(The Center Square) – Wisconsin leaders would need to fund $54.5 million in capital expenses and an estimated $2.5 million annually for operating expenses to pair with a $218 million federal grant to extend passenger rail service from Milwaukee to Madison.

The twice-a-day train would be a standard speed service as opposed to the high-speed rail that was previously proposed in the state before Gov. Scott Walker turned down the $810 million in federal stimulus funds for the project, citing long-term maintenance costs to maintain the line, which could be used instead on road repair.

Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced the grant to fund 80% of the design and construction of the Hiawatha West Project, which Amtrak estimates will carry 260,000 passengers annually. The Chicago-to-Milwaukee current service had 681,600 passengers in fiscal 2025.

The service could begin as soon as 2030 after work to upgrade tracks, improve crossings, expand rail capacity and construction of stations in Madison and other stops was complete.

Madison would share in the cost of constructing a new station in the city.

The other proposed stops would be in Pewaukee and Watertown as a train leaving Chicago at 8:30 a.m. could arrive in Madison at 11:45 a.m. with a second train in the evening leaving Chicago at 5:15 p.m. and arriving in Madison at 8:30 p.m.

Trains would leave Madison at 6:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily.

“Expanding passenger rail means more safe, easy ways to get to and from work or school, more tourists coming into our communities and buying things in our shops, and more good-paying jobs across our state,” Baldwin said in an announcement of the grant. “For our agricultural and manufacturing businesses that use freight rail, this investment will reduce delays and give them reliability and confidence that their products are getting in the hands of customers on time.”

The question is whether state leaders will fund the project, including the annual operational costs. The federal grants are part of the

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual government funding bills.

Passenger rail last extended to Madison in 1971.