Transportation

Multimodal Systems/ Passenger Rail

Statewide Outcome(s):

Passenger Rail supports the following statewide outcome(s).

Sustainable options to safely move people, goods, services and information.

Context:

M.S. 174.632 charges the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) with planning, designing, developing and constructing intercity passenger rail services. The adopted 2010 Minnesota Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan further directs MnDOT to lead the development of passenger rail services and to coordinate with the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative states in the development of a multi-state passenger rail system in the Upper Midwest. The State Rail Plan can be found at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/railplan/resources.html.

The goal of the passenger rail program is to improve mobility for Minnesotans and connect state regional centers with passenger rail services. Connecting regional centers will provide more access to employment, educational opportunities, health care services and commercial services particularly to end point corridor populations.

The Passenger Rail Office (PRO) is working with local governments, county railroad authorities, host railroads and corridor advocates to develop a system of passenger trains that connect Minnesota communities to each other. Ultimately, the residents of Minnesota are the primary customers of the service through increased choices to meet travel needs with reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly travel options.

The passenger rail activity is funded through a combination of local, state, and federal funds. County Regional Railroad Authorities (RRA) provide program dollars generated through county RRA property tax levies. The 2008 Minnesota Legislature required the department to prepare the state rail plan, and provided $26 million in state general obligation bonds to match federal passenger rail program development funds. Operating funds for passenger rail are from a direct appropriation from the General Fund as the constitution prohibits the use of the Trunk Highway Fund for passenger rail activities.

Strategies:

MnDOT’s Passenger Rail Office is responsible for the planning and development of passenger rail service in Minnesota. Currently, Minnesota has one daily passenger train, the Empire Builder operated by Amtrak. The PRO is working with Midwest states to develop a system of high speed (90-110 mph) routes to connect the upper Midwest. These state-supported services will provide additional regional routes (up to six trains a day) to compliment Amtrak’s national system.

PRO also works with local governments, county railroad authorities, host railroads and corridor advocates to develop a system of passenger trains that connect Minnesota communities to each other. Planning and project development activities are underway in five passenger rail corridors that will connect major economic centers with each other and national markets. PRO provides planning and project development expertise necessary to develop corridors, and is the liaison between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and specific corridor development interests.

Results:

Since adoption of the state rail plan, PRO has initiated three corridor planning and project development processes, and has become involved with two additional projects that preceded the plan. Passenger rail project information may be found at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/passengerrail/. Additionally, two specific projects have received capital investments at the discretion of the department, including the Minneapolis Transportation Interchange and the Saint Paul Union Depot. As a result, over $25 million of the $26 million GO bond appropriation made in 2009 has been committed to implementing passenger rail improvements in Minnesota, leveraging approximately $40 million in federal funding. Projects in the state rail plan are well along in the federal development process and will be ready to accept additional state and federal funding to complete preliminary engineering, finalize environmental approval, and begin design and construction activities during the biennium.

Performance measures for passenger rail are difficult to establish and build until necessary planning and federal funding is secured. In the short term, PRO is working with Amtrak to increase frequencies of existing Chicago to Minnesota service as high speed service continues to develop. Passenger rail service miles in development over the next five years include the Northern Lights Express service from the Twin Cities to Duluth. Longer term, PRO is working to develop ZIP Rail service to Rochester and 90 Miles of high speed rail service (110mph) between the Twin Cities and La Crescent.

Performance Measures Notes:

Current Amtrak service between Moorhead and La Crescent is 340 miles. PRO is working with Amtrak to identify the addition of a second daily train between potentially St. Cloud and La Crescent and on to Chicago. Capital funding for an additional daily round trip between Minnesota and Chicago is dependent on Minnesota, Wisconsin and federal funding. Wisconsin and Minnesota are responsible for providing funding for operations. That funding is not currently identified.