Hinckley Loop study completed - and other NLX updates

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Minnesota Department of Transportation

Hinckley Loop study completed - and other NLX updates

Hinckley Loop study completed

In 2013, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and its partners, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Minneapolis-Duluth/Superior Passenger Rail Alliance, initiated the Northern Lights Express Hinckley Loop Study. The study explored the possibility of constructing a direct passenger rail connection and station at Grand Casino Hinckley, rather than operating NLX on the existing BNSF railway, with a station in downtown Hinckley. Since an earlier ridership study suggested a more than 50 percent increase in ridership and a substantial increase in revenue, MnDOT felt it prudent to further investigate this concept.

The Hinckley Loop Study investigated several potential routes and determined potential costs and benefits of a direct connection and a station at the casino. These findings were then compared to the potential costs and benefits of NLX operations remaining on the BNSF railway and the construction of a station in downtown Hinckley.

The updated ridership forecasts found that implementation of the options considered in the Hinckley Loop study would increase overall ridership for the NLX Project by up to seven percent – much less than previous forecasts – however, the capital cost of the project would have increased by up to $87 million. Although the direct service to the casino would increase the overall ridership, the roughly 15 percent increase in capital cost outweighs the ridership benefit. As a result, MnDOT, in agreement with the FRA and the Alliance, has determined that the Hinckley Loop is no longer an option and has discontinued further study of the concept.

Outreach activities kick off next phase of environmental work

Outreach activities for the Northern Lights Express Project held earlier this year helped to kick-off the Tier 2 Project Level environmental review phase; activities included open houses, meetings with agencies in Wisconsin and Minnesota and presentations to local business associations and community groups.

The four open houses were held in February and March 2016. The open house in Fridley provided an opportunity for interested stakeholders to discuss the Target Field Station and Coon Rapids Station. The Duluth open house served as a venue for those interested in the stations in Duluth and Superior. Additional open houses were hosted at other station sites in Cambridge and Hinckley. More than 100 community members and local media attended the open houses and viewed draft concepts for the selected station and maintenance facility sites and potential layover sites. Information on the Tier 2 Project Level environmental review phase was also presented. Overall, attendees expressed support for the NLX project and had questions on the cost of fares, schedule and potential impacts. Participants at the Hinckley open house voiced agreement for discontinuing the Hinckley Loop study. Meeting materials and a summary of the open houses are available on the project website.

Outreach activities will continue throughout the summer, including presentations and informational tables provided by the Minneapolis-Duluth/Superior Passenger Rail Alliance. Keep an eye out for NLX information at upcoming county fairs in Isanti, Pine, Carlton and St. Louis counties.

Railroad speak: rail crossings

What are rail grade crossings?

Rail grade crossings are locations where a roadway crosses railroad tracks at the same level rather than crossing above or below the tracks. A rail grade crossing can either be on public or private land. Public crossings are roadways under the jurisdiction of a public agency, such as a state, county or city highway/public works department. Private crossings are where the roadway is privately owned; for example, a residential driveway, an access road to an industrial plant or a roadway on farmland.

How many rail grade crossings are in the NLX Corridor?

In the NLX Corridor, there are 125 public and 44 private rail grade crossings.

Will the NLX Project impact rail grade crossings?

The rail grade crossings in the existing BNSF corridor were originally designed for freight trains traveling at relatively slow speeds. For passenger trains traveling at speeds up to 90 MPH, like NLX, crossing warning devices, and possibly the roadway, will need to be upgraded to maintain rail, roadway, and pedestrian safety.

How can rail grade crossings be improved?

Grade crossing improvements depend on the characteristics of the crossing. The most effective grade crossing improvement is to provide grade separation, but this is only practical where traffic volume is high. In the NLX Corridor, grade separation is already in place in most locations with high traffic volumes. MnDOT will also study where a crossing can be closed, but this will only occur where other reasonable routes to cross the tracks are available and access to property can be maintained in some other way.

Other grade crossing improvements include installing warning devices. The NLX Project is considering active warning devices: automatic gate systems, flashing-light signals and advanced warning flashers. These active warning devices along with passive devices, such as signs and pavement markings, help communicate to drivers and pedestrians on how they should react at a grade crossing. 

Specific types of grade crossing systems include dual gates with flashers either with or without a non-mountable median and a four-quadrant gates system with gates on both the right and left sides of the road to block the entire roadway. Medians are effective in discouraging motorists from driving around dropped gates.

Dual gates with flashers is the minimum investment being recommended for NLX project crossings. Grade crossing warning devices will be recommended during the Tier 2 Project Level environmental review phase of the project, which will conclude in spring 2017.

Agency spotlight: Wisconsin Department of Transportation

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation focuses on developing and implementing transportation policies, plans, programs and practices throughout the state. WisDOT strives to do this in a sustainable way that respects the environment and stimulates the economy. WisDOT is working in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to ensure success in implementing the NLX Project and developing a station in Superior, Wisconsin. The NLX project is working with WisDOT’s Northwest Regional office staff, Anna Davey, on all project tasks related to the state of Wisconsin.

Station spotlight: Coon Rapids

The Coon Rapids station site is located on Foley Boulevard, north of Highway 610, and east of the existing BNSF railroad tracks. The site has convenient local and regional access via Coon Rapids Boulevard, East River Road, and Highway 610. Connection to existing transit service is also readily available as the station is across the street from the Metro Transit Foley Boulevard Park and Ride facility. Developing a passenger rail station in this location is consistent with the city’s land use planning and transportation goals identified in the Foley Boulevard Station Area Plan. The station will be built on land owned by the Anoka County Regional Railroad Authority and doesn’t require any private property acquisition. Additionally, the site is large enough to accommodate all typical station program elements that will be standard at NLX stations:

  • Designed to meet the needs of a modern intercity passenger rail service
  • Will meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • 500-foot-long platform with warming shelters
  • Climate controlled station building with passenger waiting area
  • On-site ticket kiosk machines
  • Short-term and long-term parking
  • Multimodal access with efficient passenger, taxi and bus drop-off
  • Bicycle parking and connections to area bicycle trails

Conceptual layout of the Coon Rapids station
Conceptual layout of the Coon Rapids station

More about NLX

Learn more about the NLX project: www.mndot.gov/nlx