EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission has hired a consultant team led by HDR Engineering and including HNTB Corp. to carry out the scoping work for proposed Eau Claire-Twin Cities passenger rail service.
The scoping work is the first phase in development of a new route under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program. The Eau Claire-Twin Cities route was one of 34 potential new passenger routes among 69 selected for the Corridor ID program last year; that selection came with a $500,000 grant to support the scoping process [see “Full list of passenger routes in FRA Corridor program released,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023]. The scoping process involves creation of a Service Development Plan, which estimates the cost and timeline for launching new service, among other features.
HDR, described by the commission as a national leader in rail corridor planning and development for the FRA, and HNTB were selected through a competitive Request for Proposals process. They are or have worked on studies including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Milwaukee-Madison-Eau Claire-Twin Cities proposal and the studies for a second Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities round trip.
Scott Rogers, the commission member designated as the project committee lead, said in a press release that selection of the consultants “is a critical first step in bringing passenger trains to enchance the economy of our region.”
The commission’s application for the service also seeks to establish a competitive process to select a train operator; reach a track access agreement with host railroad Union Pacific; consider zero-emission equipment; and ensure sufficient train frequency to provide travel convenience and support transportation-oriented economic development.
The commission, established in 2021, includes three counties, six municipalities, and the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition, a non-profit group supporting the development of passenger rail operations in the area. Ex-officio members include Union Pacific, five colleges and universities, and the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. the More information on the proposed service is available at the rail coalition website.
