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Transit plans, have historically been service oriented using existing streets,, highways,, and more
<br />recently, freeway shoulders, for service. Plans, have focused on operations,. Guideway service
<br />locations, have been left largely up to local communities,. Hiawatha and Central Corridor only
<br />involve the central cities,. The North Star Commuter Corridor involved the establishment of a
<br />joint powers, organization involving a number of counties, and municipalities,. That entity
<br />presented the plan to the region rather than the other way around.
<br />Supporting a guideway based transit service requires, a city to identify the opportunity, develop
<br />land use plans, which support development of higher density in support of transit stations,, and
<br />create a feeder system along with park and ride facilities, to produce sufficient riders, in support of
<br />the fixed guideway transit. Service based plans, could lead to greater population in the corridor.
<br />The right of way is owned by Burlington Northern Sante Fe and leased to Minnesota Commercial
<br />Railroad. The lease expires, in the near future. Preserving the right of way allows, for options, for
<br />light rail, commuter rail, bus,ways,, trails,, etc.
<br />The creation of new financial resources, for transit capital investment and the pending update of
<br />the metropolitan transportation plan represents, a timely opportunity for Ramsey County
<br />communities, in conjunction with Minneapolis,, to capture a significant future transit opportunity
<br />for the NE metropolitan area.
<br />Each of the affected communities, must as,s,es,s, their ability and willingnes,s, to pursue a trans,itway
<br />corridor. To be successful and implementable, all cities, must include the corridor and service
<br />opportunity in their comprehensive plans,.
<br />Steps, for each municipality to consider-.
<br />1. As,s,es,s, the interest to convene a forum of
<br />affected municipalities,.
<br />2. Create an entity to carry out the planning
<br />and implementation of the NE Corridor in
<br />conjunction with the Ramsey County
<br />Regional Rail Authority.
<br />3. Develop consistent comprehensive plan
<br />components, and incorporating these
<br />components, into each community's,
<br />comprehensive plan.
<br />4. Prepare plans, which identify locations, for
<br />stations, and strategies, for creating density
<br />and ridership supporting the service.
<br />5. Support the inclusion of NE Diagonal in the
<br />Metropolitan Transportation Policy update.
<br />August •00S
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