Rochester continues to move forward on securing high-speed passenger rail for our community and state. A recent article posted on the Post-Bulletin website mentioned a potential “speed bump” in Rochester’s efforts to advance high-speed passenger rail. However, a later article provided clarification and affirmed Rochester’s standing in future rail planning, including this quote from Mn/DOT:
Dan Krom, director of Mn/DOT's passenger rail office, said that a Rochester-to-Twin Cities high-speed rail line will happen.
"Our state rail plan declares that Rochester, as a regional center, needs to be connected to the Twin Cities and to other regional centers - and that would be a greenfield line," he said.
There are a few other points that may be helpful in understanding how the state's rail planning is progressing:
- A Rochester route is included in Mn/DOT's alternatives analysis for a route between Madison, WI and the Twin Cities. Mn/DOT will evaluate a route along existing rail beds not a greenfield (new track) alignment. This is not news to Rochester leaders -- the Alliance is active in Mn/DOT's Passenger Rail Forum, has regular interaction with Mn/DOT regarding progress on the statewide rail plan and have provided considerable input into this long and complicated process. We understand the parameters of the current analysis and its impact on Rochester and the state.
- For this specific alternatives analysis, the Federal Railroad Administration is requiring Mn/DOT to focus on using existing rail lines/beds. However, that does not mean that federal funds cannot be used on projects using new green field alignments along former rail lines or new routes. As evidence of this, California is advancing a high-speed passenger rail line -- using federal funding -- that includes portions of the line on new greenfield alignments.
- A Rochester to Twin Cities high-speed passenger rail corridor is also included as one of the three highest priority high-speed passenger rail corridors in Mn/DOT's statewide rail plan -- development of this line is independent from and not directly related to the analysis being done on the Chicago to Twin Cities line. While we still believe that a greenfield alignment for a Chicago-Rochester-Twin Cities line is the best long term investment for Minnesota, the Alliance is devoting its attention to development of the independent Rochester to Twin Cities line. These efforts include the following:
- Outreach and engagement of leaders and elected officials in Dakota County;
- Active participation and input into Mn/DOT's process for evaluating its priority corridors within the state; and
- Monitoring the Olmsted County Regional Rail Authority's development of a work plan for study and development of a line from Rochester to the Twin Cities.
As you can see, we continue to move forward and aggressively participate in rail planning for Rochester and the state with particular emphasis on connecting Rochester to other major economic centers. There are a number of processes underway as part of this planning process -- those processes take time and can be confusing. However, they are not speed bumps -- just steps along the way in making Rochester high-speed passenger rail a reality for Minnesota. The Southeast Minnesota Rail Alliance remains committed to that effort.
