Arlington Heights: A Model for Yahara Station? A field trip, March 17

Monday, March 15, 2010

Arlington Heights: A Model for Yahara Station?
A Field Trip, March 17

The Arlington Heights, Illinois, stop of the Metra’s Harvard commuter line may reveal insights into the proposed Yahara Station for the intercity train between Madison and Milwaukee.

A field trip (via bus and train) to Arlington Heights will let citizens, policy makers, developers, and opinion leaders explore the Meta stop’s impact on the community and its transportation system with Charles Perkins, Arlington Heights’ Director of Planning & Community Development. (Plans are still underway to meet with other business and community leaders.)

Some questions in the search for transportation and development planning insights include:

1. Did the train stop spur development around the station? If so, did the development occur solely through private initiatives or were tax credits, TIF, or other incentives needed?
2. What sort of development occurred near the station--retail, commercial, residential, or a little of all three?
3. How does the train stop interconnect with other modes of transportation? Does it fit into a regional transportation plan?
4. Has automobile travel and air pollution been reduced? Or has congestion increased due to the train stopping and people driving to the station?
5. Did the downtown train station increase jobs in the area?
6. Who paid for the station? What was the cost? Who maintains it, at what cost?
7. What's the public reaction to the station?

Trip details
Depart Madison by chartered bus from the Dutch Mill park-and-ride lot at 7:45 a.m. Arrive at Harvard, Illinois, to board Metra train to Arlington Heights at 9:35. Begin meetings with Arlington Heights representatives at 11:00 a.m. Lunch at 12:00 noon. Depart Arlington Heights at 2:15 p.m. Arrive back in Madison at 5:00 p.m. Note: The time to depart from Arlington Heights depends on the number of people available to talk about the station in Arlington Heights.

Cost
Some of the cost depends on the number of people who go on the trip. However, the bus will cost about $13/preson, lunch will be around $6, and the round trip train ticket costs about $15. Pay the day of the trip.

Registration
Simply RSVP to Ed Blume, eblume@renewwisconsin or sign up online.

More information
Ed Blume, RENEW Wisconsin, 608.819.0748, eblume@renewwisconsin.