silphium borer moth), a State-listed Endangered moth
• Polytaenia nuttallii (prairie parsley), a State-listed Threatened plant
• Parthenium integrifolium (wild quinine)-based on older records, a State-listed Threatened plant

Threatened or endangered resources may also be present along the De Forest to Madison rail corridor. Cherokee Marsh, adjacent to the railroad corridor in the Town of Burke, provides habitat for the following species:

• Scirpus cespitosus (tussock bulrush), a State-listed Endangered plant
• Cypripedium candidum (white lady's slipper), a State-listed Threatened plant
• Napaea dioica (glade mallow), see previous entry

Further study will be necessary to determine if these species are present along these corridors.

5.3.2 Other Natural Resources

There are other natural resources along the rail corridors including prairie, wetlands and water courses.

The Mazomanie to Madison rail corridor passes through portions of the Highway 14 Prairie natural area located in the Towns of Black Earth and Cross Plains. This linear wetland prairie complex occurs along Black Earth Creek, Highway 14, and the railroad corridor. Wet-mesic prairie remnants are found along the railroad bed and the "bottoms" of Black Earth Creek. Habitats of note include wet to mesic prairie, sedge meadow, herbaceous and brushy old fields, wooded old fields, and rock outcrops in railroad cuts. The rail corridor also crosses or parallels Black Earth Creek at several locations, and passes through the Upper Black Earth Creek Resource Area as identified in the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan. Black Earth Creek is a cold-water trout stream, and thus sensitive to activities that would potentially impact water quality.

The Sun Prairie to Madison rail corridor crosses and parallels a portion of Starkweather Creek in the Town of Burke. In the City of Madison, it crosses a drainageway (near Milwaukee Street) that discharges into Lake Monona at Olbrich Park. It also crosses the Yahara River near Williamson and Winnebago Streets.

The De Forest to Madison rail corridor passes through a portion of the Cherokee Marsh State Natural Area (including a crossing of Token Creek) in the Town of Burke. The State Natural Area is part of a 2,000-acre wetland complex lying east of the Yahara River. This wetland complex is also identified as the Cherokee Marsh Resource Area in the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan. The north portion contains species characteristic of low prairies, shrub-carr, bogs, and sedge meadows. Southern portions contain shrub-scrub and emergent wetlands.

The Stoughton to Madison rail corridor crosses the Yahara River in Stoughton. In the Town of Pleasant Springs, it passes along the east shoreline (LaFollette County Park) of Lake Kegonsa, crosses the Yahara River, and passes through a wetland complex along the east side of Lake Kegonsa State Park. In the Town of Dunn, the rail corridor crosses Door Creek and its adjacent wetland, identified as the Door Creek Wetlands Resource Area in the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan. In the Town of Blooming Grove, it runs along the northeast shoreline of Lake Waubesa, the southwest shoreline of Upper Mud Lake, across the Yahara River and the large Upper Mud Lake wetland complex west of the river. The rail line also runs along the north edge of Lake Farm Park, and through the Nine Springs E-Way corridor. In Madison, it runs between Monona Bay and Lake Monona on a causeway.

Potential impacts to natural areas and water courses from construction and operation of commuter rail will be addressed in future studies. Mitigation measures will also be developed.

5.3.3 Historic Structures

The historic structures inventory maintained by the Wisconsin State Historical Society (SHS) includes structures that are already listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and those that may have historic significance to warrant listing pending further study. The SHS inventory includes the following structures that may be potentially significant.

• Mazomanie-the old depot located on Brodhead Street (pictured at left).
• Black Earth-the old Milwaukee Road depot located on Mill Street, and the Cenex building located between Blue Mounds and Mill Street.
• Sun Prairie-industrial buildings located adjacent to the railroad tracks near Flint and Kronke Streets.

Although not presently listed in the SHS inventory, the old depots in Middleton and Stoughton may be found to be historically significant based on further study. Further study will be necessary to confirm the status of all potential historic structures along the commuter rail lines. In addition, the extent of the impact on historic structures will be quantified.

5.3.4 Environmental Contamination Sites

In general, old railroad corridors can contain environmental contaminants such as treated railroad ties, ballast that has accumulated material from leaks, and reported or unreported spills that may have occurred. At the project level, a Phase I-Environmental Site Assessment would be required to confirm any environmental contamination.

Based on US Environmental Protection Agency records, there are no known CERCLA (Superfund) sites in the area of potential effect of the rail corridors or proposed station locations.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Bureau of Remediation and Redevelopment records indicate there are Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) sites that may impact the rail corridors or proposed rail stop locations in Black Earth, Cross Plains, De Forest, Windsor, Sun Prairie, Stoughton, and Madison. Further investigation will be necessary to determine the extent of the impact and potential cost of remediation.

5.3.5 Noise and Vibration

Potential noise impacts related to commuter rail operations include noise associated with railroad operations on tracks and train-mounted horns used at grade crossings. Typical noise levels of a freight train (similar to those operating today on the rail lines in Dane County) are about 87 decibels (dBA) from a distance of 50 feet from the train. This compares to about 83 dBA expected for a "hybrid" rail vehicle such as the "RegioSprinter." While the future noise levels of a commuter rail operations are expected to be slightly lower than existing freight train noise levels, the noise levels would occur more frequently with commuter service. On a 24-hour basis, noise levels would increase, although mitigation is possible. The capital costs in this study include the use of continuous welded rail, which helps to lower train operation sound levels. At locations where the rail operates adjacent to homes or other sensitive land uses, noise barriers or berms may be used along the track to shield the noise from the wheels.

The noise levels at grade crossings are of particular local concern. At public open house meetings for this study, residents complained of current sound levels when the warning horns are utilized at grade crossings. Although no noise measurements were undertaken as part of this study, the City of Madison estimates that over 8,000 dwelling units are within the 80 dB range of existing rail crossings and almost 25,000 dwelling units are within the 70 dB range.

At grade crossings, the minimum horn volume for warning devices is 96 dBA (+/- 4dB) at 100 feet forward of the locomotive, per Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) standards. The FRA issues waivers to eliminate the need to blow whistles/horns at grade crossings when sufficient crossing protection is provided. The capital costs (detailed in Chapter 4) include investment in four-quadrant grade crossing protection for safety purposes and to mitigate noise impacts. Such safety improvements at crossings have qualified for a waiver from the horn requirement at grade crossings.

In addition to noise levels, ground-borne vibration may be an issue. While the vibration levels of commuter rail operations may be less than the freight trains that currently use the railroad lines, the incidents would be more frequent. Vibration analysis in a future study may include vibration measurements, modeling, and an inventory of adjacent properties (including historic depots) that may be affected by the vibration levels. Again, the use of welded rail greatly reduces vibrations by eliminating the joints between rails.

5.3.6 Other Environmental Issues

Impacts on the human environment will need to be addressed if the study of commuter rail progresses to a proposed project. The introduction of commuter rail onto existing rail tracks or right-of-way will generally bring with it issues involving exhaust, noise, vibration, visual impacts, and potential safety concerns. In addition, the existing rail lines pass close to schools, residential development, parks, and other sensitive land uses. Potential impacts (both beneficial and adverse) to neighborhoods, community cohesion, low-income and minority families, and other socio-economic factors will need to be considered in subsequent project phases.

5.4 Future Steps

Future steps to refine and identify environmental considerations/impacts will depend on subsequent phases for the Dane County Commuter Rail Study. When more specific recommendations are made regarding track upgrades, station locations, and connecting links to other transportation modes, the environmental impact evaluation will be more specific in identifying impacts