HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.F.5. Letter of Support for Inter-City Passenger Rail Service Consent Business 4. F. 5.
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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Zach Stock, Administrative Intern
DATE: 02/03/2015
SUBJECT: Letter of Support for Inter-City Passenger Rail Service (D)
Action Sought
The Council is asked to authorize the Mayor to sign the attached letter of support
for inter-city passenger rail service.
Background
The City has been asked by communities within our region to write a letter to the
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) offering support for revisions
to the 2010 Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan to
elevate the Northfield—Metropolitan corridor from Tier Two to Tier One status.
Recommendation
Budget Impact
This item has no budget impact.
Relationship to Vision
This item relates to Goal D: Maintain, improve, and create strong partnerships with
other public and private sector entities.
Requested Action
The Council is asked to authorize the Mayor to sign the attached letter of support
for inter-city passenger rail service.
Attachments: Letter of Support
SHAKOPEE
February 4,2015
Commissioner Charles Zelle
Minnesota Department of Transpiration
395 John Ireland Boulevard, Mailstop 100,
St. Paul,MN 55155-1899
Dear Commissioner Zelle:
On behalf of the City of Shakopee,I am writing to encourage MnDOT to move restored inter-city
regional passenger rail service between south central Minnesota and the Twin Cities,on existing rail
lines through Northfield,to Tier One status in the State's 2015 revised Rail Plan. Along with elected
and appointed leaders from around our region,we see this project as one of common interest to our
communities,region and State.
The 2010 Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan identified the
Northfield- Metropolitan corridor for Tier Two development. We believe the forecasted levels of
usage,apparent technical feasibility and enthusiastic grassroots support for service in this corridor
warrant moving it to Tier One status for the purpose of preliminary study. Furthermore,this project is
more financially feasible than other proposed projects in the state as it would introduce passenger rail
service on existing rail lines.
We feel strongly that this project presents sufficient merit to our region and State to warrant Tier One
status and see it as beneficial to the economic development and growth of our city and region. We also
recognize the potential inter-state rail connections that this particular rail line would open for
Minnesotans by virtue of its intersection with three of Amtrak's most heavily trafficked inter-state
lines.
We strongly encourage MnDOT to elevate restored regional inter-city passenger rail service from
south central Minnesota to the Twin Cities metropolitan area,to Tier One status in the State's 2015
revised Rail Plan,and ask you to commence an evaluative study of the alignment as part of your
statewide rail planning.
Sincerely,
Mayor Brad Tabke
cc: Dave Christianson,Project Manager, Minnesota State Rail Plan
Dan Krom,Passenger Rail Director, Minnesota Department of Transportation
COMMUNITY PRIDE SINCE 1857
129 Holmes Street South•Shakopee,Minnesota•55379-1351 •952-233-9300•FAX 952-233-3801 •www.ShakopeeMN.gov