Where will the depot go?

It may be at the Cambridge mall, as proposed by the CBD.

Will a new train depot be located in the Cambridge mall?
The Cambridge Business Development Corporation (CBD) has proposed such.
The idea is rooted into a recommendation made by consultants hired by the St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority. TEMS, Inc. advised that the depot in Cambridge be located downtown to take advantage of foot traffic and the synergy of the area, pointed out CBD President Bob Guetschoff.
The TEMS report advocated against placing any of the five planned depots outside of city centers and away from transportation routes.
"We at CBD truly believe this is the best location for the depot. This will be the new front door for Cambridge," said Guetschoff. "This could bring Main Street back to life."
The mall location is logical, representatives of CBD believe, because it sits in the largest area between Main Street and the tracks. There is already a spacious parking lot, and the building sits adjacent to the tracks.
The plan is to add onto the building in the back to create a platform next to the train tracks and an enclosed waiting area. The front of the mall would be renovated and a large clock tower added. The inside could remain the same, with the exception of cutting in a hallway through to the back. Or, it could also be renovated to make way for shops that would cater to travelers.
The mall, called the Cambridge City Center, is currently owned by the city and leased to a variety of businesses. There are three retail shops inside and several offices. One, the National Guard, intends to move out when its new building is completed this fall.
The CBD also submitted a plan as to what the area to the north of the mall could look like if redeveloped. Planners envision additional parking, restaurants, offices and condominums. The need for a car could be extinguished by a resident who chose to live within walking distance of the depot and took the train to work.
This redevelopment is a future phase and would be dependent upon whether private businesses decided to build there and upon whether homeowners decided to sell their property.
While the train will benefit people commuting south from Cambridge to the Twin Cities, it will also pull workers into Cambridge from farther north.
"I foresee tremendous job opportunities in the near future," said Isanti County Coordinator Jerry Tvedt. "This is a change to the county that is going to have dramatic impact in terms of jobs for years to come."
He added, "It opens such doors for Isanti County. It opens such doors for economic development like we haven't seen yet."
"It could be a real win all the way around for Cambridge," said Guetschoff. "This is the single largest economic opportunity that has been put before Cambridge ever."
"We as a city see the potential for additional commercial and retail development," said Cambridge City Administrator Lynda Woulfe, "and the ability to show Cambridge as a great spot for tourism. There is a lot of potential for tourism in Cambridge that is untapped yet."
THE TRAIN: NEARLY A REALITY
The idea of reinstating the passenger train from Duluth to Minneapolis has been in the cooker for several years. However, it is only within the last year and one-half that it really began to pick up steam.
A group of county commissioners (including Isanti County Commissioner Larry Southerland) and city representatives from Duluth to Minneapolis began meeting once a month. Each entity chipped in money to help fund a feasibility study. An environmental impact study (EIS) is being done this summer.
"We've got a beautiful opportunity here," said Southerland. "All the ducks are in a row."
It is because of this advance work that the Northern Lights Express line is perfectly poised to receive federal funding. The House of Representatives Transportation Committee Chair is Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar, also a ranking member of the House. Oberstar strongly supports the project.
"At a time when gas is $4 a gallon, we need to give consumers as many options and alternatives as possible, " said Oberstar. "If we can take just 10 percent of the trips that are currently being made by automobile, and convert them to some other mode of transportation, we will save the equivalent of all the oil that we import from Saudi Arabia each year – 550 million barrels.
"I will do all I can to support this visionary project.”
TRAIN TRAVEL WILL BE FASTER THAN THAT BY CAR
The last passenger train ran from Minneaplis to Duluth in 1985. But back then, folks driving a car could reach Duluth faster than if they rode a train. Things will be different with the new train, dubbed the Northern Lights Express. Folks will be able to traverse the distance between the two cities in less than the time it would take to drive. This is key to the success of the line, observed Isanti County Commissioner Larry Southerland.
Also, passengers will not debark in Minneapolis at a station along Highway 280, far from anything, pointed out Guetschoff. Instead, they will be taken right into the heart of downtown Minneapolis to the new Twins stadium.
It will take about 15 minutes to reach the station along Foley Boulevard in Coon Rapids from Cambridge. It will be 35 minutes to Minneapolis, where the 110-mile-an-hour train will stop at the new Twins stadium. From there, passengers will be able to hop aboard a light rail line or bus to get to the office, the airport or the veterans' hospital.
For those seeking entertainment, the train will stop in Hinckley, a town that already swells to nearly 1 million because of the traffic brought in by the casino.
It is anticipated that those on the southern end of the line will take the train to get to work. This passenger train is different from the Northstar Commuter Rail being proposed that would need state funding.)
Seniors will be able to take the Heartland Express in Isanti and Chisago Counties to the train depot and travel down to the cities for entertainment and medical appointments – without having to worry about driving a car. It creates the opportunity for seniors to visit family members easier, as well, said Guetschoff.
"Gas prices are driving us all to change," he added.
There is also the potential that citizens will be able to travel all the way to Chicago much faster than it would take to drive, according to Southerland
The cost of riding the rail from Cambridge to Minneapolis is estimated at $15. However, those who ride frequently will be eligible for steep discounts, which may be as low as $7.
There will be cell phone repeaters on the train enabling passengers to use their cell phones during the entire ride. Wireless internet will also be available.
Passengers will be able to get work done, rather than merely waste time behind a windshield, observed Guetschoff.
Representatives from Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad are currently evaluating whether to add double tracks or even triple tracks along stretches of the route.
Safety has been considered, he pointed out. All crossings will have double gates that vehicles can't make it through.
CONGESTION ALONG HIGHWAY 95
The train will go from 0 to 60 miles per hour within three blocks. A crossing will be closed for 15 seconds and then reopen, which means the back-ups will be very short, quite unlike those caused by slow-moving freight trains, pointed out Guetschoff.
"It's going to be a fairly minimal deal," he added.
However, the task force that has been recently created will be charged with evaluating solutions to congestion caused by trains along Highway 95.
Although many have seen the train tracks as being a "lemon" for the city of Cambridge because of the congestion trains bring along Highway 95, Cambrige Mayor Marlys Palmer believes the passenger train will change that. "We'll make a wonderful pitcher of lemonade out of it," she said.
"I really do think this will be a wonderful thing for the city of Cambridge as a regional center, the whole county and even beyond that," said Cambridge Mayor Marlys Palmer. "I'm really excited about the good things it can bring.
"It will be a boon for the area."
CBD'S HISTORY OF HELPING GET THINGS DONE
Coming up with a depot concept isn't the first time the CBD has stepped in to help get something accomplished in Cambridge.
Thirty years ago, the organization built two pole buildings at Highway 95 and County Road 70. They were leased to the community college for five years, before the state set aside the money to purchase buildings. The purchase price? $1.
A few years ago, the CBD bought land for the future Cambridge Opportunity Industrial Park. They held onto the land, making sure it wasn't developed, until the city had the funds to buy it.
"We'll step in and create the synergy on the front end," noted Guetschoff.
"We have a very unique opportunity," said Commissioner Southerland, pointing out that the station locations are not yet set in stone.
"This is Cambridge's to lose," observed Guetschoff.
THE NEXT STEPS
The Cambridge City Council created a task force at its July 7, 2008 meeting. This group will evaluate potential locations for a depot, including the mall. City Administrator Lynda Woulfe expects the process to take about a year.
Members of the Passenger Rail Depot Task Force include: Susan Morris, George Larson, Bob Voss, Pat Johns, Nicki Klanderud, Jon Ward, Bob Guetschoff, Greg Carlson, Kim Erickson, Mark Anderson, Jackie Forner, Marlys Palmer, Dave Schornstein and Tesha M. Christensen.
The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 3 p.m. Subsequent meetings will likely be at the same time every second Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Legislature is considering a bill that would appropriate $850 million in grants for new high-speed rail projects. The line from Duluth to Minneapolis would be eligible for that money.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (H.R. 6003) has already passed the House. It is six votes shy of passing in the Senate. The city anticipates learning whether the bill has been signed into law by mid-August at the latest as the Legislature typically recesses at the end of July.
“The Amtrak bill is on track,” said Oberstar. “It’s going to become law even if the president is not on board.”
The projected date for completion is 2012.