MON AM News: Proposed Hiawatha West extension would yield $20M in visitor spending, Amtrak says; Rogers Behavioral Health workers holding union vote this week

April 20, 2026

— The proposed Hiawatha West extension of Amtrak service from Milwaukee to Madison would result in more than $20 million in projected visitor spending based on ridership forecasts.

That’s according to Arun Rao, senior director of network development for Amtrak, who discussed the proposed project’s status during a recent public webinar. It’s currently in the corridor planning phase, and the rail service provider plans to complete a key service development plan in June before the project can progress.

Rao last week touted the benefits of the proposed service extension, which comes after a more extensive proposal fell apart about 16 years ago amid political disagreements over the idea.

The latest proposal for a 79-mph extension from Milwaukee to Madison would start service in the early 2030s, if approved and funded as currently proposed.

Amtrak now projects more than 260,000 annual passenger trips for initial ridership, slightly higher than earlier forecasts. Officials said that number could change further as estimates are adjusted over time.

“Implementation of the Hiawatha West would yield significant benefits for Wisconsin, for the station communities and for nearby communities, and communities elsewhere in the state,” Rao said.

Currently, government operating support for Wisconsin is estimated at about $2.5 million for the first year, and Arun said that’s projected to yield up to $46.3 million in direct, indirect and induced economic benefits per year.

The project would add train service for the state’s 2nd and 3rd most populous counties — Dane and Waukesha — that currently have no Amtrak service, Rao said. He noted it would provide a direct connection to Chicago and other economic hubs in the region for more areas of Wisconsin, while also creating more than 200 permanent jobs.

The project is a conventional speed service, not high-speed rail as was envisioned in earlier proposals. But it would still result in upgrades to existing railroad infrastructure that would benefit both passenger and freight trains, according to Rao.

“That means there’s fewer capital projects needed and lower operating costs, than a lot of other previous inter-city passenger rail projects you’ve seen along this corridor,” he said.

In addition to providing a travel alternative to I-94 and I-90 for residents, Rao said cities along the route could leverage the service to help them attract and retain employers and residents, leading to further economic ripple effects.

Total project costs are expected to be between $215 million and $275 million, with existing federal grant programs covering up to 80% of project costs and state and local partners covering the other 20%.

“These capital investments will yield economic impacts, from the construction employment and spending in Wisconsin,” Rao said. “These benefits are in the process of being developed and quantified right now, and those will also be released soon.”

As part of the ongoing corridor planning phase, through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID program, Amtrak is exploring various aspects of the proposed service, including alternate routes and operations, needed infrastructure, related costs and more.

The 81.6-mile extension includes a 46.6-mile segment between Milwaukee and Watertown, using a route that’s currently used by freight railroad CPKC, as well as a 35-mile segment used by Wisconsin & Southern Railroad spanning Watertown to Madison. These “host” railroads own the tracks for these routes and partner with Amtrak for projects like these.

Once the service development plan is finalized this summer, the next step is to get the project obligated for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis, funded by a federal grant that Wisconsin has already been selected for, Rao said.

When that’s complete, the project would leave the Corridor ID program and enter the pipeline for final design, construction and implementation, which would be accomplished through future FRA grant programs.

Watch the video and see more in a recent story on the project.

— Workers at Rogers Behavioral Health facilities in Madison and West Allis will vote this week on whether to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

National Labor Relations Board Regional Director Jennifer Hadsall has scheduled a union representation election for Wednesday, having rejected a challenge by the employer that argued in part that establishing separate union groups for the sites would be inappropriate.

About 36 workers are eligible to vote in Madison while 63 are eligible to vote in West Allis, according to details from NUHW. If the unionization effort is successful, these locations would have separate bargaining units and would negotiate separate contracts.

The union claims the employer — a nonprofit based in Oconomowoc — has “chosen to hire union busters” to intimidate workers in West Allis and Madison. The company reportedly fired two nurse practitioners and one doctor at the West Allis Clinic in February following the unionization effort, which NUHW argues was a “clear violation” of federal labor laws.

Rogers Behavioral Health intends to appeal the decision before the full NLRB board, according to an emailed statement.

“We are disappointed with the NLRB regional office’s decision to allow separate bargaining units given that Rogers Behavioral Health operates as one unified system across Wisconsin,” the statement reads. “Fragmented operations and third-party representation do not reflect the care we deliver.”

In challenging the effort, the employer’s argument was that its 13 locations in the state should be considered a single bargaining unit. In her decision, Hadsall wrote the facilities in question “generally operate independently of other Employer facilities, and there is little evidence of regular contact between employees working at different facilities.”

More than a dozen state and local elected officials have expressed support for the union effort in a February letter to Rogers CEO Cynthia Meyer, urging the company’s leadership to re-hire the workers it fired and “stop wasting patient care dollars on union busters” paid to intimidate workers.

Meanwhile, the employer’s statement argued “a union is not right for Rogers Behavioral Health in Wisconsin because it jeopardizes our ability to work together to solve problems quickly and flexibly — the very approach that makes our care model successful for patients and providers.”

Stephani Lohman, one of the fired nurse practitioners, argued she was fired to “try to stop the union drive” in Wisconsin.

“I’m going to keep fighting to get my job back and continue to build a union that will give us the voice we need to make sure that our patients get the care they deserve,” she said in a statement provided by the union.

See more in the union’s release.

— Milwaukee officials plan to welcome the port’s first cruise ship of the year this week, kicking off what’s expected to be a record-breaking season with $3.5 million in projected local economic impact.

The vessel Viking Polaris is scheduled to arrive at Port Milwaukee on Thursday morning, according to the announcement.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson touted the economic impact of cruise visitors in a statement ahead of the ship’s arrival, noting they support jobs and drive revenue for city services.

“Cruising in Milwaukee represents more diners in our restaurants, more overnight stays in our hotels, shoppers in our neighborhoods, and visitors experiencing our cultural attractions,” he said.

Port officials expect 64 cruise vessel calls in Milwaukee this season, spanning late April to October and including six companies and eight vessels. As many as 20,000 global visitors are expected.

By comparison, the port last year had 23 cruise ship calls and 11,255 passengers, resulting in a $2.5 million economic impact.

See the release.

— Wisconsin World Trade Day is being held May 19 at Waukesha County Technical College, organizers announced.

The event is being organized by the Madison International Trade Association, the WI District Export Council and Wisconsin International Credit Executives, exploring the role of global commerce in the state economy and offering practical insights for exporters.

Attendees will hear from keynote speaker Jason Turner, Wintrust Financial Corporation’s chief investment strategist for Great Lakes Advisors. He’ll discuss global markets and emerging export opportunities for Wisconsin companies looking to expand internationally.

See more event details.

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