The Chamber

Infrastructure and Transportation

The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce will support efforts to strengthen our community’s infrastructure. This will enhance our ability to attract and retain quality businesses, which will lead to improved job opportunities, wages, and quality of life in the Greater Eau Claire Area.

Recognizing the importance of a quality, economical transportation system is vital to business, including airports, rail systems, mass transit and highways. The Chamber will support efforts to maintain and improve transportation into, out of, and within the area.

State Priorities

1. Use state gas tax and vehicle registration funds exclusively for transportation.

2. Broaden the Base of Transportation Funding and end raids on the Transportation funds.

3. Expand Transportation Infrastructure, focus scarce resources on needed highway capacity expansion projects to accommodate the growing transportation needs of the Wisconsin economy, such as the potential for the expansion of I-94 from Eau Claire to Hudson.

4. Continue looking at providing a high speed rail link for West Central Wisconsin that connects Chicago-St. Paul via Eau Claire.

5. Support plans to work with West Central Wisconsin counties and appropriate Minnesota jurisdictions in the Eau Claire-St. Paul corridor to study the feasibility for commuter rail to serve local and regional needs.

Federal Priorities

1. Encourage Congress to pass a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill to support U.S. global competitiveness, international trade policies, interstate commerce, interstate passenger travel, emergency preparedness, and national defense, which are compelling national interests.

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