Mall site ranked top for NLX station

City prioritizes four sites, has yet to rule any out

The Cambridge City Center is the best spot for a passenger rail depot in Cambridge, according to an independent consulting firm.

After evaluating four sites, Hay Dobbs concluded that the mall site has the necessary infrastructure already in place. The former Ritchart Ford dealership location was ranked second.

Tom Dobbs of Hay Dobbs presented results from the study to the Passenger Depot Location Task Force on Tuesday, March 9, 2010. He stressed that this was not a final decision. “There is a whole body of engineering and planning work that needs to be done moving on from here,” Dobbs stated.

“We’re not eliminating any site. What we’re doing is prioritizing them,” said Cambridge City Development Director Dave Carlberg. He added that as they move forward, planners will evaluate the top two sites.

ABOUT THE STUDY

The study completed by Hay Dobbs was narrow in focus. There were six areas it evaluated: the site area, infrastructure, physical elements, ownership/use/control, financial and local government/community controls. Dobbs explained that the first three areas are relatively objective. Consultants considered whether the sites were contiguous pieces of land, could physically support a platform, had the option of expansion, were linked to roads, trails and sidewalks, were served by city sewer and water, and were on flat parcels.

The second set of criteria was more subjective. Sites were ranked according to how well they fit in with the city’s comprehensive plan, the cost of acquisition, demolition and remediation, and local preferences.

Four sites were considered: the Cambridge City Center, First Baptist Church, Affordable Properties and the former Ritchart Ford dealership. Sites received a rank from one to five on the various criteria, and those ranks were then weighed according to an pre-established set of values. The Baptist Church location and Affordable Properties were ranked close together, at 15.4 and 15.7 points respectively. The former Ford dealership earned 17.6 points, and the city mall 20.15 points.

Dobbs explained that they were primarily considering whether the locations could handle a 600-foot-long, 20-foot-deep platform, ticketing office and 100-car parking lot.

CONCERNS

Local business owner George Johnson questioned whether congestion at Highway 95 and the train tracks was factored into this study. “I feel that it’s a very important factor,” Johnson said. “It’s critical to the community.

Dobbs responded that it was not considered, but will be in a later engineering study. “There will be no funding until it’s looked at,” he said.

He added that a more in-depth study can’t be completed until work has been done to evaluate how many trains per day there will be, what times they will run, and what the size of the trains will be.

Carlberg responded that contrary to the perception out there in the community, these passenger rail trains will not sit on the tracks and block Highway 95 as freight trains do now. Whether the trains are at full speed or still speeding up after leaving the mall, the amount of time the highway will be blocked will be 15 to 30 seconds, added task force chair Bob Guetschoff.

Carlberg said that this initial study did not factor in whether the station would be on the east or west side of the tracks. This decision will be based on the type of platform used, which has not yet been fixed.

Johnson also asked whether the study factored in the requirements of a commuter rail station in addition to the passenger rail station. Dobbs stated that the space needed for either passenger or commuter trains was essentially the same.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The next step in the process is to complete the 18-month preliminary environmental impact statement (EIS). During this stage, potential parcels of land between Duluth to Minneapolis will be evaluated. Noise and vibration, as well as the larger impacts on property values, will be considered, according to Dobbs. A preferred route will be created, and a station design will be drawn up. This will be done by the end of 2010. Next, there will be the draft EIS and then the final EIS.

Dobb stressed that this entire process is a long one. The goal is to have the Northern Lights Express passenger rail line operating by 2012 or 2013.

Hay Dobbs was hired by the larger Passenger Rail Alliance to evaluate potential sites in Hinckley, Sandstone, and Cambridge, as well as at the Grand Casino in Hinckley.

SETBACKS

The Passenger Rail Alliance experienced two setbacks recently, reported Carlberg. On Feb. 12, the alliance met with Burlington Northern Sante Fe (BNSF) officials in Texas. The initial plan was to install a second set of tracks 14 feet from the freight line for a 100 mile-stretch of Northern Lights Express. However, because of the high speed of the trains, BNSF officials said the spacing needs to be 21 feet. BNSF is worried about the safety of its workers, according to Carlberg. “This takes a $600,000 million [project] up to $900,000 million to $1 billion,” said Carlberg, plus the cost of acquiring additional right-of-way.

The NLX board responded by deciding to remove much of the double tracking it had initially planned. This, however, will affect how fast the train can go in certain areas. This puts the ability of NLX to travel between Minneapolis and Duluth in two hours in jeopardy. A study has shown that riders will only take the train if the ride is faster than driving a car.

The second setback was the loss of a $114 million grant to pay for triple-tracking the line from Foley to Minneapolis. The money would also have been used to upgrade the Foley station.

Despite these setbacks, “the group is committed and looking at alternatives,” said Carlberg.

PICKING UP STEAM

Isanti County endorses Cambridge as site of passenger rail depot

CAMBRIDGE – Recognizing that Cambridge is a regional trade center the Isanti County Economic Development Authority has endorsed locating the new train depot there.
There is competition for the site of the new Northern Lights Express depot, particularly by those in Isanti County's southern township, Athens.
Resolutions such as the one the county EDA approved on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008 will help solidify the Cambridge location, pointed out Cambridge Business Development Corporation President Bob Guetschoff. He was speaking to the recently formed task force that is evaluating the best location for a depot. The group met for the first time on Aug. 12.
"The more resolutions we can have from county groups, cities and chambers that support this train the easier it will be to get this accomplished," Guetschoff said.
Cambridge City Administrator Lynda Woulfe noted that Cambridge receiving the depot "is not an absolute 100% deal." But the city is dedicated to making it impossible to pick any place but Cambridge. "We are trying to be in front of the train," she said.
"It is ours to lose," remarked Guetschoff.
Towards this end the city hopes to identify a depot location and solutions to the congestion on Highway 95 by the end of this year.
EDA SUPPORT
The resolution passed by the county EDA pointed to the fact that the city of Cambridge, particularly the downtown area, was identified by the consultants hired by the St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority.
TEMS, Inc. favors a downtown location due to the depot being within walking distance to major trip generators, employment and activity centers. These include the Cambridge Medical Center, which employs over 900 people and treats 131,000 outpatients annually; the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College which enrolls 4,876 full-year equivalent students; and GracePoint Crossing senior living community which employs 508 people.
Another advantage to the Cambridge location is the dedicated city bus which is part of the bigger Heartland Express system that stretches out over two counties.
Cambridge is bisected by two heavily traveled state highways, 95 and 65, which carry an average of 23,000 and 13,000 vehicles a day.
Cambridge has been identified as a regional trade center, pulling in shoppers from a trade area that includes 103,645 people and stretches up to Pine City.
NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS
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.
This inter-city rail line is different from the commuter rail also being proposed that would link Cambridge up to the Northstar line running between St. Cloud and Minneapolis.
The project is supported by Congressman Jim Oberstar, who heads up the House Transportation Committee.
The Northern Lights Express Line will be part of a larger system, linking to Chicago and then crisscrossing the United States.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act has been approved by both the House and the Senate. A few details (such as whether to privatize the system) remain to be worked out in committee meetings once the Legislature resumes session. The bill will pour $850 million into rail projects across the county, grants which the Northern Lights Express line is eligible for. Federal funds will pay for 80% of the estimated $362 million it will cost to upgrade the tracks and purchase the trains.
Each community where a depot will be located is responsible for paying for the construction of a depot.
This is one reason using the existing city-owned mall is so attractive. Transforming the mall into a depot is being proposed by the Cambridge Business Development Corporation, which intends to present its plan to the task force in September.
POTENTIAL DEPOT LOCATION: CAMBRIDGE MALL
Guetschoff briefly explained why the CBDC chose the mall. It is the largest space between Main Street and the railroad tracks. It is close to the Highway 95/Main Street connection. And the mall is already a city-owned building, which would cut down on the costs of establishing a depot.
The plan being proposed would 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 neighborhood to the north of the mall could be redeveloped with additional parking, restaurants, offices and condominiums.
Since the idea was made public in July only one negative call was made to city hall about the idea, according to Cambridge Community Development Director Dave Carlberg. Several home owners in the area being proposed for possible redevelopment called to ask for advice on whether to re-roof or re-side their homes. One asked if the city wanted to purchase their land now.
"I was amazed," said Carlberg. "I expected some fall-out."
NEXT STEPS
The task force intends to work fast to identify a location. The group will meet the second Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m. Members 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.
Criteria for site selection will include a location in the downtown area with enough space for parking. The group intends to follow the TEMS report as closely as possible. The task force will also consider how traffic will be affected by potential depot locations, and whether there are links for pedestrians.
First steps will include defining who the users of the train will be and where they will be going once they hit Cambridge. The group will also list options for transporting people once they alight from the train to where they want to go, be it the college, medical center or canoeing on the Rum River.
Guetschoff suggested that a future step for the group be identifying tourist destinations throughout the entire county.
"I think this will be outstanding for our downtown area," said George Larson, the Isanti County Commissioner who represents the city of Cambridge.
Along with picking a specific depot site, the task force will also evaluate how to solve the congestion along Highway 95. Members intend to review the information gathered by the Highway 95 Task Force last year, specifically focusing on a possible railroad bridge.


ABOUT THE INTER-CITY PASSENGER TRAIN
• The line will begin with eight trains
• Trains will travel at a maximum of 110 miles per hour. High speed will be in remote areas; trains will sow down in highly-populated towns.
• Crossings between Duluth and Minneapolis will be double-armed, and no vehicle will be able to sneak through.
• Train line is expected to bring $40-60 million in economic benefits to Cambridge.
• Federal funds will cover 80% of the project.
• Each city is responsible for providing its own depot.
• An estimated 100,000 people will get on and off the train in Cambridge each year. This number does not include anyone using the train to commute daily to work.
• The passenger rail line is expected to change its function and perform more as a commuter line from Cambridge south. However, this line is not the same as the Northstar commuter train being proposed. The cost to ride this high-speed line will be higher than the commuter train which will have more stops.
• There will be 6 stops: Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, Cambridge, Hinckley, Superior and Duluth.
• At the south end, passengers will debark at the new Twins stadium.
• A loop may bring riders straight to the casino in Hinckley.
• The ride from Duluth to Minneapolis will be two hours, less than the time it would take to drive a car. The ride from Cambridge to Minneapolis will be 35 minutes.
• The cost of riding from Cambridge to Minneapolis will be an estimated $15.

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.