The foundation for a statewide network is upgrading Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and Chicago.

In 2014, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) set a goal of increasing the Hiawatha’s daily round trips from 7 to 10, with eventual expansion to 17.

That goal should be reaffirmed and prioritized.

The Hiawatha is ideal for high-speed rail (i.e., trains running at 200 mph). But even at slower speeds, hourly round trips that run most of the day would make the Hiawatha the backbone of a vibrant statewide transportation network.

How?

By vastly increasing its use.

The evidence is strong and clear: When frequent, reliable trains are an option, people use them.From 2000 to 2018, ridership on the Hiawatha nearly doubled—from about 427,000 passengers to more than 850,000.

The most popular segment is Chicago to Milwaukee. As with the Empire Builder, though, many people also use the Hiawatha to move around within Wisconsin.

Milwaukee to Sturtevant, for example, is one of the most popular segments on the line. So is the segment from the Milwaukee Airport to downtown.

Evidence from around the globe shows that the number of riders increases exponentially when the frequency of train service increases. The train becomes the first choice for travelers, not a second option or an afterthought.

A WisDOT survey found that 55 percent of respondents named the lack of departure times as a moderate or major barrier to their use of trains.

And make no mistake: Shifting travelers from roads to railroads has big environmental, public safety, and budgetary benefits for Wisconsin. More trips on the Hiawatha means fewer cars on the road. A lot fewer.

WisDot found that avoiding traffic was a key reason for taking the Hiawatha for more than 80 percent of riders. About 70 percent said they would drive if the train weren’t available.