Recently, The Badger Herald published an article, “Yahara station plug given to low turnout,” about the presentation on the proposed Yahara Station high-speed rail stop in Madison. The presentation was given by the designer of the proposed station and, according to The Badger Herald, was characterized by low turnout.

The designer of the Yahara Station, Barry Gore, therefore talked a lot about why more people should care about the location of Madison’s high-speed rail station. The location of the high-speed rail station, after all, will not just affect those who ride the train — it will affect a large portion of Madison’s population.

As Gore reportedly mentioned during his presentation, the area of the high-speed rail stop will undoubtedly be followed by significant new development. For this reason, it’s not just important for Madison to simply have a train station, but also to have a train station in an optimal location.

Now that all four proposed locations are located less than 2.5 miles away from the downtown area, the decision of where to place the station is more difficult. Gore and others outlined that the city as a whole, both residents and the City Council, must become more involved in the process if the best location is to be chosen.

The decision is an important one. A great station will help to establish Madison as a major Midwestern city and hub, as well as launch supportive change and development in the city.

Nick Bruno ([email protected]) is a sophomore and an intern with the WISPIRG transit campaign.