Apr. 21—RACINE — The City of Racine will move forward with a study for the Kenosha- Racine- Milwaukee rail project with DB E.C.O. North America Inc.
The Common Council approved a resolution Monday allowing the city to enter into a professional services agreement with DB E.C.O. and rescind the Feb. 6 decision to partner with a different consulting company for the project.
The item was part of the consent agenda.
Transit and Mobility Director Trevor Jung said the city decided to partner with a new consulting firm because of disagreements about the scope of work with the previous firm.
DB E.C.O. North America is a rail and transit consulting company based in Sacramento, California.
Jung said that with the approved agreement, the city is on track to begin a feasibility study and have it complete before the end of the year.
The item approved by the council allows for a study to develop and evaluate preliminary passenger rail service concepts and identify alternatives.
"Putting together that kind of vision will be important for this project just to create some public excitement over it," Jung said.
The city also will prepare a federal funding application through either the Federal Transit Administration or the Federal Railroad Administration, and then identify a project sponsor and funding strategy, according to Jung.
Racine received $5 million in federal funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act in late 2022 to engage in the study, Jung said. The new applications would ask for funding for the project itself.
"Really the crux of this (agreement) is to prepare an application to the federal government for additional funds," Jung said.
In 1902, a train station in Racine was opened for a stop on the Chicago and North Western Railway. Passenger service to Racine ended in 1972, according to RYDE Racine Transit archives.
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