More than two dozen people gathered in Eau Claire’s Phoenix Park Saturday to push for expanded passenger train service for the Chippewa Valley. The “Rally for Rail” was organized by the Chippewa Valley Transit Alliance.
The goal was to encourage congress to pass President Biden’s infrastructure bill, which includes money for improving passenger rail. Among the speakers was Mark Quam of the Western Wisconsin Rail Coalition, who talked about how important transportation connectivity is to Eau Claire’s future.
State Rep. Jodi Emerson (D)-Eau Claire says extending passenger rail service to Eau Claire would allow workers to more easily commute to jobs in other places: “I think it’s a great way to expand our city and have our people have places to work that are not necessarily tied to Eau Claire.”
Others touted trains as being more environmentally responsible.
