Yesterday, the Olmsted County Board took an important step in advancing our community's approach to rail planning. The County allocated $100,000 in funding from its existing budget to support initial planning and analysis of Olmsted County's freight and passenger rail options.
Our community has a long history of
discussing rail projects. The County's action will move us from discussion to
objective analysis. The Olmsted County Regional Rail Authority now has necessary
funds to engage in the work that will help the community and decision-makers
understand all elements and alternatives as we look at the freight and passenger
rail needs of our region.
As is consistent with the long-held practice
and expectation in Minnesota, the Olmsted County Regional Rail Authority is
responsible for taking the lead on initial planning work, including studies and
analysis. Throughout this process, the Regional Rail Authority will coordinate
with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and federal agencies to ensure
these processes are consistent with the needs and expectations of state and
federal transportation agencies. The planning process will be open and
transparent -- citizen engagement is a critical part of these planning steps.
Please email us at info@semnrail.org with any questions.
