Minnesota s s High Speed Passenger Rail Program presented by: Minnesota Department of Transportation September 22, 2010
Presentation Overview State Rail Plan National High Speed Rail Initiatives Passenger Rail Development Activities Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Twin Cities to Chicago Twin Cities to Duluth - Northern Lights Express Questions
Definitions-Passenger Rail Light Rail Transit (LRT) Enhanced, high capacity streetcar ; Hiawatha LRT Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Separated ROW, high capacity; subway, Chicago El Commuter Rail Short distance, conventional trains, trips to work; Northstar Intercity Rail Amtrak medium and long distance, high speed rail
Definitions: Intercity Rail Traditional Rail Less than 80 mph Incremental Improvement 80 mph to 110 mph High Speed Rail Greater than 110 mph (150-220 mph) Grade separation required above 124 Grade separation required above 124 mph
State Rail Plan First statewide Awarded 2010 freight and National passenger rail Transportation plan developed Planning in Minnesota Excellence Award from the U.S. DOT Work and the American Completed in 10 Planning months Association in July 2010 Extensive public involvement
Accomplishing the Passenger Rail Vision i Develop HSR service with Midwest Regional Rail Initiative to connect the Twin Cities to the Chicago Hub Network Develop a regional passenger rail network connecting the Twin Cities to major regional trade centers, coordinated d as part of a larger integrated regional/national multimodal system All corridors serve state and full Metro area connected through the Minneapolis downtown terminal and St. Paul Union Depot Advance system incrementally to develop network connectivity and grow ridership in timely manner
Phase I Projects (2010-2030) Phase II Projects (Future Expansion) Other Freight Lines
Implementing the Plan Prepare initial planning and environmental assessments on all identified corridors of passenger system to establish eligibility for federal funding Pursue federal funding applications for all projects that are in state of readiness Formalize operating agreements with partner states and regional compacts, railroads, funding partners Advance implementation plans for design, engineering, contracting, equipment and facility procurement, operations, and continuing incremental improvements
National High Speed Rail Initiatives
Federal High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program Strategic Plan released in April 2009 New vision for HSR development in America Near term: economic recovery efforts Targeted investments in infrastructure, equipment and connections Long term: build efficient HSR network Connecting major population centers 100-600 miles apart Ten major corridors identified d
FRA s HSIPR Program - American Recovery e and Reinvestment est e t Act (ARRA) Four HSIPR funding Tracks Capital projects ready to go Corridors projects existing rail or HSR Service/corridor planning Service/corridor development (long term)
FRA s HSIPR Program ARRA Awards $ 8 billion available for passenger rail only $2.6b in the MWRRI service area $823m Milwaukee Madison Construction for 110 mph service $600k Twin Cities to Milwaukee Service level NEPA Alternatives ti analysis Position the project for federal PE/EIS application in 2011
Passenger Rail Corridor Development Activities Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Twin Cities to Chicago Twin Cities to Duluth - Northern Lights Express
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Multi-state effort that started in the mid 1990 s Chicago-hubbed service Corridors are in various stages of development
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative Some state funded conventional service exists (79mph) New high speed service is being developed (110mph)
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative To Fargo- Duluth Moorhead St. Cloud Willmar Twin Cities Eau Claire C Mankato C To Rochester La Crosse Sioux Falls Madison B Milwaukee A Chicago Pontiac Detroit Cleveland Columbus Dayton Kansas City Cincinnati St. Louis Louisville
Minnesota s Involvement with MWRRI Active since Memorandum m of Agreement signed in 1995 Lead state on Milwaukee to Twin Cities segment 2008 state bonding to match federal funds for corridor development Priority in State Rail Plan
Twin Cities To Chicago Corridor Twin Cities to Milwaukee Segment Awarded ARRA funds late February $1.2 million Service NEPA work Milwaukee To Twin Cities Negotiations with FRA on statement of work Finalizing cooperative agreement with Wisconsin RFP anticipated by early October
Twin Cities to Chicago Timeline * Service NEPA /Tier 1 environmental documentation 2010-2011 Environmental Impact Statement/Preliminary Engineering 2011-2013 Design/ Construction 2013-2015 Service begins- 2015-2016 *Subject to funding availability, successful negotiations with railroads, securing necessary federal approvals, minimal environmental mitigation factors, ability to secure necessary R/W, identified operating and maintenance funding, equipment availability, and continued legislative support.
Twin Cities To Duluth Northern Lights Express (NLX) Amtrak service ended in mid 1980 s Project development work began 2007-2008 2008 Locally driven initiative NLX - continuing work on the environmental assessment Alternatives analysis and locally preferred alternative is being identified. Service start target date 2015.
Passenger Rail Development Other projects: Activities Update Downtown to downtown connections study Participating with the Minneapolis Terminal Interchange study, St. Paul Union Depot development Involved with early work with a potential Mankato Involved with early work with a potential Mankato Corridor Coalition, and Rochester to Twin Cites corridor concepts
Passenger Rail Office Contact Information Dan Krom, Director daniel.krom@state.mn.us 651.366.3193 Praveena Pidaparthi, Planning Director praveena.pidaparthi@state.mn.us 651.366.3199 3199 http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aboutrail/
Questions? Questions?