July 24
Red Rock Corridor Schedules Open Houses
The Red Rock Corridor Commission will host a series of open houses in August and September to present results from a recent study of commuter rail and other transit alternatives in the corridor.
For more information about the four open houses, click here.
The Red Rock Corridor runs along Highway 61 and Interstate 94 from Hastings to Minnesota’s Union Depot in St. Paul, where it will connect with several other transit lines, including Central Corridor light rail transit, local and interstate buses, the Rush Line and Robert Street Corridors, and eventually the I-94 Corridor and Midwest High-Speed Rail to Chicago. From St. Paul, the line will continue to downtown Minneapolis. Future plans may allow for the corridor to be extended to the city of Red Wing and the Prairie Island Indian Community.
For more information, contact Michael Rogers, Washington County Regional Railroad Authority, at (651) 430-4338 or by email by clicking here.
July 23
Regional Rail Authority to Meet
The Regional Rail Authority will meet in executive session July 24 to discuss purchase of property in downtown St. Paul from the U.S. Postal Service. The agenda is available here.
July 19
Commuter Bus Plans Move Forward
The Rush Line Corridor Task Force voted at its July 19 meeting to further develop cost estimates and service plans for two commuter bus service scenarios in the corridor:
· Forest Lake to St. Paul, with North Branch area shuttle service; and Forest Lake to Minneapolis, with North Branch area shuttle service.
· North Branch to St. Paul, with Hinckley area shuttle service; and North Branch to Minneapolis, with Hinckley area shuttle service.
Corridor staff and consultants will examine the two scenarios more closely and present service options to the task force at its Aug. 23 meeting. If the task force decides to institute commuter bus service and a source of funding is identified and available, service could begin within a few months.
Alternatives Analysis Update
A separate study of longer-term transit options in the corridor, including the potential for commuter rail service, is also under way. That study is expected to conclude in summer 2008. For a project schedule, click here. For a copy of the presentation made by project consultants at the July 19 meeting, click here. Public meetings related to the alternatives analysis will be posted on this site as they are scheduled.
July 12
Corridor Task Force to meet
The Rush Line Corridor Task Force will meet at 3 p.m. July 19 at White Bear Lake City Hall. Click here for the agenda.
