ROBERT STREET TRANSIT MEETINGS

This is from Representative Rick Hansen's email newsletter. Here is your chance to speak up about your concerns about light rail on Robert Street. Jon Zanmiller, W. St. Paul's mayor tells me that light rail will run from downtown St. Paul all the way to Rochester. When I asked him where is it going on Robert St., he tells me it will be elevated! What will the cost of that be?

In the last few years, $770 million has been spent on the Hiawatha light rail line. The fares collected on the Hiawatha line only cover 37% of it's operating expenses. The cost of the Central Corridor line is approaching $1.4 billion. Over $100 million has already been set aside for the North Star line. Who knows how much is going to be spent on the Red Rock line from St. Paul to Hastings. The total cost of this will be astronomical! After the I35W bridge collapse, I believe our priorities belong to roads and bridges.

Dakota County's Office of Transit will conduct a series of workshops to collect public comment on possible alternative transit modes and transit corridors in the development of a long term transit vision for the County. The public is encouraged to attend one of three Public Workshops in September where public comment will be collected as part of the development of the study document. The purpose of the study is to identify transit and transportation issues, opportunities, costs,benefits, and impacts of potential transit alternatives that may provide remedy for mobility issues identified in the corridor.

The Robert Street Corridor Transit Feasibility Study Public Workshops will begin with an hour-long open house, followed by a presentation and a group exercise designed to elicit public input. They will be held at the following central, southern, and northern Robert Street corridor locations:

Dakota County Northern Service Center
1 Mendota Road West, West St. Paul
Monday, September 17 2:00 to 5:00pm

Rosemount Community Center
13885 South Robert Trail, Rosemount
Wednesday, September 19 6:00 to 9:00pm

Wellstone Center
179 Robie Street East, St. Paul
Tuesday, September 25 5:30 to 8:30pm

Transit modes being considered along possible alternative corridors are light rail transit (LRT), commuter rail, bus rapid transit (BRT), modern streetcar, and an upgrade of conventional bus service. Possible alternative corridors include Hwy. 52, Hwy. 55, Robert Street, and a possible railroad corridor.