City Council Meeting Date: June 16, 2026
To: Mayor and Members of Council
City Administrator
From: David E. Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Consider Resolution providing communication and outreach support with Hiawathaland Transit.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves Resolution providing communication and outreach support with Hiawathaland Transit.
Summary Report:
At the April 15, 2026, Northfield Transportation Advisory Committee (NTAC) meeting, Hiawathaland provided an update on numerous items related to transit operations and challenges. NTAC had items for Hiawathaland Transit to further elaborate on and these included:
• Shortening trip times on the Red & Blue Routes.
• Demand Study - determine if 3rd Route could be added and does it align with MnDOT funding needs? Gap in demand, understanding of how funding works.
• How does 3rd route function?
• Can a hospital stop be added?
• More evening service beyond 6 p.m. when Blue and Red route stop service.
• Expanding express route (doesn’t run when St. Olaf & Carleton are out).
• Limited amount of goods on bus (storage).
• How does Hiawathaland funding formula work? Why does Northfield pay vs. Dundas Pay, should they pay if stops are added in Dundas?
• Who helps design the routes, Blue, Red, and Express Routes?
• St. Olaf/Carleton - route gap or missing locations.
• Update of payment technology.
• Ridership user breakout.
Hiawathland’s attached presentation that was shared with NTAC tries to address the questions above. One of the items that Hiawathland is challenged with is communication and outreach to potential riders. So the NTAC committee supported a resolution that Council considers assisting with Communication and Outreach. The City has a communication staff member that could assist and help share information on the transportation options that Hiawathaland provides.
City Plans & Policies Relevance:
This work is supported by the City’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Plan, and Strategic Plan.
The 2045 Comprehensive plans identifies these challenges:
• Community engagement identified a strong unmet need for reliable and effective public transit in Northfield.
• Public transit is provided by Hiawathaland Transit, offering two limited fixed routes, dial-a-ride services, and a weekday regional route to Faribault every two hours.
• Current transit routes and transfer locations do not align well with areas of highest need, particularly census tracts with the greatest number of households without vehicles.
• Fixed routes are infrequent, have limited coverage, and only connect at the Transit Hub, resulting in long wait times and complicated transfers.
• Service hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) do not accommodate second- and third-shift workers.
• Limited transit access creates time, convenience, and financial burdens, especially for households that depend on transit.
• Major destinations (hospital, shopping areas) are located at opposite ends of the city, making cross-town trips difficult.
• While centrally located, the Transit Hub requires safer crossings of Highway 3 to better connect to downtown and east-side destinations.
• Future transit planning should add stops near shopping and medical services and involve key user groups such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, and college students.
• Transit is essential for affordability, regional connectivity, climate goals, and should be integrated with compact, connected land use and walkable development planning.
Alternative Options:
Council could consider not providing communication support. Staff believes we can assist in sharing information to inform the public.
Financial Impacts:
NA
Tentative Timelines:
After Approval, communication staff will reach out Hiwathaland to support communication outreach.