Amtrak Hiawatha West moves into public review

Amtrak Hiawatha West service is entering public review. Amtrak is preparing to extend daily Hiawatha Service into Dane, Jefferson, and Waukesha Counties. It is working with the Federal Railroad Administration, local officials, and host railroads.

Public webinar for Hiawatha Service expansion

Amtrak is seeking comments and feedback. It starts with a public webinar on Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, no decisions are final until the planning and environmental clearance process is complete.

Separately, the project is referred to as Hiawatha West. It is the first phase of a broader effort. It would implement Amtrak service between Chicago and the Twin Cities via Eau Claire.

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Amtrak Hiawatha West service planning process

Initial plans call for two daily round-trips. The plan includes temporary stops in the Pewaukee, Watertown, and Madison areas. In addition, the proposed locations were chosen based on operational feasibility. They also reflected ridership potential and strategic stop spacing near major population centers.

Also, the first required step is completion of a Service Development Plan. Amtrak is working with its partners to complete that plan. The project is being designed for quick implementation at the lowest cost. It is also meant to generate a strong return on investment.

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