Passenger Rail Planning Activities in Minnesota

1. Passenger Rail Planning Activities in Minnesota  presented by: Minnesota Department of Transportation March 15, 2011

2. State Rail Plan • Awarded 2010 National Transportation Planning Excellence Award • from the U.S. DOT and the American Planning Association in July 2010 • First statewide freight and passenger rail plan developed in Minnesota • Extensive public involvement • Submitted to FRA in February 2010

3. Priority Passenger Rail Projects Identified in the State Rail Plan • Develop a robust intrastate and interstate passenger rail system in Minnesota • High speed service between the Twin Cities –Milwaukee-Chicago, Twin Cities and Duluth; Twin Cities and Rochester • Enhanced conventional passenger rail service (up to 90mph) from the Twin Cities to St. Cloud, Moorhead, Mankato, Eau Claire, and between Mpls. and St. Paul • Advance projects incrementally and simultaneously as demand warrants and funding is identified

4. Phase I Projects (2010-2030) Phase II Projects (Future Expansion) Other Freight Lines

6. Twin Cities to Milwaukee HSR Update • Twin Cities to Chicago HSR Corridor • Awarded ARRA funds late February 2010 • $1.2 million Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Twin Cities to Milwaukee • Negotiations with FRA, cooperative agreements with Wisconsin and FRA • Madison to Milwaukee impacts • Next steps: • Tier 1 Environmental Documentation 2011 - 2012 • Tier 2 EIS / Preliminary Engineering 2012 – 2014*

7. Fourteen Routes Being Evaluated as “Build Alternatives”

8. Northern Lights Express • The Northern Lights Express - to re-establish regional passenger rail service from Duluth to Minneapolis • track and signal improvements ,speeds up to 110 mph • Current Status: • Finalizing environmental assessment • Preliminary engineering, design work could begin this fall • Service could commence in 2014-15

9. Rochester HSR Corridor • State Rail Plan identifies need for new connection to Rochester • Implement 110 mph service between Rochester and the Twin Cities via a green field alignment. • Project development timeline is substantially longer to completed • Environmental work will be comprehensive • Extensive R/W required. • Access into suburban Metro Twin Cities and to MSP will be complex

10. Passenger Rail Facilities • St. Paul Union Depot • Multimodal hub • Amtrak’s return 2012 • Minneapolis Transportation Interchange • Multimodal facility • Adjacent to the Twins Stadium • Completed by 2014

11. Governance and Funding Project

12. Governance and Funding • No formal governance structure or sustainable funding sources for passenger rail in Mninnesota • How are we positioned to participate with the nine state Midwest Regional Rail Initiative? • What are the roles of the various interests (local, county governments, railroads, advocates)? • What funding options exist to implement state supported services?

13. Governance • Governance model unique to Minnesota • Statutory, constitutional regulatory issues • Roles of internal partners • State – design, build, secure equipment, rail negotiations • RRAs and local governments – advocacy, momentum, station area planning and economic development • Relationship to partner states of the MWRRI • Cross route subsidization, shared equipment

14. Funding • Capital vs. operations and maintenance • No federal operating assistance • Funding tools and strategies • Best practices • Methods currently • Necessary legislative actions • Interim funding strategy

15. Dan Krom, DirectorPassenger Rail OfficeMn/DOT651-366-3193Daniel.Krom@state.mn.us Questions ? Contact: