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ELK RIVER
<br />Northstar rail
<br />line could be a
<br />boon to area
<br />___ _TE-1oUS@S_ alread -have
<br />Y from the nationally-based ,
<br />. _
<br />_ _.,_ __--_
<br />be
<br />un to S
<br />ring U -~R~onnectin
<br />g '_ Amy '
<br />_.,. _ _ _ __ - - -
<br />g
<br />p
<br />p
<br />aYOUtld station SIteS and the Center for Transit
<br />, Oriented Development,"
<br />bUt'experts expect had a wealth of information:
<br />E~usinesses to fo(law to share:
<br /> "People really want things;
<br />by L.A. Jones the amexuties that transit. i ~ ` , 'F ;.;; '
<br />ECM Publishers can provide," Zimmerman % ~~xR ~=R=
<br />The future of Northstar
<br />said. "(It's) a big, potential ~ 6 Arta ~a
<br />eommnter rail extends. to demand." s e~ Roy=~ 94
<br />2009 .when the trains are
<br />e ected to start rolli
<br />~P ~'• Although the Hiawatha
<br />
<br />light rail line and other com- ~ ~~•~A ~,ee~cai
<br />~ w=entws=~~, locations ~ ~°ont~~
<br />
<br />But ri reality, the future
<br />goes far be
<br />o
<br />d that in
<br />muter rail s stems in such ~ ~ ,,,.
<br />- ~ `""`°""'F'"''~'"n~'
<br />~r ~°~m~. R~~~ ~
<br />y
<br />n
<br />t
<br />f d
<br />l
<br />t
<br />d places , as Seattle Dallas'
<br />' `~"`~'{''"1B""
<br />erms o
<br />eve
<br />o meri
<br />an
<br />P and Chicago have far more
<br />redeyel.a.}iment ~ - options ---st-agi~n stops tlrar~-wliat.,w,ill _ .The praposed; Northstar rail line wiU inctud~ stations ii
<br />along.. the length, breadth be the case with Northstar; Eik River ~~~~:'(~ttt~rm~el~9rie~- ---T-=d<,
<br />and outer perimeters of the line will bring a hoes=
<br />the line from downtown ing, employment and retail of the innovations; Garner Initially, .Northstar w
<br />Minneapolis to Big,,Lake• convenience boom all the Pointed to Minneapolis, run weekdays for five trig
<br />A group of officials rep- way from Minneapolis to ~'m~ is in the midst ' of in the morning all the ~c%a
<br />resenting communities all gig Lake, according, to completely redesigning from Big Lake to downtow
<br />along the line, as well as Zimmerman, ` its Franklin Avenue area Minneapolis and one oppr
<br />metro officials, gathered Along the Hiawatha light because the street grid near site-way morning.. trip, An
<br />Aug. 3 at the Anoka County ..rail line ' already, accord- that location . is not that in the late afternoon/evt
<br />Government Center to hear ing to Garner, more than ' amenable for pedestrians Wing, it w. ill run for five trig
<br />all about what has been 5,400 housing units have getting on and off' the. line ah the way from downtow
<br />tuned. Transit .Oriented, been constructed between and attempting to get to Minneapolis to Big Lak
<br />Development. 2000 and 2005. The line has Places, grid one apposite-aray er~~
<br />"Tthere is a point where the already exceeded .its 2020 The same will inevitably Wing trip. Other trips o:
<br />transit line ends and the .projections for ridership, be the case with Northstar, weekends are anticipated.
<br />neighborhood. begins," said and permits for another especially with Trunk Without Northstar op~~
<br />Mark Garner, Minneapolis 7 000 housing units have ; Highway 10 traversing and sting as projected in 200:
<br />Department of Community already been approved running along the commut- Pantos said, it would tak
<br />Planning: and economic through 2008, he said. er rail line, he said. 144 bus ;trips back to tak
<br />Development.. "Don't underestimate the And communities should the place of the train wi~~;
<br />The neighborhoods sur- power of'this ;commuter rail not only look at Northstar that .many more drive~~
<br />roundxig Northstar com- Iine even if ' it has `fewer ' as a means , to get to and employees.
<br />muter rail and. its proposed stops," :Garner told .those from places with housing The total cost estim~t
<br />station stops in Big Lake, gathered at thegovernment right: off the..line; but as a for Northstar is $307.3 mil
<br />Elk River, Anoka, Caon center. "And don't urideres_ means to attraEt employ- lion.
<br />RRapids, Fridley and' the timate the market demands ' merit at the station stops.
<br />new Minnesota Twins out- along the line. "People near Northstar
<br />door stadium in downtown ``The more you can do will not only. work iri down- ~
<br />Minneapolis will be a nexus earlier, the better," Garner ; town Minneapolis, but all, x
<br />"
<br />for development and cede- said along the corridor,
<br />said r„ '
<br />veiopment.
<br />"
<br />' .
<br />Garner said it will be up Karen Lyons, Metropolitan F"'~
<br />'
<br />~ ~
<br />°
<br />'' x ~`
<br />~
<br />There
<br />s probably more to the communities along Council. ~
<br />~
<br />~~
<br />~(~
<br />' ~`
<br />~:,,,
<br />-
<br />d
<br />mand for housin
<br />near L
<br />.
<br />e
<br />g
<br />nsit .than ,yau can
<br />., the line to come up with
<br />innovative plans
<br />for
<br />Bevel- ~
<br />Come ~ r
<br />~ '
<br />;; ~accommadate,"
<br />'~1fe~Ie
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<br />.
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<br />oa
<br />Z~mmerman old t ~. ~
<br />~e ~' P net"r
<br />only a
<br />quarter
<br />of a i
<br />n
<br />e , 1 r~~~ CJ. ~
<br />"1 ~ 1' '
<br />of 40 community planners ` out but as much as a half
<br />mile out. 5tacy'SDan~ ``; ate, ' ~~5©i'§' ^I~
<br />
<br />at the meetinb
<br />`~
<br />
<br />A~ an exam Ie of some
<br />,, _ . ' ~ ._ . p ~ ., . ~=
<br />
<br />CIa6s Ball ~~;
<br />~ ~ ", ..
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