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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />II. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />The Northstar Corridor connects the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, with a population of <br />3.2 million, and the St. Cloud metropolitan area, with a population of 100,000. Both areas are <br />regional centers of commerce, employment, education and health care. The corridor has regional, <br />statewide and national significance as a primary transportation route for automobile, truck, and rail <br />travel. TH 10, a principal arterial and part of the National Highway System carries vehicular traffic <br />along the corridor. In addition, a mainline of the BNSF Railroad carries a variety of commodities <br />through the corridor. TH 10, in conjunction with Interstate 94 (1-94), is part of the regional <br />roadway system linking airports and universities located within the two metropolitan areas. The <br />two roadways provide an inter-regional corridor of major significance witbin the State of <br />Minnesota. TH lO also provides an essential link between the two metro area highway and transit <br />networks. The Mississippi River is a natural barrier and river crossings are limited in number. The <br />Northstar Corridor MIS offers the first coordinated opportunity to systematically identify <br />transportation improvements that address development, congestion, mobility, safety, and <br />environmental issues in a cost-effective manner. <br /> <br />This report describes the alternatives that were reviewed for the Northstar Corridor. An initial <br />review of potentially feasible transit technologies and options was conducted to determine <br />appropriateness for the Corridor and a regional transit system. In addition, various highway options <br />within the Corridor were reviewed to determine which would best meet corridor transportation <br />needs. In a future work activity, options will be evaluated based on incremental cost and patronage <br />changes, then compared to current operations, a baseline set of improvements and potential <br />environmental impacts. <br /> <br />This report is divided into the analysis of transit options and highway options. It concludes with <br />the development of multi-modal transportation strategies, which blend highway and transit options. <br /> <br />Northstar Corridor Major Investment Study <br />Conceptual Definition of Alternatives <br />February 1999 <br /> <br />II-I <br />