4.2. SR 06-19-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Northstar .Commuter rail still on track "Weary commuters who frequent the metro area's northwestern reaches won't b~ surprised to learn that traffic has doubled since the early '90s along Interstate Hwy. 94 and Hwy. 10. ... Indeed, the number of trips, miles ariven and cars-per-household have far outpaced even the rapid popula- tion growth of Sherburne, Wright and Anoka counties-- a commentary, per- haps, 'on the behind-the-wheel life- style of modern suburbia People are driving more and enjoying it less. .. That's why it's good news that the Northstar commuter-rail project con- tinues to glide quietly toward its inau- gural run in late 2003. While the Hia,' watha light-rail line drew ferocious op- . position, Northstar has enjoyed a rela- · tively low profile. During the final days of the legisla- tive session, House Republicans did succeed in restricting the transporta- tion commissioner's flexibility to fur- ther advance Northstar without the ~.egislature's specific consent. State and local officials are still examining the implications of this change, but 'don't think it necessarily means a de- lay or an increase in the project's $223 million cost." :. Generally, Northstar has succeeded ~ building a broad constituency of gov- ernment and business leaders. Medtronic Inc., for. example, in a letter 'to the governor, cited the "tremendous benefit" of both Northstar and Hiawa- tha in its decision to stay in the region · and build a new headquarters in Fridley. The public, too, seems eager to give the rails a try -- or hope their neigh- bors do. A telephone survey by the Northstar Corridor Development Au- thority found three-quarters of those living within five miles of the Minne- ~.polis-St. Cloud corridor favoring the proposed Commuter trains. 0~ Such trains already operate on more '/hah 6,000 miles of [rack in 10 states. The most extensive systems are in and around New York, Boston, Philadel- phia, Washington-Baltimore, Chicago, San Francisco-San lose and Los Ange- les-San Diego. Ridership nationwide has risen by a third since 1980. These trains are substantially differ- ent [rom the light-rail version. Think of IRT as a souped-up electric street- car nmning every seven, minutes in an urban setting, stopping every six blocks. Think of commuter rail as a diesel-powered string of double-deck- er cars running only during rush hour, but extending 70 or 80 miles into the countryside on existing freight tracks -and stopping every five miles. Both versions have the potential to arrest sprawl by encouraging a mix of compact residential and commercial development around stations. Indeed, over the next decade, Northstar may considerably influence the flavor of towns like Clear Lake, Becket, Big Lake and Ramsey as they become gathering points for commuters. Initially, 9,300 riders are expected on eight morning and eight evening Northstar trains equipped with work tables and power outlets. Obviously, every new train rider takes another car off the freeways. While motorists may not notice the extra space, Northstar holds the po- tential of restraining the enormous de- mands [or expanding Hwys. 94, 10 and 101 in the coming decades. The cost o£ adding lanes on those roadways plus building 14 proposed new interchanges on 1-94 could run into the billions. "The great'advantage of commuter rail is that it uses existing irdrastruc- ture that's not being fully used," said Anoka County Commissioner Paul McCarron. He referred to the sharing of tracks owned by the freight-hauling Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Northstar is a worthy project. With similar lines planned to reach Has- tings and Northfield, commuter rail holds the promise of expanding trans- portation and lifes~le choices for thousands of Minnesotans.