Northstar commuter rail gets go-ahead for final design

Federal funding agreement is final step before 2007 construction start

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has granted approval for the Northstar commuter rail line to enter the final design phase. That means construction could begin in summer next year.

Before then, the project must clear a final hurdle: securing a full funding grant agreement from the FTA in early 2007. "We're now in the final stretch," said Mark Fuhrmann, Northstar project director, to the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Committee in September.

The final design phase has several components, including:

Completing design of the commuter rail stations and park-and-ride lots associated with the line.
Completing design of the vehicle maintenance facility at the current northern terminus of the line in Big Lake.
Completing design of the connection with Hiawatha light-rail (LRT) in downtown Minneapolis.
Soliciting industry review of the locomotive and passenger coach designs.

Momentum for the project has been building

In May, the Northstar Corridor Development Authority, the State of Minnesota and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway — owner of the train tracks Northstar will use between Big Lake and Minneapolis — reached an agreement in principle that outlines the key financial terms for Northstar construction and operation. In June, Governor Pawlenty signed legislation that secured an additional $60 million in state bonding for the project.

The proposed Northstar commuter rail line from Big Lake will connect with Hiawatha LRT in downtown Minneapolis. LARGER MAP

The final state funding, combined with funding already provided by local governments in the Northstar Corridor, opens the door to receiving 50 percent federal matching funds. Total project cost is estimated at $307.3 million (2008 dollars).

Council Chair Peter Bell said the FTA approval for final design "represents another important step in our efforts to develop a network of bus and rail transitways to help build transit ridership, improve mobility and slow the growth of traffic congestion in the region."

One station dropped from line, for now

Six stations were included in the line's preliminary design, at Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Fridley and downtown Minneapolis. Because the cost to lease rail lines from BNSF for Northstar was higher than expected, Fuhrmann said, the proposed station for Fridley will have to be deferred unless other sources of funding can be found quickly.

The project office received permission to undertake utility relocation needed for construction this fall. The relocation effort is on schedule to be completed in December, Fuhrmann said, paving the way for 2007 construction of the Hiawatha LRT connection to Northstar.

Weekday service will include six trains each day, each way

Initial service, scheduled to begin in late 2009, will feature five trains with four cars each weekday morning into Minneapolis from Big Lake, and one reverse trip weekday mornings; five trains back to Big Lake on weekday afternoons/evening, with one reverse trip to Minneapolis in the evening. Weekend days will feature three round trips, with limited special event service. Estimated daily ridership is 5,070. The trains will have capacity for 7,200 riders each weekday.

The downtown Minneapolis station would be between Fifth and Fourth Streets, adjacent to the Ford Centre, with connections to Hiawatha LRT and pedestrian sidewalks at Fifth St. N. A new LRT station extending the Hiawatha line would be less than a block away, outside the leftfield wall of the proposed new Twins Stadium along Fifth St. N.