The Metra rail system could be transporting passengers between Kenosha and Milwaukee as soon as 2009.

That is, if the advocates in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties can find enough fiscal fuel to fire up the economic engine the commuter rail line could become.

County executives from the three counties and the mayors of those cities met Jan. 13 to consider how to proceed. And Kenosha County executive Allan Kehl says all six leaders agreed to sign an agreement to proceed, which is being drafted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

SEWRPC executive director Phil Evenson said last week, "The staff is working on the IGT, and next week we should have a draft ready to send to those local governments. That would move the KRM (Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee) corridor plan forward to the next step, which is to get into position for the preliminary engineering. At least they would have a firm game plan."

Rosemary Potter, a former Milwaukee legislator who now is executive director for the non-profit rail advocate group Transit Now, expressed optimism that federal money could help.

"This project will cost similarly to other proposals around the country, which will be about $152 million. The federal government will pay for about 80 percent, with 50 percent coming from 'New Starts' program funding. This state has never received 'New Starts' funding because we have never had a commuter rail project. So the Federal Transportation Administration really wants to do a rail project in Wisconsin," says Potter.

She says of the approximately $121.6 million infusion into state, most of the funds will be for new Metra cars. "The good news is that those cars are made in Milwaukee at Super Steel, so we're expanding jobs in the region," she says.

Yet Potter admits planners are not as concerned about the capital costs as questions about how they will meet the annual operating costs, which are projected to be about $15.2 million, after fare box revenues are counted.

Potter says anticipated revenues from the Illinois side of the rail route should provide an estimated $2.5 million to $4 million.

Another financial boost would come from a federal program for mass transit that is expected to provide another $5 million, Potter adds.

"So now that operating cost is down to $8 million per year," Potter says.

But how to pay for it? There are a lot of options.

The most controversial option so far has come from Racine Mayor Gary Becker. He has suggested the possibility of adding a tax of one cent per gallon of gasoline in the three-county region and dedicating that for the rail operations.

But raising a tax in the current "freeze'' climate -- even if it is not a property tax -- is hardly the kind of idea that will pick up a lot of steam with politicians.

Kehl reflects the hesitation. "I know Mayor Becker floated a one cent sales tax on a gallon of gasoline, but I don't necessarily support that. Gas is high enough as it is today. We have a lot of options that we need to research and we've got a little time. In our Jan. 13 meeting, the executives and the mayors of the three communities pledged the support to move this forward -- and that's huge."

Kehl says he expects private businesses to help support the project both with contributions and with lobbying local governments to provide operating costs.

"Bob Mariano, the CEO of Pick 'n Save, really loves the Metra and is its Milwaukee champion," Potter says. "He lives in Lake Forest, Ill. and has just moved his headquarters -- 500 employees -- to Downtown Milwaukee. He wants to offer his employees access to come to Kenosha and Chicago and offer Kenosha and Chicago residents the chance to come work in Milwaukee."