La Follette Avenue
High-Speed Rail Corridor Group

Waubesa Street to Winnebago Street and Anziger Court
aka most of City Ward 33 or Census Track 20-Block Group 4, per the 2000 census

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Rail contract includes cancellation clause

Channel3000.com reported Saturday morning (November 6) that "It is clear from state contracts that the project can be stopped -- for a price. Contracts executed between the state and federal government, as well as those between the state and local contractors, have a clause added just a week ago that would allow state officials to exit the $810 million obligation by Feb. 1, 2011, by not sending in their intent to proceed, WISC-TV reported. State Department of Transportation officials said the paragraph was inserted by the Federal Railroad Administration. A DOT spokeswoman said that they could get out of the contract at any time, with consequences. Those consequences include having to pay back the federal government and pay contractors and consultants for labor and materials. Currently, the Doyle administration is studying the potential impact of ending construction on project."

The Journal Sentinel reported November 4: "A source with knowledge of the decision-making process said the state made the final call to suspend the decision, but that federal rail officials had let them know they were not eager to get into a protracted dispute with Walker. The reluctance came from bureaucrats in the Federal Railroad Administration and not the White House, the source said."

Full stories
Questions Remain As High-Speed Rail Line's Fate Remains Unclear, November 6, 2010, Channel3000.com
State temporarily halts work on train project, November 4, 2010, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

La Follette Avenue High-Speed Rail Corridor Group

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Web site is published by Karen Faster, 133 Ohio Avenue, Madison WI 53704
rail@ohioavenue.com

Posted November 12, 2010