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Several weeks ago, Miller along with other area mayors, got together to promote the idea of more service on Amtrak.
The idea was received with a little fanfare and a lot of head-nodding. But, with gas prices continuing to rise and the family dollar being squeezed, more economical modes of cross-country transit such as passenger train service are only going to make more sense. A city’s attractiveness may not be measured by Interstate or airport access anymore — we may see a great renaissance in train depots.
We applaud the mayor and city leaders who’ve gotten aboard the idea of more train service to Winona. We think this is a fantastic idea that can only gather more support as gas gets more expensive.
We hope state leaders and federal officials are taking note. More importantly, we hope they draft legislation to support more mass transit, and we hope they put more money into sometimes overlooked infrastructure such as rail.
Winona ridership certainly seems to bear out the mayor’s push — Amtrak reports an increase of 14.6 percent since 2006.
Area mayors are also correct to start planning and pushing for more money. Federal dollars and train routes don’t just materialize overnight. It’s a slow, cumbersome process, and the sooner we begin, hopefully, the sooner we can see an increase.
It’s also nice to see leaders such as U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., and Mayor Mark Johnsrud of La Crosse, Wis., come together with Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and Miller to form a coalition that stretches beyond state lines. When it comes to both transportation, commerce and tourism, state lines seem to dissolve and become less important.
When it comes to lobbying for money or more service, it’s even more impressive when we speak not just as one city or one state, but as an entire region, which realizes the growing importance of alternative transportation (which now means anything but a gasoline powered automobile). The Highway 43 Bridge shutdown reminds us of both the connection we have to each other and the importance of good transportation.
We also applaud Walz’s recent legislation that, if passed, would provide more than $14 billion to passenger rail improvement, including Amtrak.
As much as Winona is a river city, it’s also important to realize that the railroads also contributed to our growth and prominence (at one time six different railroads crisscrossed the city). While we probably won’t have a return to those idyllic railroad days, it might be time to dust off an old idea and make it new again.
By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.
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