Media Advisory

For immediate release

Media contact: Deborah Carter McCoy, Ramsey County, 651-252-7268

Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee recommends draft Locally Preferred Alternative

Modern streetcar selected to serve the transit route connecting Saint Paul neighborhoods to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport 

Saint Paul, Minn. (October 10, 2017) - The Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) today selected a modern streetcar route along West 7th Street as the draft locally preferred alternative for creating a new transit connection between downtown Saint Paul, a number of different neighborhoods, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. 

The transit line would directly serve neighborhoods in Saint Paul with connections to both the Blue Line and Green Line light rail transit lines. The committee made the decision after reviewing extensive technical documentation and discussing draft results of the detailed evaluation of alternatives.

“When we began this process in 2014, we set out to identify the best transit option to serve the broader community and connect Union Depot with the airport,” said Rafael E. Ortega, chairman of the Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee. “The study tells us that modern streetcar will serve the most riders and contribute the most to people living in neighborhoods along the line. This alternative will make it much easier for people to travel around the region and get to the places they want to go.” 

The PAC’s decision was focused on balancing the needs of different stakeholders throughout a corridor that includes employment, tourism, and unique residential neighborhoods. Modern streetcar provides reliable, frequent and higher-capacity vehicles. Streetcar does not require a dedicated lane of traffic and allows transit to move more people than a bus while existing traffic drives on the tracks when they are not in use.   

“This alternative will support job creation and workers throughout the city,” said John Regal, a business representative on the PAC. “Riverview Corridor is a critical transit connection between downtown Saint Paul, the airport and the neighborhoods in-between.”

Ford site

The PAC also identified a need to provide transit connections for the expected redevelopment of the former Ford site in Saint Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood near the western end of the corridor. Data from the study indicated that the second highest ridership route would go through the Ford site. To assure that transit need is met and supports redevelopment, the PAC recommended a second study of opportunities to serve the Ford site to begin in 2018 and coincide with ongoing planning for the Riverview Corridor.

Next steps

The Riverview Corridor PAC will hold a public hearing on the recommendation on Thursday, November 9 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Highland Park Senior High School. The PAC will review public comment and testimony before making a final selection of a locally preferred alternative on December 14, 2017. 

If approved by the PAC, the locally preferred alternative will be presented for review and resolution of support at the Metropolitan Airports Commission, city councils in Saint Paul and Bloomington and the Hennepin and Ramsey County boards of commissioners. The LPA is then forwarded to the Metropolitan Council for adoption into the region’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan.

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About the Riverview Corridor: Defined by the Mississippi River on the south, Interstate 35E and Ford Parkway on the north, Lowertown and Union Depot on the east, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America on the west, the corridor connects neighborhoods, historic districts, businesses, thriving commercial districts and the capitol city to each other and to the Twin Cities regional transportation network. Additional information and technical documents are available on the project website at www.riverviewcorridor.com

Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority is dedicated to a long-range vision of transit services to meet changing needs for today and for succeeding generations, the Regional Railroad Authority strives to shape the future of Ramsey County and the region by preserving options for rail transit corridors and by providing rail transit services. Responding to the changing transit needs of the county's citizens in a manner that is sensitive to the financial impact to county taxpayers, the Regional Railroad Authority is committed to planning integrated transportation services in cooperation with other agencies. Community participation in deliberations and decision-making process is an important element of our work. To learn more, please visit ramseycounty.us

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