The statement that "people will lose their homes" is completely false and a product of an apparent complete lack of information about this project (see DOT environmental review excerpt below).
No homes will be lost. The planned route is on existing RR ROW that is an active freight rail corridor. Because the Pennsylvania Avenue station site at the existing WSOR rail yard was rejected, no business will need to be relocated, either. Any property value drop occurred long ago, back in the 1920s and 1930s, when Madison had 18 passenger trains a day, in addition to much more rail freight traffic, that has since been drawn away by the heavy subsidies enjoyed by the energy- and labor-inefficient trucking industry. If anyone feels housing loss WOULD HAVE been an important enough concern to reject a rail project, then by that logic we should haven't any urban highways or roadways, either. The approved new Beltline-Verona Road interchange glorification, if my memory serves, WILL destroy about 22 to 30 homes and businesses. It will apparently ALSO impact the SW bike path. The Park East freeway in Milwaukee would have continued to Lake Michigan from what is now I-43, where it would have connected with the proposed Stadium freeway, which would have led to I-894. Property acquisition for the right of way began in 1965, when there were already 24 miles of freeways open in the Milwaukee County. Hundreds of houses and scores of businesses were demolished to clear the right of way. The 13th Street at Rawson I-94 interchange in Oak Creek in 1960 destroyed my neighborhood of 60 affordable homes that was an idyllic location for young families, every one where the dad was a WWII veteran. Our departure fueled energy-wasting sprawl into Menomonee Falls and at least as far as rural Kenosha County. The construction of I-43 caused the the loss of many more hundreds of homes and business sites, cutting in half a huge and once-vibrant neighborhood of lovely, functional, well-crafted homes originally built by a wide range of European immigrants. This highway construction completed the destruction of what is now arguably among the most destitute, physically dissected and dysfunctional neighborhoods of any city in the United States. Clearly, getting the greatest efficiency out of our many existing, under-used rail corridors is what people concerned about loss of housing should advocate. Summary of DOT environmental review of HSP: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/d1/hsrail/docs/ea-execsum.pdf Property Values Local property owners have raised concerns that noise, safety and increased train traffic may potentially lower property values of residences adjacent to the proposed corridor. The FRA recently completed a related study that included a review of the effect of proximity to rail corridors on property values. The study concluded that after taking housing and neighborhood characteristics into consideration, proximity to rail lines has a negative influence on housing values within 1,000 feet of a rail line. Thus, existing property values along the corridor would likely already reflect proximity effects. However, a conclusion for the potential impact on property values in this project corridor study cannot be readily made since the FRA study does not distinguish between rail lines with relatively low activity and those with high or changing levels of activity. Relocations One active business would be relocated if the Pennsylvania Avenue station site in Madison were selected. A second property at the proposed station site is used for construction equipment storage. The equipment would also require relocation. A review of current real estate listings shows that adequate replacement sites are available within the city. Some summary overall and economic information (though not adequately supported): http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/d1/hsrail/docs/hsr-econ-benefits.pdf This is a project that needs to be done NOW, while construction costs are their lowest point in many years. Jeff Schimpff Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison, WI 608-267-7853 "Bus, Bike, Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" "Pedestrians and cyclists are the indicator species of a healthier community" ________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Eric Westhagen Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 1:32 PM To: Mitchell Nussbaum; BikiesSubmissions Subject: Re: [Bikies] Call Gov & Gov-elect to support rail But aren't the estimates of cost for the trip to Madison for a person--without the cost of parking a car in Milwaukee, over $70. round trip----with all the subsidies? Just how many people will take such a train? Don't they still have hourly bus service between Milwaukee and Madison, Mitchell? At least they used to have Badger coaches by the hour. And if that is discontinued, that would say something about ridership? Mitchell Nussbaum wrote: Highways and roads are even more heavily subsidized. And cars cause serious pollution, a concern especially for bicyclists and others who are exercising. The train would cut back on the number of cars. And the pollution fear is real. There is now an Air Quality Alert for 17 counties, including Dane. They are asking people not to drive cars, if possible... http://host.madison.com/app/news/weather/severeweatheralerts.php?alertid=1666--WI20101111140600MKXAirQualityAlertMKX20101112050000WI --- On Thu, 11/11/10, Eric Westhagen <[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]> wrote: From: Eric Westhagen <[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Bikies] Call Gov & Gov-elect to support rail To: "Eric Sundquist" <[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]>, "BikiesSubmissions" <[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]> Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 10:08 AM Group: I have always ridden trains over airplanes. I regularly take the Empire Builder to the West and even rode in the Engine of the Capitol Limited once. But I am not for trains where they make no sense and are totally subsidized by people never intending to ride. (And yes, I know Amtrak is subsidized--but another story.) Also, people will lose their homes making some corridor into Madison--unless you want old "right of ways" taken back from-------say, bicycle paths? So, I am using your lists and urgings to call in support of Walker's pledge to kill the railroad-----a pledge I am sure he will keep. Instead make sure there is bus service to Columbus to take a train in either direction. Eric Sundquist wrote: Legislators are also hearing an outcry, and that could help put pressure on Walker. I've attached a list of the incoming senators and reps -- hope it makes the trip through the listserv. ________________________________ From: Bryan Fay <[email protected]></mc/[email protected]> To: [email protected]</mc/[email protected]> Sent: Thu, November 11, 2010 9:46:58 AM Subject: Re: [Bikies] Call Gov & Gov-elect to support rail I was able to get through to Walker's office this morning, and, unlike Doyle's office, they didn't ask for my name or address. The phone answerer's response was just "okay, thank you". I wonder if they are keeping track of the calls in any way. Yesterday hen I called Walker's office I got a voicemail message saying the voice-mailbox was full. On 11/10/2010 12:23 PM, Steve Arnold wrote: On 11/10/2010 10:25 AM, Mitchell Nussbaum wrote: I guess they got tired of taking phone calls. (: The nice live person that took my call for Walker said she's getting three calls a minute. Regards, Steve Arnold, Fitchburg Alder, District 4, Seat 7 2530 Targhee Street, Fitchburg, Wisconsin 53711-5491 Telephone +1 608 278 7700 * Facsimile +1 608 278 7701 [email protected]</mc/[email protected]> * http://Arnold.US Become a supporter: like http://facebook.com/ArnoldforAlder. _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected]</mc/[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org ________________________________ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected]</mc/[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected]</mc/[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org ________________________________ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
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