Next Step Taken in Gateway Corridor Transit Project

During environmental-impact work, a transit mode will be selected, either light rail or bus rapid transit in a dedicated lane.

The Gateway Corridor Commission recently contracted a company to craft a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). The document will mark the next phase in the Federal Transit Administration process for developing a transit line along Interstate 94 between St. Paul's Union Depot and Woodbury with connections to Hudson, Wis., and Minneapolis. The DEIS is meant to “inform decision-makers and the public of the social, economic and environmental impact of the proposed transit line,” reads part of a release from the Gateway Corridor Commission. “Examples of impacts include wetlands, protected species of animals and plants, as well as impacts to people, such as minority populations and cultures.” The environmental-impact work will take about …

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Washington County Board Discusses Gateway Corridor Transit Project

Members of the Gateway Corridor Commission addressed concerns of mass transit opponents at last week's Washington County Board meeting.

Plans to update the I-94 "Gateway Corridor" with some form of high-speed mass transit from St. Paul into western Wisconsin were discussed at last week's Washington County Board meeting, according to a Woodbury Bulletin article by Riham Feshir.  According to the Gateway Corridor Commission website: After extensive analysis and considerable public involvement from business leaders and residents in the community, the Gateway Corridor Commission identified two options – a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a Light Rail Transit (LRT) line along Hudson Road from St. Paul to Woodbury – as the best options for the region.   At the board meeting last week, residents voiced concerns about how the project would affect current bus schedules they …

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Link: Gateway Corridor Plans Would Run Stations Along Northern Woodbury

A Star Tribune report.

Decision on Gateway Corridor Transit Options Postponed

The Gateway Corridor Commission is taking a few extra months to study the remaining seven options for transit between St. Paul's Union Depot and Hudson, WI, along Interstate 94.

When are we going to get a picture of the future of transit in the Woodbury area? The Gateway Corridor Commission is postponing its decision on a preferred mode and route for transit between St. Paul’s Union Depot and Hudson, Wis., to August or September, said senior transportation planner Andy Gitzlaff. The commission had previously planned to select a preferred alternative by early summer, however, members voted Thursday to continue to study the remaining seven alternatives a few months longer, he said. The time will be used to look at ways to increase the ridership numbers for the bus rapid transit options and to narrow the routes that would travel along East Seventh Street and Hudson Road to reduce their property impact, he said. Once …

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What Does Woodbury Think of the Gateway Corridor Options?

What do you think? Which is the best transit option for Interstate 94?

The Gateway Corridor Commission plans to decide this summer which type of transit would work best to get commuters from St. Paul to Hudson, WI, along Interstate 94, with connections to Minneapolis on the West, and Eau Claire, WI, on the east. Light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), a combination of bus rapid transit and a managed lane (similar to a MnPASS lane) and a no-build option are all under consideration. Related: Bus Rapid Transit Options Top List for the Gateway Corridor As part of its decision-making process, the commission held open houses in March and April in St. Paul, Hudson, Eau Claire and Woodbury to allow the public to give feedback on the alternatives. Opinions expressed at the open house in Woodbury ranged from…

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Kris Janisch

9:05 am on Monday, April 23, 2012

Agreed, Ralph, that it would be a heck of a lot easier to put in a transit system now rather than 20 years from now. You hear that rails don't move and bus lines can, but I wonder if growth followed rail transit in other cities?   more ›

Want to Weigh in on I-94 Transit? Thursday’s Your Chance

The Gateway Corridor Commission will host an open house from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 5, at Woodbury City Hall.

Within a few months, the Gateway Corridor Commission plans to choose its top option for transit down Interstate 94. And while the commission has already winnowed its choices somewhat—ranking bus rapid transit high on its list and cutting out the option for commuter rail—there’s still time for the public to give input on the remaining options, which include light rail transit and doing nothing. (Plans call for new a transit system between St. Paul and Hudson, WI, with connections to Minneapolis and Eau Claire, WI.) The commission is holding an open house from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 5, at Woodbury City Hall to provide information about the different options and hear from the public. Here’s some more information on the Gateway Corridor …

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Commuter Rail Eliminated From Gateway Corridor Options

Both options that got the "high" ranking included a bus rapid transit component. One would be on a dedicated lane; the other would add a lane similar to existing MnPASS lanes.

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 seven transit options being considered “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 7, a 99.9 mile commuter rail line on existing track that would have passed through Oakdale, going from Eau Claire to St. Paul, …

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Business Leaders Push I-94 Transit Improvements

The Woodbury and St. Paul chambers of commerce hosted a joint meeting in Woodbury last week to go over the latest transit alternatives for the Gateway Corridor.

If the east metro wants to maintain a vibrant business climate, a strong transportation system will have to be part of it. That was the message conveyed last week when nearly 80 business leaders—many from the Woodbury and St. Paul chambers of commerce—met at Globe University to explore the latest plans for the Gateway Corridor, the ribbon of Interstate 94 stretching from downtown Minneapolis to Eau Claire, Wis. For the St. Paul Chamber, improving transit options along the corridor is “an extreme high priority,” said Dan Scott, a member of the group’s board. Woodbury Chamber member Greg Watson said the transportation system in the east metro must be improved if the area wants to attract and retain large employers. Much of the transit …

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Five Things You Might Not Know About The Gateway Corridor

A study is under way to look at possibilities for rail and bus transit along Interstate 94 from St. Paul to Wisconsin.

Interstate 94 could be congested from downtown St. Paul to Manning Avenue by 2030 if nothing is done to expand capacity or add transit options to the Gateway Corridor, according to a Washington County transportation official. But cities along the corridor are already working together to develop a plan for future transit, and by spring the commission expects to have chosen one preferred transit mode and route for the area, Washington County Senior Transportation Planner Andy Gitzlaff told the Oakdale City Council at a Jan. 10 workshop. Possible modes being considered include bus rapid transit, express bus service, light rail, commuter rail and a toll lane similar to the existing MnPASS lanes. Routes could include stations near 3M, Sun Ray …

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Letter to the Editor

Commissioner Weik: Talking Transportation In Woodbury

The Washington County Board member who represents most of Woodbury says progress is being made on I-94 study, new St. Croix River bridge.

As fall takes the stage as the next act in our theater of seasons, a number of topics, such as the annual budget, are up for discussion on the county level. But the most prominent and important topic was transportation this summer. The Gateway Corridor Commission was created in 2009 to study and plan alternative transportation options for the area along Interstate 94. The transportation study is looking at alternatives to alleviate congestion along I-94 that includes a new St. Croix River Crossing and transit options. As chair, I work with local elected officials and community leaders in the Gateway Corridor. Commission members are Ramsey County and Washington County Regional Railroad Authorities, the cities of Afton, Lake Elmo, Lakeland, …

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