MnDOT Gets Public feedback on NLX

Throughout December 2014, the public was invited to the first round of open houses on facility planning for the Northern Lights Express Project. Open houses were held in the cities in which NLX passenger stations are proposed: Cambridge, Hinckley and Superior, Wisconsin. Another open house was held in Sandstone, where a light maintenance facility is proposed. The purpose of the open houses was to provide information about potential station sites and station amenities and request public comment.

Almost 150 community members and local media attended the open houses and had the opportunity to view informational displays about the design process, as well as the progress and timeline of the NLX project. Of particular interest were the displays illustrating the proposed station site locations and basic station elements. NLX Project staff were available to address questions and concerns and attendees were encouraged to submit written comments.

Participants at the Cambridge meeting expressed a preference for the City Center Mall site, citing the convenient location, parking availability and citywide economic growth as primary reasons for their preference. Most comments regarding the potential increase in vehicle traffic through the center of Cambridge were positive, stating that the increase in traffic would benefit local businesses. A few comments expressed concern about the potential impact of raised rents, taxes and traffic impacts.

Comments at the Hinckley meeting revealed that attendees equally preferred the southwest and downtown sites. The freeway accessibility of the southwest site and the potential for downtown development and increased traffic to local businesses were cited as positives of both sites. Residents expressed a desire for easy travel to the Twin Cities and were positive about increased business in the area. They also had concerns about security at the station, as well as the overall need and cost of the project.

In Superior, participants were generally supportive of the project and favored the downtown site based on its central location and visibility, as well as shorter travel distance for Duluth commuters. Comments supported additional transit options to the Twin Cities; however, some expressed concern over statewide funding priorities.

Finally, there was overwhelming support for the proposed maintenance facility in Sandstone, with residents looking forward to a boost in local employment.

Through these open houses, project staff gained additional insight into the unique opportunities and constraints of the proposed locations, as well as which site is preferred in each community. See a summary of the open houses on the project website.

A summary of the open houses is available on the project website.

The Depot in Duluth: NLX's northern terminal

The Northern Lights Express service will use the historic Union Depot in Duluth as its northern terminal. At one time, the station served seven different railroads and accommodated 5,000 passengers per day. As recently as 1985, the station was used by Amtrak. Since 1973, the building has provided space for cultural and arts organizations. Today, the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center, Duluth Art Institute, Lake Superior Railroad Museum, St. Louis County Historical Society, Veteran's Memorial Hall and five performing arts organizations are housed within The Depot. It also continues to serve as a train station for the North Shore Scenic Railroad.

The Duluth Depot is also the proposed northern terminal for NLX. In December 2014, the Minnesota Department of Transportation invited representatives from St. Louis County, City of Duluth, Greater Downtown Council of Duluth, Metropolitan Interstate Council, Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Oneida Realty and the Minneapolis-Duluth/Superior Passenger Rail Alliance to attend a workshop and collaborate on how to incorporate NLX service into The Depot.

This collaboration was successful as representatives put forward ideas for the re-use of the building that complement the historic structure, preserve all of the existing uses and accommodate NLX service. Since the workshop, MnDOT has been preparing station concept plans that upgrade the former Amtrak waiting area to accommodate passengers for NLX and the North Shore Scenic Railroad. MnDOT also plans to add track and a platform for the NLX service which will maintain North Shore Scenic Railroad operations. The completed plan will be available by mid-summer 2015.

Railroad speak

Do you know who owns the railroads?

Get in your car and get out on the road, any time, any day. Public roads are open to everyone, whether it is an interstate, county or state highway, city street or even a township road. They are all owned and maintained by government agencies and funded by a variety of taxes and tolls.

This is not the case with railroads. Railroads are private companies and railroad tracks are private property, with the use of railroad tracks tightly controlled by the railroad that owns them. Every train requires permission to move on a track from a central dispatcher that coordinates the movements of all trains to ensure that trains operate safely.

Railroads frequently give permission to other private railroads to share their tracks under a trackage rights agreement. But every train still needs authority to travel, and railroads will often give priority to their own trains.

In order for the Northern Lights Express to operate over BNSF tracks, the State of Minnesota must enter into an operating agreement that outlines the number of trains and time of day they operate and other operating characteristics of the proposed NLX service. This agreement will also detail the cost to the state. MnDOT is already discussing these issues with BNSF, to ensure that both BNSF and NLX can share the track and maintain reliable operating schedules.

NLX agency spotlight: MnDOT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is the transportation leader in Minnesota. MnDOT's core business is to develop and implement transportation policies, plans, programs and practices. MnDOT strives to do these in a sustainable way that respects the environment and stimulates the economy. MnDOT also works with great partners to ensure success in their areas of transportation-related service, projects and initiatives.

What is MnDOT's role in the NLX project?

MnDOT is the lead state agency for the Northern Lights Express Project and works in coordination with the federal lead agency, the Federal Railroad Administration, and in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Minneapolis-Duluth/Superior Passenger Rail Alliance.

Which MnDOT staff are on the NLX project?

The NLX Project is coordinated by MnDOT's Passenger Rail Office. MnDOT staff oversee all project management, including consultants, work tasks, reports and budget. Frank Loetterle serves as the NLX Project Manager on behalf of MnDOT.