City Council Meeting Date: October 21, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Resolution of Support for Passenger Rail Service Between the Twin Cities and Kansas City.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves resolution supporting passenger rail service between the Twin Cities and Kansas City through Northfield.
Summary Report:
The Northfield City Council is being asked to support a resolution supporting passenger rail between the Twin Cities and Kansas City through Northfield.
The proposed City Council Resolution supporting the development of new passenger rail service between the Twin Cities and Kansas City represents an important opportunity for Northfield to advance its goals of equity, sustainability, and economic vitality. By adopting this resolution, Northfield signals to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, and regional partners that the community is ready to play a proactive role in shaping and benefiting from the corridor’s development. Local support is essential in federal and state funding applications, including MnDOT’s anticipated Corridor Identification Grant submission, as such resolutions demonstrate strong municipal alignment and commitment to intercity rail infrastructure. In a multi-jurisdictional project of this scale, early and visible support from key communities like Northfield helps strengthen the overall proposal and ensures that smaller cities are not overlooked in favor of larger metropolitan areas when future station locations and capital investments are determined.
The establishment of a passenger rail connection along the Twin Cities-Kansas City corridor would yield multiple benefits that align closely with Northfield’s comprehensive planning and sustainability goals. Passenger rail offers a more equitable and sustainable form of regional transportation by expanding mobility for residents who do not own vehicles, including lower-income households, students, older adults, and those with disabilities. It provides more affordable access to employment centers, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities across the region. If implemented with attention to equitable station design, fare affordability, and safe pedestrian and bicycle connections, the service can significantly improve regional access and reduce transportation barriers that currently limit opportunity for many residents. From a sustainability perspective, passenger rail travel is substantially more energy-efficient than automobile or air travel, producing lower greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile. It also promotes compact, transit-oriented development and reduces vehicle miles traveled-important contributors to Northfield’s climate and emissions reduction objectives. Furthermore, capital improvements associated with rail infrastructure-such as upgraded crossings, better signaling, and reduced freight congestion-can enhance safety and efficiency for all transportation users, including motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
The economic development potential of passenger rail is equally compelling. Experience from other Midwest corridors demonstrates that rail investment can be a powerful catalyst for local growth, particularly when communities plan station areas for mixed-use development, public space, and multimodal connectivity. Northfield’s existing Transit Hub and the restored historic Depot create a strong foundation for such planning. A station in or near this area could attract new housing, retail, and service-oriented businesses while supporting tourism and local spending. Rail connections to the Twin Cities, Des Moines, and Kansas City would strengthen Northfield’s appeal to employers, entrepreneurs, and institutions seeking a community that offers both small-town character and regional access. Passenger rail also supports local vendors and service industries through procurement and maintenance contracts. National studies by Amtrak and the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative have shown that rail investments generate substantial secondary benefits in local spending, employment, and tax revenue, while also supporting more efficient freight movement and reducing highway maintenance costs over time.
Comparable passenger rail initiatives in the Midwest and elsewhere provide valuable precedent. The recent “Borealis” route between Saint Paul and Chicago, for example, exceeded its first-year ridership projections by roughly 50 percent, showing that when service is reliable, convenient, and regionally connected, demand can far surpass expectations. Missouri’s “River Runner” between St. Louis and Kansas City has demonstrated strong economic returns, estimated at over $20 million annually in local benefits, even in largely rural regions. Similarly, California’s “Capitol Corridor” and the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative both highlight how sustained coordination among state, regional, and local governments can turn initial pilot services into robust and financially viable transportation assets. In all cases, success has depended on deliberate, long-term collaboration among host communities, transit agencies, freight railroads, and state departments of transportation, along with active station-area planning and public engagement to integrate new rail service into local economies and transportation systems.
Northfield is particularly well-positioned to benefit from and contribute to this emerging corridor. Its location midway between the Twin Cities and key southern Minnesota and northern Iowa destinations makes it an ideal intermediate stop, while its educational institutions-Carleton College and St. Olaf College-create consistent travel demand and a population supportive of sustainable mobility options. The City’s commitment to multimodal planning, walkability, and transit connectivity provides an existing framework for linking regional passenger rail with local bus and bicycle infrastructure. Northfield’s endorsement of this resolution strengthens the case for federal and state investment by demonstrating that local governments along the route are organized and aligned around shared transportation, economic, and climate objectives. At the same time, early engagement will give Northfield greater influence over routing decisions, station placement, and the design of supporting infrastructure.
To realize the full benefits of this investment, Northfield will need to continue integrating rail planning into its broader transportation and land use strategies. This includes preparing for potential station-area planning, aligning zoning to encourage mixed-use and affordable housing near the Depot area, ensuring safe and equitable first- and last-mile access, and exploring how local and regional transit can serve as effective feeders to the corridor. With proactive planning, the proposed passenger rail service can reinforce Northfield’s long-term vision for a connected, sustainable, and economically resilient community. In sum, City support for this resolution is both a practical and strategic step toward positioning Northfield as a key partner in a transformative regional transportation project that advances equity, reduces environmental impact, and strengthens the economic foundation of the community.
The City Council previously approved a letter of support in November 2024 (attachment #2), along with other area cities, counties, and other organizations, supporting passenger rail though Northfield. MnDOT’s State Rail Plan for 2025-2035 did result in the inclusion of the Twin Cities to Kansas City (TC to KC) corridor is a priority corridor for intercity passenger rail thanks to advocacy work of Northfield and other communities and stakeholders.
Members of the City of Northfield, Rice County, Chamber of Commerce, and the Northfield Depot recently met with representatives of All Aboard Minnesota, which is a non-profit education and advocacy organization focused on the expansion and development of intercity passenger rail within Minnesota and the upper Midwest. They aim to maximize existing routes, support the addition of new routes, and expand passenger amenities to improve the experience of riders.
All Aboard Minnesota was a driving force in the Twin Cities to Chicago Borealis service added and is now looking for support for a Twin Cities to Des Moines to Kanas City route that would go through Southern Minnesota, including a stop in Northfield. This route, which would go through three major population areas, is estimates at 190,000 riders per year and would connect Minnesota to existing Amtrak routes serving Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
A link to the All Aboard Minnesota website (attachment #3) and additional information on the proposed route (attachment #4) are included.
For the 2026 legislative session, All Aboard Minnesota is supporting a bill that would allocate $1 million from the state general fund in FY 2026 for planning, data collection, and grants to political subdivisions and as a state match as required for federal funding. This resolution would provide Northfield’s official position of support and would be included in City advocacy related to upcoming legislation.
Alternative Options:
The City Council can choose not to offer support for this initiative, but it is not recommended by staff.
Financial Impacts:
No impact to the City of Northfield related to this request. The request for funding from the State would be for $1 million.
Tentative Timelines:
This resolution would be utilized immediately for legislative action support.