editorials

It's a big day for two groups of Minnesota civic dreamers. Two regional projects with statewide importance reach major milestones on their way toward fruition. Their progress ought to fire the imagination of others who aim to build a better Minnesota. The two projects:

Northstar commuter rail: At 8 a.m. at the Anoka County Government Center, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, federal transportation officials and a number of members of Congress and the Legislature will gather to ceremonially sign a $156.8 million federal funding agreement for the Minneapolis-to-Big Lake passenger train called Northstar. It's the final funding hurdle the long-envisioned train has to cross.

This isn't a big sigh-of-relief moment. Northstar has been politically out of the woods since winning Pawlenty's backing in 2004. It's been on track (the pun is irresistible) with the Legislature since receiving $37.5 million in bonding authority in 2005 and $60 million more in 2006.

Congress promised to match state funds in July 2005. But when Congress promises money, the check isn't always in the mail. Today's agreement turns the congressional promise into a bankable guarantee and triggers the release of state bond dollars for construction.

For commuters from the northwestern suburbs to downtown Minneapolis, Northstar promises a fast, comfortable, reliable-in-any-weather journey when it starts rolling in late 2009. It's expected to take upwards of 5,000 vehicles per day off the highways in a corridor that's already home to 650,000 people, and where 200,000 more residents are expected by 2025.

By then, if Northstar's dreamers have their way, the train will run all the way to St. Cloud. We hope today's ceremony helps keep that dream kindled.

Minnesota Bio Business Center: At 3:30 p.m. in Rochester, ground will be broken across the street from the home of the Mayo Clinic-University of Minnesota partnership, for a $26.6 million building inspired by that joint venture.

The partnership's focus on bioscience research sent Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede to an international conference on the topic in 2004. When a would-be industrial investor there spoke enthusiastically about "locating right next door to the Mayo Clinic," Brede resolved, "We as a city have to get on the ball."

That resolve will soon rise as an eight-story, 123,000-square-foot, city-owned business incubator, designed with "if you build it, they will come" faith in the bio-business drawing power of Mayo, IBM and the new University of Minnesota-Rochester. Mayo' s business development arm, Mayo Medical Ventures, will be a long-term tenant. Three floors remain for start-up entrepreneurs to claim. Up to six more floors can be added later if demand warrants.

Though the building will be city-owned, the state's $8 million financial participation was crucial to its creation. That bond authorization attests to state officials' belief that Rochester soon can be renowned worldwide not just for medical care, but also for biomedical research and technology.