Gov. Doyle: Governor Doyle, Senator Kohl Help Break Ground on New Passenger Rail Station at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport

Contacts:
Ron Adams, Director, WisDOT Bureau of Rails and Harbors,
608-267-9284

Jim Zerbe, WisDOT Airport Development
Engineer, 608-266-2805

Pat Rowe, General Mitchell International Airport,
414-747-4545

Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2156

Governor Also OK’s $4.8 million Project at GMIA to Reconstruct Taxiways

MILWAUKEE – Governor Jim Doyle, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl,
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi, and other
federal, state, and local officials broke ground today on a $6.5 million
project to build a new passenger rail station at Milwaukee County’s General
Mitchell International Airport (GMIA). The new station, platform, and
parking facilities will be located on the western edge of the airport along
existing Canadian Pacific Railway lines.

The station will serve rail passengers connecting to the
airport, along with rail-only passengers utilizing Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service
that provides seven round trips daily between Chicago and Milwaukee.
Senator Kohl secured the federal earmarks to fund the project.

“Along with providing air and rail passengers a convenient
travel connection, this new station represents another component of my Grow
Wisconsin plan to support economic development and job growth,” Governor
Doyle said. “I especially want to thank Senator Kohl for his leadership and
hard work in securing the federal funds to make this project possible.”

General Mitchell International Airport and Milwaukee County
have agreed to provide a shuttle bus connection between the airport and the
planned 1,800-square-foot rail station. Work on the station should be
complete before the end of this year. Canadian Pacific Railway has already
completed much of the track work required for the project.

“This station will connect Amtrak’s Hiawatha service – which
boasts the best on-time performance of any Amtrak route – with the
approximately six million passengers who pass through General Mitchell
Airport each year,” Governor Doyle said.

Governor Doyle also announced today that he has approved
$4,842,424 project at GMIA that will reconstruct taxiways, complete
electrical upgrades, and repair joints in the terminal apron. The
Governor’s action releases $605,303 in state funds to help complete the
work. Milwaukee County is contributing $605,303, with the Federal Aviation
Administration providing the remaining $3,631,818.

“This local, state, and federally-funded project will
complete needed pavement and electrical system work to help keep Wisconsin’s
largest airport functioning safely and efficiently,” Governor Doyle said.

The work involves replacing deteriorating pavement,
including about 300 feet of Taxiway B east of Taxiway R, and reconstruction
of Taxiways B and C that serve the 8,010-foot Runway 7/25. Along with
electrical system upgrades, another component of the project will continue
replacement of joint sealants in the terminal apron area that are 10
to13-years-old and beyond their life expectancy, according to Jim Zerbe,
Airport Development Engineer with the Wisconsin Department of
Transportation.

General Mitchell International’s five runways handle some
215,000 aircraft operations (take-offs and landings) each year. The airport
is owned by Milwaukee County and operated by the Department of Parks and
Public Infrastructure, Airport Division, under the policy direction of the
Milwaukee County Executive and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
The airport is entirely funded by user fees, and no property tax dollars are
used for the airport’s capital improvements or for its day-to-day operation.
More information on General Mitchell International is available on the
airport’s Web site at www.mitchellairport.com.