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Ramsey County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018
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<br />3.8.3 Utilities/Communications
<br />Energy providers in the county include Connexus Energy Co-op, Xcel Energy, NuStar Energy LP,
<br />District Energy, Magellan Midstream Partners LP and Koch Pipeline Company LP.
<br />Established in 2004, the Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response (ARMER) Program, administered
<br />in coordination with the Minnesota Statewide Radio Board, manages the implementation of a 700/800
<br />megahertz (MHz) shared digital trunked radio communication system. In Ramsey County, there are 8
<br />ARMER towers (Figure A - 5).
<br />3.8.4 Transportation
<br />The county transportation system is composed of roads, highways, airports, public transit, railroads and
<br />trails (Figure A - 6). The system is designed to serve all residents, businesses, industries and tourists.
<br />With the release of the 1990 Census, Ramsey County was designated as a fully urbanized county; this
<br />urbanization process began over 100 years ago, and developed into today’s transportation system.
<br />Ramsey County Public Works is currently responsible for maintaining 293 miles of county roads, over
<br />140 bridges, 30,000 signs and over 360 signal systems (Ramsey County Public Works, 2018).
<br />Between 1950 and 1990, over 500 miles of metropolitan highways were built in the Twin Cities.
<br />Interstate highways in Ramsey County include I-94, I-694, I-35E and I-35W. Access to this system has
<br />been, and will continue to be, a major attraction for residential, commercial and industrial development
<br />in the county (Ramsey County Public Works, 2018).
<br />The Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority works on transit development projects in the county,
<br />to improve mobility and transportation affordability, mitigate traffic congestion and enhance
<br />environmental quality. The authority also oversees St. Paul’s Union Depot, which is a transport facility
<br />for bicycles, pedestrians, Amtrak, car rental services, light rail transit and bus lines.
<br />There are multiple railroads throughout the county, which are operated by the following companies:
<br />Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Minnesota Commercial Railway (MNNR), Soo Line Railroad
<br />(SOO) and Union Pacific (UP).
<br />Public transit is available in the county through Metro Mobility and Metro Transit. Metro Mobility is a
<br />public transit service for certified riders who cannot use regular fixed-route buses due to a disability or
<br />health condition. Metro Transit offers a network of buses, light rail and commuter trains, in addition to
<br />resources for those who carpool, vanpool, walk or bike. They added a light-rail link between downtown
<br />Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul in 2014.
<br />There are two airports within Ramsey County: the St. Paul Downtown Airport (Holman Field) and
<br />Benson Airport. The St. Paul Downtown Airport is located just across the Mississippi River from
<br />downtown St. Paul, and is one of several reliever airports in the Twin Cities, operated by the
<br />Metropolitan Airports Commission. It is the metro area’s main facility for general aviation aircraft. The
<br />airport has 3 runways: Runway 14-32 (6,491' x 150'); Runway 13-31 (4,004' x 150'), and Runway 9-27
<br />(3,642' x 100'). There are 87 aircraft based at the airport, and over 40,000 takeoffs and landings annually.
<br />A floodwall was installed in 2008 to protect the facility against riverine flooding.
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