October 22, 2026
Amtrak Welcomes Federal Grant for Hiawatha West
The post Amtrak Welcomes Federal Grant for <em>Hiawatha West</em> appeared first on Amtrak Media.
Composing a Service Development Plan (SDP) that aligns with Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Corridor Identification & Development Program. Stop locations are being evaluated and will be finalized at the end of the SDP, following public and stakeholder engagement process.
Amtrak, in partnership with FRA and WisDOT, is preparing to initiate PE/NEPA. This process will take the concepts identified in the SDP and begin designing improvements and evaluating the project relative to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA) requirements.
Wisconsin, Illinois
Completion of SDP in 2027
FRA, Amtrak, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), CPKC, Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR), City of Madison, and City of Watertown
Amtrak is working with the Federal Railroad Administration, state and local partners, and freight railroad partners to extend two Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service trains west to Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dane counties.
Hiawatha West is an opportunity to expand the transportation and economic benefits of the existing Hiawatha Service to other communities in southern Wisconsin.
The extension will improve overall financial performance by extending it to new markets.
The project will:
Analysis is underway and initial study findings suggest that extending Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service to these counties requires:
Hiawatha West is part of a multi-step process to get to implementation. Amtrak is currently developing concepts to be included in a Service Development Plan (SDP), which is required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Stop locations are being evaluated with state and local partners and will be shared through a public process.
Following FRA SDP review, Amtrak, in partnership with WisDOT and FRA, will begin preliminary engineering (PE) and environmental clearance (NEPA) of any railroad improvements that are identified in the planning process, and stations. Once PE/NEPA is complete, the project will be ready for final design and construction. This will be funded via a FRA Discretionary Grant with state and local matches.
Amtrak is working with the Federal Railroad Administration, state and local partners, and railroad partners to extend two Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service trains west to Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dane counties.
The Hiawatha West Service Development Plan is a blueprint for an initial phase of intercity passenger rail service. It explains what the proposed Hiawatha West service would look like, how communities will benefit and what is needed to make it a reality. The plan evaluates different service options, estimates costs and ridership, identifies necessary infrastructure improvements, and examines funding opportunities. Ultimately, it provides a clear path forward by recommending a service plan (schedule) and outlining the actions needed to implement it safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
Contact Us: HiawathaWest@Amtrak.com
Concepts developed through the Service Development Plan (SDP) will advance into Preliminary Engineering (PE) and Environmental Review (NEPA). During this phase, project concepts will be refined into more detailed designs and evaluated through the environmental review process required under federal law.
PE & NEPA is a key milestone in advancing the project toward implementation. The process provides the analyses and documentation needed for future project decisions and is required before construction can begin. Public and stakeholder engagement will continue throughout this phase.
October 22, 2026
The post Amtrak Welcomes Federal Grant for <em>Hiawatha West</em> appeared first on Amtrak Media.
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