Kenosha News editorial, 1 June 2006

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Kenosha News personal commentary,
published June 1, 2006

Commuter rail extension wil boost development

BY ROBERT MARIANO

Kenosha should be proud and optimistic about the leading role it's playing in creating new transportation options for the thriving economic corridor between I-94 and Lake Michigan.

Among new transit options for the region is the proposed 33-mile Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail, which will directly link densely populated and rapidly developing communities within Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee counties with Chicago and northeastern Illinois. The KRM will provide a valuable new transportation link for businesses and workers.

KRM supporters understand that a new commuter rail system in southeast Wisconsin will not only pay off in economic revitalization and new development for the corridor, but will help increase local and state tax revenues.

Cities across the nation have found that commuter rail attracts economic development around station areas, increases regional accessibility, draws business and new jobs and helps expand the labor force. In the case of Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee, millions of square feet are available for commercial and residential redevelopment along the commuter rail route – providing a growing opportunity for development and construction jobs well into the future.

Because of its current commuter rail link to Chicago, Kenosha is experiencing the benefits that a connection to large metropolitan areas can provide. For example, the Harbor Park development near the Kenosha commuter rail station is being built on a former vacant, contaminated site generating no tax dollars. The planned 250 unit residential complex is being built with an eye towards commuters, and will be valued at $100 million and generate over $2.5 million in annual property tax revenues, according to a report prepared by TransitNow, a nonprofit transportation organization in southeastern Wisconsin.

By connecting its commuter rail line to the north, Kenosha will benefit dramatically from modern, efficient access to another large marketplace. Other development plans are already emerging as momentum for the KRM project grows. Late last year, KMA Developments formally introduced plans for a $45 million mixed-use development in downtown Kenosha, which will include 87 upscale condominium residences. Coldwell Banker Real Estate One, the firm that will be marketing the condos, cited the KRM as a key selling point, since more people will consider making residence in Kenosha once the KRM is built.

The KRM will also provide Kenosha residents with even broader access to jobs, educational Opportunities and cultural amenities. The KRM will connect Kenosha with more than 362,100 jobs that are projected within three miles of the planned rail line in Wisconsin in addition to the jobs the Metra line provides to the south. It will also provide quick and easy access to Milwaukee entertainment and cultural activities such as the Milwaukee Brewers, Jazz in the Park, the Milwaukee Art Museum and Summerfest. And the link to the north is reciprocal: the KRM will bring new audiences and customers to Kenosha attractions such as downtown shops, lakefront events and the Lakeside Players.

The KRM would also provide a convenient and affordable alternative to automobile traffic during the long-term reconstruction of I-94. By taking advantage of the KRM, Kenosha commuters who travel north would cut their commuting time considerably. And because commuter rail travel costs an average of 1/5 the cost of driving, commuters will save money, especially considering the skyrocketing price of fuel.

We need to ensure plans for the KRM stay "on track," so economic development projects, job opportunities and living options continue to increase along the corridor making this region an even better place to live, work and play in the future.

Learn more about the KRM commuter rail, by visiting www.krmonline.org or www.transitnow.org.

Robert Mariano is chief executive officer of Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. and previously served as interim chairman of the Regional Transit Authorty for S.E. Wisconsin.