EAU CLAIRE – A group seeking to establish daily passenger train service between western Wisconsin and the Twin Cities is collecting public comment on the plan.

The West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition is conducting an online survey and the group is especially interested in hearing from residents in St. Croix, Pierce and Dunn Counties.

The Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission received a federal grant to begin studying the route, using existing tracks between Eau Claire and St. Paul.

They’re now ready to move into step two of the federal government’s Corridor ID program. The Federal Railroad Administration will pay 90% of the cost of step 2, which includes studying infrastructure, possible station locations, schedules and other details. Local governments must provide the other 10%.

“We want to hear how local residents would use the trains, where they want to go and why,” said Coalition chairman Scott Rogers. “The survey will give us important insights into what local residents want.”

The survey is available at this website: https://bit.ly/4hUAx8l

For additional information, contact Scott Rogers at (715) 864-6257

Source: News release