Commuter Rail Eliminated From Gateway Corridor Options

Bus rapid transit is emerging as a top option for mass transportation in the Interstate 94 corridor from St. Paul to Wisconsin, according to a report to the Gateway Corridor Commission by its advisory committees.

The committees ranked two of the “high” and two “medium," based on their projected daily ridership, cost, potential for economic development, need for property acquisitions, traffic impacts and travel times. The commission also eliminated one of the options at its meeting Thursday, March 15. 

Here’s information on the high, medium and eliminated options:

• Alternative 3, bus rapid transit in a dedicated 11.5-mile long lane along Hudson Road and Interstate 94, scored high in the areas of cost ($420 million) and travel time (16 minutes from Oakdale to the Union Depot). It scored in the midrange on daily ridership at 5,400.
• Alternative 8 includes bus rapid transit in a 14.4-mile long managed lane—similar to a MnPASS lane—that would also be used by carpoolers and individual drivers who pay a fare. It’s the only option that would measurably improve traffic flow in the Manning Avenue to Woodbury Drive/Keats Avenue segment of the interstate, said Stephanie Eiler of CH2M Hill. The option also ranks high in the area of cost ($590 million) and travel times (15 minutes from Oakdale to the Union Depot). It ranked low in daily ridership at 4,600.

• Alternative 2, adding simple upgrades such as shoulder lane improvements for buses and park-and-ride lots, scored high in the area of cost ($65 million) and travel times (15 minutes from Oakdale to the Union Depot). It scored low in its impact on economic development and daily ridership, at 3,300.
• Alternative 5, light rail transit for 11.5 miles along Hudson Road and Interstate 94 scored high in daily ridership, at 9,100 and travel times (14 minutes from Oakdale to the Union Depot). At $980 million, it scored low on cost.

Alternative 7, a 99.9 mile commuter rail line on existing track that would have passed through Oakdale, going from Eau Claire to St. Paul, was eliminated Thursday by the Gateway Corridor Commission.

“Where that track is, it just doesn’t lie within the dense population and employment areas of Minnesota,” Eiler said.

It ranked low in cost at $1.23 billion and projected daily ridership at 3,900.

The Gateway Corridor Commission is scheduled to choose a preferred option in early summer. To learn more about the different options and give feedback, visit http://thegatewaycorridor.com/, or attend an . 

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