Spurring economic development in the upper Midwest and alleviating road and airport congestion are just two of the possible positive benefits of high-speed rail in Minnesota, which is suddenly within reach because up to $8 billion is allocated for U.S. rail projects as part of the stimulus bill.
Now comes the hard part: Working through a thicket of engineering, environmental, financial and political issues in order to apply to the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), which will release its strategic plan on April 18 and the federal funding application guidelines on June 17.
Among the most critical questions is the route itself. Despite being on the drawing boards for years as a St. Paul-Chicago line, there is statewide debate on whether the route should serve Rochester -- the vital, vibrant home of the Mayo Clinic and a burgeoning bioscience industry -- by rerouting the line through the city or adding a spur west from Winona.
One certainty seems to be that St. Paul's Union Depot will be a main terminal. But should it be the only one? Minneapolis is the commercial hub not just of the metro area, but of a multistate region. Is it feasible, cost-effective and acceptable to the FRA to extend the line from St. Paul to the planned intermodal transit hub to be built near Target Field?
And if so, can it be linked to the proposed Northern Lights line, which would connect the Twin Cities with the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior? And what of including Fargo-Moorhead as well as St. Cloud, two regional cities integral to the state's economy? It's not just a high-speed rail decision, however. Using federal funds for necessary track upgrades may have an impact on the proposed Red Rock and Bethel-Cambridge commuter rail lines through the southeastern and northern suburbs.
With high-speed rail application deadlines fast approaching, it's now up to the state to answer the myriad policy questions and prepare the proposal to the FRA. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has indicated an interest in high-speed rail and delegated the proposal process to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. This should build confidence in the technical and management aspects of the state's response. Commissioner Tom Sorel appears ready to provide the leadership needed after Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau's tumultuous tenure. The agency is working on a statewide rail plan, but it won't be complete by the application deadline.
Sorel has invited more than 30 organizations to take part in a forum to consider the many issues, but decisions will need to be made quickly. There is keen competition between the federally designated high-speed rail corridors, many of which would have higher ridership projections and do not face the same route uncertainties that have surfaced in Minnesota.
By design, MnDOT is a relatively apolitical organization. High-speed rail issues, however, are rife with politics, including the Minneapolis vs. St. Paul and Twin Cities metro vs. outstate Minnesota rivalries.
