September 10, 2010

Community groups to hold forum on Transit in Racine

Saying "transportation is at a cross roads in Racine County," the Racine Interfaith Coalition and other community groups will hold a forum to discuss transportation issues on Thursday, Sept. 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio St., Racine. 

The theme of the evening will be: “When people use public transportation, Does the whole community benefit?”

Public officials, religious leaders, business leaders and union leaders are among those who have confirmed their participation. The highlights of the evening will be first-person testimonials from people across the spectrum of the Racine County community who depend on the bus for work, school, to keep their businesses running, and other needs. Personal stories will be shared in person and by video.

The forum will also provide solid facts and a frank discussion on Racine’s transportation, which has recently suffered from a great deal of mis-information. Some of the topics to be discussed will include a snapshot of the dilemma faced by the bus system, the coming transit referendum, what is happening with the KRM commuter rail, and the Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

The evening will also feature a speaker from the national Transportation Equity Network, who will share stories of successes and challenges in other communities, and the link between transit and jobs, as well as the outlook on the national level for investments in Transit. Local experts and community leaders will provide their insights on transit’s role in strengthening the Racine County economy and community.

The public and elected officials from across the county are encouraged to attend this important discussion about jobs, community, and transportation. A reception will follow the program.

The forum is free and open to the public. For more information, please call Nancy Holmlund at (262) 886-3602.

The forum is sponsored by Racine Interfaith Coalition (RIC), and is co-sponsored by: Downtown Racine Corporation, Hispanic Business and Professionals Association, IBEW Local 430, Racine Peace and Justice Coalition, Racine Transit Task Force, Transit Now, Sierra Club-Gateway Group and John Muir Chapter, UW Parkside Student Government.

8 comments:

  1. This sounds terribly boring. It will serve no purpose what's so ever other than the blowing of a lot of hot air. That's RIC, hot air and singing. A totally left wing, fanatical, useless group.

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  2. sir you offer no solutions to the transportation problem just the same old anti progress rhetoric. Just knock it because YOU don't understand it ignorance.

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  3. Totally agree with Sir!

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  4. This is only going to enrich a few consultants. Very few will be riding KRM if it gets build but we will all have to pay for it

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  5. Bring on the Lake Parkway extension!

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  6. Boxy - I understand it thoroughly - we cannot afford this - no one will use it and Racine among others will be holding the bag. Whether you like it or not, people in this region like their cars and parking is plentiful. "If" you have anyone taking this train from out of town, you'll see them standing down on State Street, because they have no way to get to their work - oh, I guess they can spend more time and money waiting for a bus. You guys are nut's it's not going to happen so don't waste our money on a losing proposition.

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  7. I'll support the KRM when I see the building up of businesses around the Sturtevant Station, or the Waukegan Station, or even the Kenosha METRA Station! Even downtown Milwuakee Train depot doesn't have much around it. So these phony claims of the economic build-up around these stations are BS I will attend this forum. We can not keeping talking and make it true.

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  8. DB - That will not help the situation. When people take the train, they are going from one location to another, it is not like air transportation when there are layovers. People are not going to stop to by or eat anything around a train station and if they have a craving they'll buy it in the station itself. KRM is a bad idea on all levels. There is nothing that will make this work.

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