Proposed Kenosha–Racine–Milwaukee regional rail service
Overview
Service typeRegional rail
StatusProposed
LocaleMilwaukee metropolitan area
Ridership1.89 million (projected, KRM Commuter Link)
Route
TerminiMilwaukee
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Stops9
Distance travelled33 mi (53 km)
Average journey time52 minutes (KRM Commuter Link)
Service frequency15 round-trips per day (KRM Commuter Link)
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed38 mph (KRM Commuter Link)
Route map
 Milwaukee
AmtrakBus interchange
 South Side Milwaukee
 Cudahy/St. Francis
Bus interchange
 South Milwaukee
 Oak Creek
 Caledonia
 Racine
Bus interchange
 Somers
 Kenosha
MetraBus interchange
Metra Union Pacific North Line
to Ogilvie

Multiple proposals have been made for a 33-mile regional rail service connecting Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha in the state of Wisconsin, often referred to as KRM.

History

In 1998, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission found the creation of a 33-mile rail service through Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha to be feasible.[1] In 2005, the state of Wisconsin created a temporary regional transit authority covering Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha for stewarding the project, but the temporary RTA did not have authority to operate or construct the proposed service.[1]

In 2009, the Wisconsin Legislature passed legislation allowing the creation of regional transit authorities, including the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority, or SERTA, with SERTA being responsible for KRM Commuter Link.[2] Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha Counties were part of SERTA, while Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties opposed being included.[3]

The proposed service would have had stops in downtown Milwaukee, southern Milwaukee, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Caledonia, Racine, Somers, and Kenosha, with new stations constructed at all stops but downtown Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha, and with transfers with Metra available in Kenosha.[4] Metra rejected a proposal to operate the service as a northward extension of its Union Pacific North Line, but in a November 2010 meeting with SERTA, it expressed willingness to line up its schedules with that of the KRM Commuter Link.[5]

On May 3, 2011, the Legislature's budget committee repealed the legislation that allows regional transit authorities to exist.[2] On July 25, 2011, SERTA had its final meeting, ending its plans for the service.[6] Federal funding for the service was reallocated to the creation of express bus routes for the Milwaukee County Transit System.[7]

KRM Commuter Link service would have started in 2017 with a projected annual ridership of 1.89 million, with operational costs supported by SERTA's authority to levy an up-to-$18 tax on rental cars.[8]

Post-RTA era

In August 2022, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation sponsored private company Wisconsin Transit and Reality Group's request for federal funding to implement the service,[9] but after acceptance into the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program, the application was withdrawn due to insufficient private funding.[10]

A passenger rail service following the proposed alignment is included in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's draft of its Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050 report.[11]

As of November 2023, the cities of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha are collaborating to update the studies from the KRM Commuter Link proposal in preparation for potentially funding the service with a combination of a federal grant and tax increment financing around stations.[12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Background". Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Committee. September 2011. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  2. 1 2 Marley, Patrick; Walker, Don (2011-05-03). "State panel repeals regional transit groups". Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  3. ↑ Walker, Laurel (2010-03-24). "Waukesha County Board opposes inclusion in RTA". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  4. ↑ "Request to Initiate Preliminary Engineering" (PDF). Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Southeastern Regional Transit Authority. 2010-06-24. p. 1-3. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  5. ↑ Sandler, Larry (2010-08-02). "RTA clings to Metra hopes for KRM". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  6. ↑ Sandler, Larry (2011-07-25). "It's official: Rail line from Kenosha to Milwaukee is dead". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  7. ↑ Sandler, Larry (2011-10-28). "Express bus plan officially funded". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 1.
  8. ↑ Sandler, Larry (2010-11-16). "Commuter projects face new scrutiny". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. pp. 1, 6.
  9. ↑ Quirmbach, Chuck (2022-08-22). "Where passenger rail may be headed in Wisconsin—eventually". WUWM. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  10. ↑ Jannene, Jeramey (2023-05-26). "Wisconsin Planning Passenger Trains To Green Bay, Madison". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  11. ↑ "Wisconsin Rail Plan 2050". Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 2023-01-06. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  12. ↑ Ryan, Sean (2023-11-29). "Revival of KRM passenger rail may hinge on new real estate development around stations". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
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