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The Policy Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m. at the Maplewood Community Center. At this meeting, project staff will share updates about ongoing work to advance the Rush Line project, including engineering, station area planning and public engagement. The committee will also discuss BRT station design.
Policy Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public and provide an opportunity for public comment.
This rendering from the Orange Line BRT project shows the basic elements of a BRT station.
New Policy Advisory Committee leadership
At its February 28 meeting, the Policy Advisory Committee elected Mayor Jo Emerson of White Bear Lake as its chair. Mayor Emerson, who had been serving as vice chair, replaces former Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik, who stepped down from the Policy Advisory Committee to lead the Metropolitan Council. The committee also elected Gem Lake councilmember Jim Lindner as its new vice chair, and confirmed the Downtown White Bear Lake station location at Washington Avenue and 7th Street for further evaluation in the Environmental Assessment based on the recommendation from the City of White Bear Lake, which reflects input from public engagement efforts.
Upcoming public engagement
Throughout the spring and summer, Rush Line staff will be talking to people who live or spend time in the communities along the Rush Line route to raise awareness of the project and collect input on topics such as safety, potential environmental impacts and BRT station design.
Rush Line staff will be at the following community events:
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Saint Paul Farmers Market, April 13, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Weaver Elementary School Carnival, April 26, 5-8 p.m.
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Cinco de Mayo - West Side Saint Paul Festival, May 4, time TBD.
- Bicycle Rodeo hosted by Maplewood Fire (1355 Clarence Street), May 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
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WaterFest, June 1, time TBD.
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Train Day, June 1-2, time TBD.
Additional public engagement activities along the Rush Line route will be scheduled during the spring and summer. Upcoming public engagement activities are listed on the Meetings and Events page of the Rush Line website.
Hamm's area businesses discuss Rush Line opportunities
Abdi Ali and Mohamed Ali, whose family owns Karibu Grocery & Deli, discuss improving walking and biking in the area around the Hamm's Brewery complex.
On March 26, people who operate businesses in and around the Hamm's Brewery complex in Saint Paul gathered to learn about the Rush Line and discuss opportunities associated with improved transit service in the area. The meeting was co-hosted by Rush Line staff, the East Side Area Business Association, and Everest LLC, which manages the Hamm's Brewery property on the north side of Minnehaha Avenue.
The Hamm's Brewery area is located just south of Phalen Boulevard, near future Rush Line stations at Payne Avenue and Arcade Street. It is home to a wide variety of businesses including an industrial laundry processing facility, a brewery, an appliance store, a grocery store and deli and more.
Conversations revealed enthusiasm for better transit, which is expected to help businesses attract and retain workers. People also expressed a strong interest in improving conditions for walking and biking, both to facilitate access to Rush Line stations and to generally improve comfort and safety in the neighborhood for people walking and biking. |
