City Council Meeting Date: November 26, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Resolution of Support for Passenger Rail
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves Resolution Support for Regional Passenger Rail Service Through Northfield.
Summary Report:
The Northfield City Council is being asked to support a resolution supporting passenger rail in Southern Minnesota.
MnDOT will be revising the State Rail Plan for the coming decade of 2025-2035 starting the first of 2025. Area communities, such as Northfield, are being asked to sign a letter of support to Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger expressing support for continued prioritization of the Twin Cities-Albert Lea and Twin Cities-Mankato passenger rail corridors as Phase 1 of the 2025 State Rail Plan and for the introduction of a passenger rail designation for the existing east-west Canadian Pacific/former DM&E rail line that connects the Mankato and Albert Lea Corridors in Southern Minnesota, and affords the opportunity to extend passenger rail service to Southern Minnesota cities including Waseca, Rochester/Mayo Clinic/DMC and Winona.
In addition to Northfield, the following Southern Minnesota cities have signed the letter of support: Albert Lea, Austin, North Mankato, Savage, Richfield, Waseca, Rosemount, Belle Plaine, Faribault, Tracy, St. Paul, and St. Peter. Rice County, Steele County and Carleton College have also offered support. Other cities, counties, and organizations may join the letter as well.
Attached is a resolution of support (attachment #1), a copy of the letter of support being signed by Northfield and other area communities and partners (attachment #2), a passenger rail update video from an October 24th regional meeting (attachment #3), and a map of phase 1 from the 2025 Minnesota State Rail Plan (attachment #4).
Alternative Options:
The City Council can choose not to offer support for this initiative, but it is not recomm...
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