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EDSR INFORMATION #3 01-11-1999 'f'''''' ` .:. O # .ms lu'aii'. 4 b i l Project ''- ' -'2-- -- ' ' ''-' ' ' '''; is i 4W' .4' -'4,- A : -4:,-,-:: :7' * � 4 Illo ,,_:. AL: iii, sw a, Update #4 '" �' aE ACTIONS OF THE NORTHSTAR CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NCDA) AT THE OCTOBER 1, 1998 MEETING: For more information, • The NCDA approved the policy statement on extensions of the Northstar contact: Corridor. The policy defines evaluation criteria for future extensions, and discusses funding for, and the timing of such evaluations. Anoka County The NCDA approved a grant application to the Minnesota Office of Tim Yantos • Environmental Assistance to enhance the Northstar Corridor public participation 612-323-5692 process. These funds would be used to encourage participation by businesses, public/private development along the corridor especially at station areas, and Benton County to build support for the use of commuter rail as a travel choice. Rick Speak 320-968-6254 INFORMATION ITEMS: Hennepin ® A series of Public Information Open Houses for the Northstar Corridor were held County at the end of October. The meetings took place in Elk River, Fridley and St. Gary Erickson Cloud. NCDA members were encouraged to attend. 612-348-4182 • The Northstar Corridor Web Page is up and running. The web page currently Sherburne includes the corridor map, fact sheet, project update, newsletter, NCDA County representation, and upcoming meetings and events. The Web Page address is: David Loch http://co.sherburne.mn.us/northstar 612-241-2703 • The revised Commuter Rail Conceptual Operating Plan, as recommended by the NCDA, includes two trains operating between St. Cloud and Minneapolis in both the AM and PM peak hours. The revised schedule better fits the travel schedules Next NCDA of employees in the corridor. Meeting: • The Major Investment Study (MIS) process includes an evaluation of transporta- Thursday, tion alternatives, including highway improvements. A number of highway November 5, improvements along TH 10 were identified, ranging from lower impact, lower 1998 3:00 PM cost options to constructing bypasses and upgrading TH 10 to a fully controlled (early start!) access freeway. The NCDA screened out the highest cost alternatives, determin- at Sherburne ing that the impacts outweighed the benefits. County • Mn/DOT has identified an estimated $250 million of unmet needs (projects for Courthouse, 0which no funding is available) on the TH 10/47 corridor between Elk River and Elk River I 694 alone. The NCDA commented that we cannot keep building additional freeways and need to provide transit travel choices to the commuting public. t ? 0 _ Project Update #5 [ „, : '--- - ' 7.-Z'-‘. ilk ,RR/DOR , .. - , ,,,,,,,e,;„74,,,...,, ,,, i,,,it .. . ,_,. . ,... ., „,,, .,., ,,,,r5,,,e..... .s.„...,..s„,.,,,,...,,,...,,,,,,,:,..,..„:„,., ...„,... .,,..,,,,.t ,,It.,„,,„.:„...,,, ,,,,: '..%'S' .3--,,`,' ,,.,' 5,f,"" .=,•,-,;..0-;.-"A ,,,`"';''. ..,..16,1;'` ACTIONS OF THE NORTHSTAR CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NCDA)AT THE NOVEMBER 5, 1998 MEETING: For more • The NCDA approved the Purpose and Need Statement for the Major Investment Study information, (MIS), the federal process being followed for the Northstar Corridor. The goal of the contact: project is to meet the future transportation needs of the Northstar Corridor. Anoka County • The NCDA approved the results of the Fatal Flaw Analysis. This analysis encompassed Tim Yantos the evaluation of transit technologies and results of the TH 10/47 roadway improvements for applicability to the corridor, and the definition of modal elements for nine different 612-323-5692 transportation investment strategies. The five strategies approved by the NCDA to eval- uate further in the MIS process are: No-Build; Transportation Management with Bus Benton County Improvements; Feeder Bus Improvements with Commuter Rail; Feeder Bus, Commuter Rick Speak Rail, with TH 10 minor upgrade; and Feeder Bus with Commuter Rail, with TH 10 320-968-6254 minor upgrades, and with consideration of river crossings. • The NCDA approved the membership of Watab Township on the NCDA. Hennepin County • The NCDA will send a letter to Mn/DOT recommending that the corridor not stop at Gary Erickson Ramsey,per the Mn/DOT commuter rail study, but be considered a full corridor between 612-348-4182 downtown Minneapolis and the St. Cloud area. • The NCDA will send a letter to Mn/DOT with a proposed model for governance of Sherburne commuter rail. The NCDA will review governance guidelines from current operating County commuter rail systems. David Loch 612-241-2703 INFORMATION ITEMS: • Congress approved $6 million in federal funding for the Northstar Corridor. • BNSF and the Project Team have begun capacity modeling to determine whether there is Next NCDA enough capacity on existing freight tracks to accomodate commuter trains. Meeting: Thursday, • Phase II of the Mn/DOT Commuter Rail Study details the capital cost estimates, rider- December 10, ship projections, operating and maintenance costs, and financial analysis for implement- 1998, 3:30 PM ing commuter rail service in the Twin Cities metro area. Of the six radial corridors, at Sherburne three are recommended for initial implementation. Route B,the Northstar Corridor, is recommended as the first stage of construction to Ramsey, rather than to the original County Mn/DOT study's ending point of Elk River. Courthouse, Elk River Approximately 165 people attended the Northstar Corridor Open Houses. Written comments were generally supportive of commuter rail in the corridor. • The NCDA will host a legislative briefing on December 10, 1998 at the Riverwood Conference Center in Monticello beginning at 5:30 p.m. lITP Project Update #6 Y&+V f ACTIONS OF THE NORTHSTAR CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NCDA) AT THE DECEMBER 10, 1998 MEETING: For more • The NCDA authorized the Project Team to arrange for a demonstration tour of three information, commuter rail systems in California. Participants will be responsible for their own costs. contact: • The NCDA approved the extension of contracts for continuing technical and Anoka County administrative services with the three consultants: BRW, Inc.; Richardson, Richter& Tim Yantos Assoc.; and Ken Stevens. 612-323-5692 COMMUTER RAIL FEASIBILITY RESULTS: Benton County • The NCDA discussed the elements of the commuter rail feasibility analysis for the Rick Speak Northstar Corridor. These elements include the service level (the number and time of 320-968-5001 trains), ridership (the number of passengers), capital cost, operating and maintenance costs, and the impact to the operations of existing and future BNSF freight service. The Hennepin ridership, capital cost, and operating and maintenance costs are based on the proposed County service concept plan. Preliminary results are as follows: Gary Erickson -Service Concept consists of eighteen (18) one-way trips each day to service the 66-mile, 612-348-4182 11 station corridor between the Minneapolis and St. Cloud areas. This service can be accomplished with four train sets and one spare for emergencies. Each train set is Sherburne comprised of one locomotive, two vehicles and one cab. County David Loch -Ridership Forecasts project 7,350 trips/day for the Year 2005 and 8,200 trips/day for the 612-241-2703 Year 2020. (A round trip is considered two trips.) Analysis indicates that 56 percent of the people will drive to access the system and 44 percent will walk. The purpose of 87% of the trips is commuting to work. -Preliminary Capital Costs range from $146-$175 million (1999 dollars). These costs Next NCDA are based on the service plan, the number of stations, and the upgrading of tracks, Meeting: signaling and other railroad elements required. (Specific railroad improvements and Thursday, their costs have not yet been negotiated with BNSF.) January 7, 1998 -Preliminary Operating and Maintenance Costs, based on the service plan and a full 4:30 PM complement of feeder bus service, are projected at approximately $9.5 million per year. at Sherburne A feeder bus plan linking in the surrounding communities, which accounts for County approximately 5 percent of the annual operating cost, is being developed as an integral Courthouse, part of the commuter rail system. The initial projected farebox recovery rate would be Elk River 40 percent, which is high in comparison to existing systems. • Technical Conclusion - Based on a comparison to existing commuter rail systems, the Northstar Corridor appears to be a very feasible commuter rail service.