Northfield Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Date: April 15, 2026
To: Members of the Northfield Transportation Advisory Committee
From: David Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
NTAC receives an update on Southeast Minnesota Transit Management Organization Implementation Phase.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield Transportation Advisory Committee receives an update on Southeast Minnesota Transit Management Organization (SE MN TMO) Implementation Phase.
Summary Report:
At the January 21, 2026 NTAC meeting, NTAC passed a motion for the City Council to support continuing the SE MN TMO study so the City of Northfield can further understand how forming a TMO could address transportation challenges locally and regionally. City Council passed the supporting resolution on February 10, 2026 (Attached - Resolution 2026-020).
The City of Chatfield, as the sponsoring governing agency, sent out an RFQ for continued pre-launch efforts as identified in the first phase of the Southeast MN TMO Feasibility study report published in June 2025. Southeast Service Cooperative has been contracted to carry out the work in this phase of the project, and the Cooperative has also been identified as the likely organization host for the TMO if it is established.
This next phase of work Southeast Service Cooperative will be to working on the TMO Implementation Plan, which will closely follow the TMO study Appendix G which is attached.
Background From January 21, 2026 NTAC Meeting
At the July 2025 NTAC meeting, SE MN Together Mike Thorsteinson, Joel Young with (CEDA), and Ulla Hester with Alta Planning shared that they have a grant for a SE MN TMO study. The goal of the study is to advance transit systems, service, and facilities across the 11-county SE MN and determine if a Transit Management Organization will meet the region's needs.
The Study goals aimed to "determine an organizational structure that can deliver resources to address the region's tran...
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