Wisconsin’s rail system has approximately 3,300 miles of track, 82% of which is owned and operated by 11 private railroad companies.  Thirty percent of freight by value is transported by rail and freight movement by rail is expected to increase.  Expansion is expected in terms of existing services and new rail lines.  Join ASCE-WI and LWVWI at the February 20, 2025 webinar on Rail (B) from 12:00 to 1:30 pm.  

This is one webinar in a nine-part series looking at the state of all areas of infrastructure in Wisconsin.  Learn about the whole series: Back to the 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure series page

Speaker Information 

Rail Chapter Author

Joanna Bush, PE
Traffic Engineer

Joanna Bush is a second-generation traffic engineer who has split her time equally between the public and private sector. Her first exposure to railroad preemption occurred in 2004 when she designed her first traffic signals with railroad preemption. Her enjoyment of railroad preemption design turned to passion when she joined the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in 2008 as the State Traffic Signal Systems Engineer as this provided her the mentor and opportunity to get further involved in railroad preemption work and beyond with WisDOT’s Bureau of Rails and Harbors. 

Joanna returned to the private sector in 2018 so that she would be able to assist the many local communities throughout Wisconsin that had traffic signals with railroad preemption. Joanna is now involved in Part 8 of the National Committee on the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, a contributing member of ITE’s Grade Crossing Committee, leading an ITE Task Force on Roundabouts near Grade Crossing, assisting WisDOT as well as a handful of agencies outside of Wisconsin with their railroad preemption needs, and is teaching about joint annual inspections as part of the University of Wisconsin’s Interdisciplinary Professional Programs Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety course.

Additional Speakers

Eric Genrich
Mayor, Green Bay

Eric Genrich was elected the 42nd Mayor of Green Bay in April 2019. Prior to becoming Mayor, Genrich was elected to the state Assembly in November 2012. Serving three terms, he represented the 90th Assembly District which comprises the majority of the City of Green Bay.

Eric Genrich was born and raised in Green Bay. He received his BA from UW-Madison and attained a graduate degree from UW-Milwaukee. Prior to his election to the state assembly, Eric worked in the state and federal governments, and later as an IT librarian for the Brown County Library. He has been actively supportive of several community organizations, including Neighborworks Green Bay, on whose board he served for six years.

Eric Genrich and his wife, Emily, live on the east side of Green Bay with their two children, Henry and Amelia.

Lisa Stern
Chief of Railroads and Harbors, WI Department of Transportation

Lisa Stern is the Chief or Railroad and Harbors for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.  She earned a B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 1999 and became a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin in 2006. She works with railroad, harbor, highway and safety projects, the preservation of publicly owned railroad property and passenger rail programs.  She has been with the Department since 2006 and has over 25 years of civil engineering experience in both private industry and state government.

Susan Gaeddert
Community Programs Director, 1000 Friends of WI

Susan Gaeddert (she/her) is Community Programs Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, where she runs Active Wisconsin, facilitates the Community Transportation Academy, and serves as Coordinator for the Wisconsin Climate Table.

Susan graduated from UW-Madison with a Masters of Science in Urban/Regional Planning in 2020, where she specialized in transportation, land use, and recreational trail planning. Susan has experience working in the affordable housing sector, comprehensive plan development, and community engagement.

Susan came to urban planning after a long career in music performance (she studied Piano Performance, Pedagogy, and Collaborative Piano at UW-Madison, where she earned a doctorate in 2007). In her previous career, she toured the state with Opera For The Young, taught classes at Edgewood College, performed with a number of musicians locally and around the country, and worked with students of all ages teaching piano and coaching singers and instrumentalists as a professional accompanist.

If Susan isn’t at work or at the piano, she can be found outside in the garden or exploring local trails. She is a long-time advocate for outdoor education and advanced learning opportunities in schools. Susan is also an avid knitter, and she keeps her hands busy making socks, hats, mittens, and sweaters to keep herself and her loved ones warm all year long.

With Special Student Speakers!

Madeline Connell	Austin Cooper