The first fallout of the election returns came down in Wisconsin today, with the announcement by the outgoing Democratic Doyle administration that design and engineering work on the $810 million stimulus funded Milwaukee to Madison high speed rail construction project will be suspended, pending a determination by the incoming Republican Walker administration. Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi says the stoppage is temporary, but governor elect Walker campaigned against high speed rail as a waste of taxpayer money.
Permanent cancellation of the extension of high speed rail from Milwaukee to Madison would imperil jobs at the Milwaukee plant of Spanish based Talgo, Inc, which was slated to manufacture new rolling stock for the Madison branch, where the intent was to increase train speed from the current 79 mph up to 110 mph along the route.
Additionally, Ohio governor-elect John Kasich has also reiterated his opposition to development of a high speed rail corridor in that state connecting Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. It seems the $8 billion in federal dollars allocated to high speed rail construction in the stimulus package may never get spent after all.
Permanent cancellation of the extension of high speed rail from Milwaukee to Madison would imperil jobs at the Milwaukee plant of Spanish based Talgo, Inc, which was slated to manufacture new rolling stock for the Madison branch, where the intent was to increase train speed from the current 79 mph up to 110 mph along the route.
Additionally, Ohio governor-elect John Kasich has also reiterated his opposition to development of a high speed rail corridor in that state connecting Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. It seems the $8 billion in federal dollars allocated to high speed rail construction in the stimulus package may never get spent after all.
