Blog
Blog
Supporting the proposed high-speed rail line project connecting Saint Paul to Chicago.
Building a strong partnership
May 11th, 2010The opportunity to bring high-speed rail to Minnesota has connected cities and organizations within the state. But now, these connections have crossed the river and Minnesota and Wisconsin organizations are collaborating to gain support and momentum for new rail investment in our region.
On Friday, May 7, representatives from the Empire Builder High-Speed Rail Coalition, the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission, and On Board Midwest met in Arcadia, Wisconsin, to continue to build the partnership between Minnesota and Wisconsin.
These three groups are working together to find new ways to support the proposed high-speed and passenger rail upgrades to the existing rail corridor between Saint Paul and Chicago. Wisconsin and Minnesota groups have already individually built support among their own communities and businesses and now are reaching across traditional boundaries as key project decisions are being made.
Scott Rogers, co-chair of the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition and chair of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee, and James Hill, coordinator of the LaCrosse-area Empire Builder High-Speed Rail Coalition, discuss ways to build support for rail projects.
“By working together, Minnesota and Wisconsin can have a stronger and more effective voice as key decisions are made for our rail corridor,” said Jerry Miller, mayor of Winona and chairperson of the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission. “People who live and work in communities from Red Wing and Winona to LaCrosse and Eau Claire understand the impact of what can happen when we work together.”
The group continues to share ideas and information and will meet again in July. On Board Midwest will continue to keep you updated on these meetings.
LaCrosse supports high-speed rail
Part of having a strong partnership involves sharing information and materials with other groups and their audiences. The Empire Builder High-Speed Rail Coalition recently produced a video highlighting the LaCrosse community’s support for new and expanded rail service. This is an important message for all supporters of high-speed rail.
State business leaders applaud River Route
May 7th, 2010By Dan Scott, former chair of the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
A century ago James J. Hill and other business leaders worked together to invest in our community. Their work to build roads, bridges, buildings, and a network of railroad tracks helped this region grow. They left us a legacy and a challenge to continue building the infrastructure that sustains our economy and livelihood.
Today the business community is carrying on this legacy and meeting this challenge by again working hard to invest in efforts that are good for the entire community. This is why the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and other business groups strongly support On Board Midwest and other efforts to bring new transit to our region. From high-speed rail to light-rail, the business community understands the significance of this opportunity and our role.
Dan Scott, former chairperson of the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in October to discuss the Union Depot renovations.
We have been challenged to realize that projects like high-speed rail are about more than what is good for one company or a group of businesses. High-speed rail is an investment of millions of dollars in our region that will do more than just create a new way to get to Chicago.
Revamping the state’s rail network will help our marketplace stay competitive at a time when our economy faces significant challenges. Not only will this transit investment bring much-needed jobs and economic development to our region, it will also expand freight service. Saint Paul used to be a major hub for the nation’s freight rail system and Red Wing and Winona flourished because of the jobs that trains brought to each city. But now this vital freight link has almost reached capacity. Upgrades to the freight tracks along the Mississippi River Route will help commodities reach their destination faster. Ultimately, farmers and manufacturers will be able to better reach markets around the world and keep jobs in the state.
The business community needs to continue to support efforts to bring high-speed rail to Minnesota. From funding efforts like On Board Midwest to working closely with government leaders, it is our responsibility to be part of the solution. Leaders before us understood this and accepted this challenge. We need to follow suit to make sure our region does not miss this important opportunity.
Minnesota has a bright future in rail transit. Help support and celebrate that future by attending one of the many National Rail Day events. Events will be occurring at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds and Amtrak stations in Saint Paul, Winona, and La Crosse.
Transforming a landmark into multi-modal transit hub
May 6th, 2010When it was first built in the late 1800s, the Union Depot was a transit hub for the community. The same number of people that travel through the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport today used to regularly walk through the depot concourse to catch trains. From immigrants coming to Minnesota for the first time to people heading off to war, the Union Depot was an important connection to the rest of the country and an important part of our history.
When America’s focus turned away from rail transit, Ramsey County officials and others worked hard to preserve the Union Depot building. In addition to preserving a landmark, they knew that the depot could once again be a vital connection.
Today renovation work to restore Saint Paul’s Union Depot as a transit hub is well underway. The work will transform the Union Depot into a multi-modal hub with facilities for high-speed, commuter, freight, bus, bicycles, and light-rail services.
The new vision for this amazing building is to bring many forms of transit together in a single location. This video animation shows a preliminary concept of the different pieces coming together.
The Mortensen Construction team has started the design and engineering phase of the project and is testing several sections of the 33-acre site. Throughout the project, Mortensen will work carefully to preserve the historic sections of the train station, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Just a few years ago, this project was struggling to gain momentum. But thanks to support from local, state and federal officials, the Obama administration recently awarded Ramsey County a $35 million Tiger (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant in February for the design and engineering work currently being completed.
According to Jim McDonough, Ramsey County commissioner and head of the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority, high-speed trains from Chicago could start rolling into the Union Depot as soon as 2014.
Read more about the renovation work here.
Statewide rail plan connects and guides projects
May 5th, 2010The key to successful rail transit involves much more than trains following designated routes in a timely fashion. For rail systems to be effective, transportation experts need to develop plans for regional connectivity long before the first tracks are laid.
That’s why the Minnesota Legislature asked the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to create a unified vision for rail in our region. After months of research, public outreach, and high-level planning, the state’s transit experts created the vision and context that will help rail projects around the state connect to each other.
The plan, which was formally adopted by MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel on February 9, 2010, integrates multiple types and routes of transportation, including high-speed, light-rail, commuter, and freight transit. It also identifies the Mississippi River Route as a viable high-speed rail corridor connecting the Twin Cities and Chicago.
“A priority in the plan is intercity passenger rail service between Chicago and the Twin Cities,” said Sorel. “While the corridors for the project have yet to be determined, the connection would support development and economic competitiveness of the Midwest and provide an alternative to automobile and air travel.”
MnDOT estimates that the 20-year capital costs for freight and passenger rail will be between $6.2 billion and $9.5 billion (uninflated). This total assumes $2.2 to $4.4 billion of private investment for freight improvements and $4.0 to $5.1 billion in federal, state, local and additional private investments for passenger rail development.
“This plan recommends that the rail system be developed incrementally with a goal of implementing key passenger services and preparing projects for federal funding as it becomes available,” said Sorel.
On Board Midwest has been a proud partner with MnDOT throughout the planning process. We have attended meetings, promoted forums, and shared news with supporters and other key audiences to support MnDOT’s vision. We are excited that the plan recognizes the importance of the Mississippi River Route, but we also understand that there has to be a regional approach to transit investment. We stand ready to continue to work with MnDOT and all of its partners to bring transit to Minnesota.
The supporters of rail transit in Minnesota will be celebrating National Train Day this Saturday, May 8, at Amtrak’s Midway Station and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
High-speed rail benefits the entire state
May 4th, 2010High-speed rail along the Mississippi River Route will benefit the state of Minnesota. Not only will it will provide a fast and convenient connection between the Twin Cities and Chicago, the two largest metropolitan areas in the Upper Midwest, plans also call for improvements to rail safety and grade crossing along the route which benefit automobile and freight users. It will also improve the corridor’s capacity for freight rail operations, helping Minnesota commodities reach their destinations faster and opening up all of Minnesota for more economic development through increased regional connectivity.
High-speed rail will add six round trips between the Union Depot in Saint Paul and Union Station in Chicago and reduce the travel time between the two cities to 5.5 hours. Additionally, shared track arrangements with freight railroads will increase in rail capacity by 80% allowing for improved freight operations and the introduction of high-speed and commuter rail services, a three-for-one benefit.
High-speed rail will directly create 15,000 construction jobs and 57,000 permanent jobs in the Midwest. Minnesota alone will benefit from the creation of 1,600 permanent jobs and $2.3 billion in economic impact. These economic benefits will help increase commerce opportunities and encourage businesses to expand their operations more widely across the region.
To ensure Minnesota receives the economic, mobility and safety benefits of high-speed rail, local elected officials from Saint Paul to La Crescent have come together to form the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission (MHSRC). The commission is a strong proponent of and advocate for the development of Minnesota’s first high-speed rail line along the Mississippi River.
“High-speed rail will benefit communities along the river as well as those connected to them,” said Winona Mayor Jerry Miller, who is chair of the MHSRC. “The River Route is just the first route of a larger rail vision endorsed by the commission and the Minnesota Department of Transportation that will connect the entire state with high-speed and passenger rail lines,” said Miller.
The River Route is just one part of a 3,000 mile network of high-speed rail corridors throughout the Midwest. The federal government has made high-speed rail a priority by awarding the corridor an $823 million grant for construction efforts from Madison to Chicago and planning efforts from the Twin Cities to Madison.
“Minnesota’s rail vision is larger than just the commission and that is why we are focused on working with our partners at the state, local, and national level to make high-speed rail along the River Route and throughout Minnesota a reality,” said Miller.
After 15 years of planning, the dream of high-speed rail in Minnesota is closer to being a reality. The MHSRC will continue to play an important role throughout our region. On Board Midwest is proud to be a partner with the MHSRC on this effort.
The commission and other supporters of high-speed rail will be celebrating National Train Day this Saturday, May 8, at Amtrak’s Midway Station and the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.
MHSRC members include:
• City of Cottage Grove
• City of Goodview
• City of Hastings
• City of Lake City
• City of Red Wing
• City of Saint Charles
• City of Saint Paul
• City of Saint Paul Park
• City of Utica
• City of Wabasha
• City of Winona
• Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority
• Goodhue County Regional Railroad
• LaCrosse Area Planning Committee
• Prairie Island Indian Community
• Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority
• Wabasha County Regional Railroad Authority
• Washington County Regional Railroad Authority
• Winona County Regional Railroad Authority
