Regional transportation system is key to moving area forward

By Sue Gleason
Thrive

With global fuel supplies and costs constantly fluctuating, congestion on our roads and highways rising, and highway maintenance concerns growing, this opportunity highlights the need to envision and build an innovative 21st century transportation system in this region.

This opportunity became real in recent months first with 1) state legislation enabling creation of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in Dane County; and 2) the possibility of federal funding to finally realize high-speed rail that would connect the Madison Region with the rest of the Midwest. These two efforts would launch this overall opportunity into concrete efforts to realize the kind of transportation system that would take us into and beyond the 21st century.

The Madison Region Assets and Opportunity Initiative, conducted in 2008, documented the region’s current transportation infrastructure. The outcome was to elevate the opportunity so that the Madison Region could mature as a connected region in the global economy.

The current infrastructure consists of an efficient road network that has seen many major recent investments and includes additional planned projects that will strengthen the network.

We have seven, mostly freight, railroad operators in the region, linking us to all parts of the country; and Amtrak’s Empire Builder passenger route provides cross-country service with stops in Columbus, Portage and Wisconsin Dells.

Local bus systems serve the metro areas of Madison, Janesville and Beloit, and seven regional bus operators provide regular service to Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis and points between.

The Dane County Regional Airport is central to the region, providing 100 commercial flights daily to regional and global hubs, and there are 15 valuable and often underused municipal airports across the region.

On the two-wheel front, we are also well known for our biking opportunities, an important part of any transportation discussion. (Note: Opportunity No. 5, to become the North American Bike Capital, was featured in last month’s issue.)

The connections between these existing infrastructure elements and future opportunities become clear in the example of the 2016 Olympics bid in Chicago, for which the Madison Region would host bike events, and could be accessed by visitors with a high-speed rail line.

Infrastructure investments are not always exciting, but if the Madison Region is going to compete in the global economy, a 21st century transportation system is imperative. It is now also part of the national agenda, and the Midwest is part of that picture.

The Madison Region is already known as one of the Midwest’s knowledge economy and convening centers, but we will need to advance an efficient transportation system to keep our edge, shape our growth and better connect us to major national transportation hubs like Chicago.

The first step is to articulate a regional vision for 21st century transportation – envisioning how the system could look and function for the future we want. This vision can then serve to rally the region behind a full range of strategies for a comprehensive system, such as:

• Facilitating intelligent, more efficient transportation systems that minimize congestion

• Developing solutions for regional express transit to connect our workforce to jobs

• Enhancing our quality of life by increasing transportation options

• Ensuring the implementation of high-speed rail service

• Ensuring our rural communities and residents can connect to major employers and communities

• Developing Dane County Regional Airport as a rapid transit intermodal hub

• Expanding tourism markets

• Reducing our carbon footprint as we grow

This is certainly one of the biggest opportunities identified in the A & O study and will help position us for future economic success. To underscore the need to look at transportation regionally, Thrive supported state legislation enabling the creation of an RTA in Dane County.

“Passage of enabling language was a first step to a productive conversation about regional transportation options — public and private, motorized and non-motorized — to move people and to move goods while maximizing available federal transit dollars,” Jennifer Alexander, president of Thrive, said. “Now the imperative is to continue the broader regional discussion on what an RTA for the region can and should include, and how to ensure appropriate regional representation, scalability and integration with current planning efforts.”

In addition to RTA-enabling legislation, Thrive has also stated its support for Wisconsin’s pursuit of federal dollars to support high-speed rail connecting the Madison Region to the broader Midwest, as part of the proposed Midwest Regional Rail System. Both positions are based on guiding principles for transportation that include integration and connectivity, sustainability and stewardship, local engagement and regional collaboration, and are appropriate and foster efficiency and education. For more details see www.thrivehere.org/positions.

Of the eight opportunities identified in the A & O study, the 21st Century Transportation System has the ability to support and advance all of the other opportunities to help grow the Madison Region’s economy in ways that preserve and enhance quality of life.

For an overview of all eight opportunities, see www.thrivehere.org/assetsandopps .

Editor’s Note

This is the sixth article in an eight-part monthly series highlighting eight strong opportunities to grow the Madison Region’s economy in ways that preserve and enhance quality of life. The Assets and Opportunities Initiative, or A&O, was launched by Thrive, the economic development enterprise for the eight-county Madison Region, with support from the Madison Community Foundation and conducted by Vandewalle & Associates with input from state and regional resources and experts.

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