Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser and others cut the ribbon today on a recently revamped section of Highway H in Pleasant Prairie.
The newly reconstructed stretch, nearly one mile long, is located between 93rd Place and Bain Station Road and includes the addition of turn lanes to accommodate the new Kroger Delivery fulfillment center development at 9091 88th Ave.
The project was made possible with the help of a $951,135 Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
“We are so very appreciative of the State of Wisconsin for its assistance with a road project that is helping to facilitate a major development for Kenosha County and the Village of Pleasant Prairie,” Kreuser said. “Infrastructure leads to economic development, which leads to jobs, and this project is the embodiment of that idea.”
Scheduled to begin operating in 2022, Kroger’s new 330,000-square-foot fulfillment center will supply jobs for approximately 400 people. The goal is to corner the market for online grocery sales by running operations out of fulfillment centers like this across the country.
“This project expands Kroger’s commitment to continued investment in Wisconsin. With this cutting-edge technology, Kroger is confident our partnership with Ocado will play an integral role in the continued growth of this dynamic region,” said Ken McClure, regional director of corporate affairs for the Kroger Company. “This transformative fulfillment center will create local jobs and accelerate Kroger’s ability to deliver products and services to a larger footprint, providing customers with anything, anytime, anywhere and supports Kroger’s commitment to providing Fresh for Everyone®.”
The road improvements, conducted from late July through late September, included full reconstruction of the existing roadway, the addition of northbound and southbound turn lanes to access the Kroger facility, drainage improvements, and relocation of existing street lighting.
“Congratulations to Kenosha County and Kroger for working together to strengthen economic opportunity in Southeast Wisconsin and create hundreds of new jobs.” Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson said. “This project is a great example of how transportation infrastructure improvements can drive growth.”
More Highway H improvements
Kenosha County completed rebuilding a 2-mile stretch of Highway H between 165 and the Illinois border in August. Unlike the current development project, this 2-mile stretch had been deteriorating and was due for repairs.