MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced the appointment of State Senator Roger Breske as the new Commissioner of Railroads. Breske’s term will begin June 4, 2008 and expire on March 1, 2011.
“Roger Breske has been a fine public servant for the past 18 years serving in the State Senate,” Governor Doyle said. “With his experience as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, he will continue to serve the residents of Wisconsin well by ensuring the safety of the railroads in this state.”
State Senator Roger Breske was first elected to the State Senate in a special election in 1990. Senator Breske currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Tourism. In addition, he serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Utilities and Rail. Senator Breske also serves on the Governor’s Council on Highway Safety, Governor’s Council on Tourism, and the Rustic Roads Board.
Senator Breske has served his country in the United States Army on both active duty and as a member of the Army Reserve. He is currently an active member of AmVets and the Civil Air Patrol of Wisconsin. Breske and his wife, Karen, live in Eland and have four children and 13 grandchildren.
“I appreciate the faith Governor Doyle has in appointing me as Wisconsin’s Commissioner of Railroads,” Breske said. “For the past 18 years, I have had the privilege to represent the wonderful constituents of the 12th Senate District. I now move forward to serve the public in a different capacity. My gratefulness reaches into the new opportunities I will have to continue to work with the local units of government and people and business in Wisconsin to improve and maintain Wisconsin’s critical rail system.”
Created in 1993 and funded by assessments on railroad companies, the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads (OCR) is the only state agency with statutory responsibility and legal jurisdiction to investigate the safety of roadway/railway crossings in Wisconsin. It has the legal jurisdiction and the responsibility for determining the level of protection and the adequacy of protection needed for each roadway/railway crossing.
In partnership with private rail firms, local governments and citizens, OCR oversees a variety of highway/rail crossing issues including:
· Replacement or enhancement of passive and active warning devices at highway/rail crossings;
· Repair of rough highway/rail crossing surfaces;
· Installation of highway/rail crossings at new locations;
· Alteration of existing highway/rail crossings; and
· Closing or consolidating existing highway/rail crossings.
The State of Wisconsin has jurisdiction over 4,255 public roadway/railway crossings. A large percentage of these crossings are located on roads in the state with lower levels of traffic. The OCR employs five people and the Commissioner is appointed to six-year terms.
