Twin Cities Going for a Ride (Minneapolis, Coon Rapids: appointed, homes, live)

[Jeanie Hoholik]

Today, it was announced that the feds are contributing $320 million to begin the project of the Northstar Commuter Rail (broken link). The rail will run from Big Lake to Minneapolis. In two years, the rail line is projected to provide

more than 2 million rides annually to downtown Minneapolis from northern metro communities.
This could be good news for Big Lake and Elk River homeowners looking to sell their homes that previously had the objection of it being too long of a commute. Not to mention that it will free up 1 1/2 lanes of traffic on Highway 10 running through several cities to reach Minneapolis.
Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Fridley and downtown Minneapolis will be the big benefactors in this new travel concept. ~ Jeanie

[Minnehahapolitan]

Im disappointed they only got it as far as Big Lake. It could not have been much more expensive as there would only be two more stops and the few extra miles of track rights. Oh well, I will take it where I can get it. I wonder what the current plans are for the Mpls. Intramodal Station.

[K-Luv]

Well it's about time. I have been hearing about this for years.

I heard on MPR about 6 months ago about how commuter rail is going to be the future in this country (modeled after Europe). The rail industry, even though being 1/20th of what it was 100 years ago makes billions of dollars a year (more then trucking) and train engines are rather efficient. It only makes sense to expand this into public transportation.

[kg1701d]

When looking at communter rails across the country, I think a person would be hard pressed to find one that hasn't been a benefit to the city's economy and growth. In the long wrong, I think it can also help curtail sprawl....Chicago metro, 3x the pop of the twin cities and 1.5x the size. The Metra and El in chicago are insanely popular and efffective. I live 3 mi from work, in chicago and it takes my around 40 minutes on the bus.......coworkers in burbs 20 miles out of the city and take the metra.......20 minute
Seattle/Tacoma train has done wonders economically which could be compared to a Twin Cities/St Cloud on a lesser scale. Riderships in MN on the Hiawatha have been nothing but higher than expected and when the rail really starts to provide transit AROUND the metro, the progressive and realistic people of the metro will use it (and hopefully keep it cleaner than the CTA lol)
The only exception that I can think of where light rail or commuter rail hasn't exactly done will is Houston..........but I have own thoughts about Houston that aren't necessary here.

[Ben Around]

The nice thing about commuter rail is its potential to curb sprawl. Instead of development flowing in all directions over the landscape as presntly happens in the Twin Cities, devlopment will likely cluster around commuter rails stops. Very similar to how Chicago's suburbs developed in the 20th century as medium-density, slef contained villages along the commuter rail lines.

Up til now, Twin Cities development has flowed along the sprawling freeways systems. Now communters will have a chouice of a faster ride on commuter rail, rather than I-94, et al.

[minneahouston]

Houston's light rail line has actually done very well. With the planned expansions, I believe it will only get better.

Also, Being from Mpls, I am very excited that they now have light rail. Mpls has always had decent public transportion ridership. I remember riding to work on the bus in the 80's and 90's and they were filled with downtown business types.

I think the major difference between Mpls. and Houston has to do with Houston's multiple business cores which make it difficult to streamline a logical commuting pattern. However, they are making it happen with the new Richmond line and soon to be Galleria corridor line. Very Exciting!

[kg1701d]

I agree with you on the Houston stuff, I was there (for job interviews) and rode on it and talked to people who worked downtown. Their complaint was that it didn't go anymore. Connectivity and destination are what is behind light rail. Minneapolis' light is on good landmarks but really, its obnoxiously unimodal, like the Houston one
more lines will mean more locations hit which would exponentially increase usership

[minneahouston]

In that regards, I believe Mpls is light years (no pun intended) ahead of Houston rail.

Mpls does have only one line, but it is from the airport through the entire southern half of the city to downtown. Someone could easily catch a crosstown bus and conncect with Hiawatha. It seems to be a bit more functional than Houstons.