Transportation Officials Exploring The End Of Commuter Rail On The Northstar Line

Transportation Officials Exploring The End Of Commuter Rail On The Northstar Line

Ridership on the commuter line has historically trailed behind that of other comparable services elsewhere in the country.

Commuter rail service between downtown Minneapolis and Big Lake on the Northstar Line could be phased out and replaced with buses as state transportation officials explore more a cost-effective transit service on the corridor.

In a joint statement Monday, the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) said the agencies have "jointly started the process to explore transitioning to bus service".

The Northstar Line connects Target Field Station in downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake in Sherbune County, with stops in Fridley, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Ramsey and Elk River along the route.

"St. Cloud-Fargo/Moorhead Corridor study makes it clear we can provide more cost-effective transit service in the corridor currently being served by Northstar Commuter Rail," the agencies wrote. "As the world and consumer demand changes, we must be willing to be flexible and innovative to offer better service while saving dollars."

In the Minnesota Legislature, Rep. Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville) is proposing a bill that, if approved, would require the Met Council to submit a plan to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to discontinue NorthStar operations within 90 days.

“This bill puts an end to 18 years of wasteful spending and forces the Met Council to do what’s right for taxpayers,” Koznick said in a statement. “Instead of continuing to pour money into a failing system, we need to focus on solutions that actually serve commuters efficiently and affordably.”

The proposed legislation stipulates that Minnesota will not repay the federal government for past NorthStar investments, thus removing a key financial obstacle to ending the line, according to Koznick.

Monday's joint statement from the Met Council and MnDOT was released just two hours before the proposed bill is scheduled for a 1 p.m. hearing by the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.

"In the coming months, we will have more information, including timeline information and projected future savings," the agencies wrote. "For Minnesotans who currently utilize this service, we are committed to working with you to ensure you have access to high-quality transportation in this corridor."

The Northstar Line began operations in 2009 and is operated by Metro Transit and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) on BNSF tracks and right-of-way.

The service stands as an outlier as its peer commuter rail systems, such as the FrontRunner in Utah, connect a core city to a commuter city with a population over 100,000.

"Rather, at roughly 10,000 residents, the City of Big Lake does not generate enough trips to meet ridership goals," a Northstar Extension Assessment Study published last year states. "The original assumption was for the corridor to connect with the St. Cloud metro area with a population of 200,000 and a large trip generator at St. Cloud State University."

With the extension not constructed and other factors, Northstar ridership has trailed that of other comparable systems.

SOURCE: Bring Me The News