urbanMSP

I wonder what the chances are that sometime that down the road this could also make a stop at SPUD. Might increase ridership and help to utilize the underutilized concourse.

The main problem with our current track configuration in Minneapolis is that any trains arriving via St. Paul and departing via NE Mpls require a head in then a back out from the Target Field station stops. Of course, I have an expensive solution to fix that which involves one level of a bi-level transit tunnel under Downtown Minneapolis.

Sounds like you better win the Powerball Matt.

And that would only cover the local match.

We should make a lottery pool for funding a Minneapolis transit tunnel. May get it done quicker, too.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/new ... 38401.html

And today, St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority delivered an update on the project during a meeting Wednesday morning in Two Harbors.

Confirming there will be six stops in the route from Minneapolis to Duluth which includes Coon Rapids-Foley, then Cambridge, Hinckley and Superior.

The environmental portion of the project is almost complete.

That final phase includes evaluating improvements for the 187 railway crossings along the route, and how the changes will impact the environment.

When that's completed by March, 2017, construction will begin on the high-speed rail system.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/new ... 38401.html

And today, St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority delivered an update on the project during a meeting Wednesday morning in Two Harbors.

Confirming there will be six stops in the route from Minneapolis to Duluth which includes Coon Rapids-Foley, then Cambridge, Hinckley and Superior.

The environmental portion of the project is almost complete.

That final phase includes evaluating improvements for the 187 railway crossings along the route, and how the changes will impact the environment.

When that's completed by March, 2017, construction will begin on the high-speed rail system.

I wish the media would call it higher speed rail since thats what it is, but I suppose to the average person that hasn't been to Europe or Japan any fast train is high speed rail.

I like the optimism in that article, but I feel they should have included a "get the legislature to fund another choo-choo (albeit one that will serve Real Minnesota, instead of just those metro leeches and criminals)" step in their timeline.

wait... has this been funded already? Or is that expected to be something that could potentially delay this project? How likely is this timeline going to happen?

0% likely. No funding yet identified nor proposed this session.

0% likely in acs world means 10% likely in reality.

So you have some secret info then about how to pay for a statewide project then? Because all 3 bonding proposals leave this project out and we've heard absolutely nothing about a new statewide revenue stream nor an application for federal funding this session. And next session runs through May so again, how is March of 17 even remotely doable?

Or maybe you are just taking the opportunity to make a cheap shot?

So you have some secret info then about how to pay for a statewide project then? Because all 3 bonding proposals leave this project out and we've heard absolutely nothing about a new statewide revenue stream nor an application for federal funding this session. And next session runs through May so again, how is March of 17 even remotely doable?

Or maybe you are just taking the opportunity to make a cheap shot?

I think the overall negativity on this forum is a shame. A LOT can change with this fall's vote. A LOT. And if not, it certainly doesn't seem advantageous to crap all over someone else's optimism. If you're right, and this project never moves forward, then your point will be made. No need to dig in and make someone else feel bad. I think too many people like to 'rule the roost' on this forum, wanting everyone to fall in line with one way of thinking or not. How is that remotely fun or a benefit to everyone? Each of us has passions, things we find interesting, and things we like to discuss. So it seems odd that we spend so much time with tit for tat. I think we all want a lot of the same things - and think we should focus more attention on that instead of making others feel bad for being excited about something.

I never said it would never move forward, the original question was whether a march of 17 groundbreaking timeline was possible. It's not, for the reasons I listed above.

I never said it would never move forward, the original question was whether a march of 17 groundbreaking timeline was possible. It's not, for the reasons I listed above.

Fair enough. But I still think that there are lots of moving parts and variables, that could make a March 17th date still possible.

It's a project with bipartisan support and has been recognized as a higher priority project at the national level. They've already cut the cost down to $500-$600 million, making it much more likely to be funded. There is never a 0% chance.

There's never a 0% chance in a physics sense, but God, even *I* don't want this to happen. Not yet. We have more important things to do first.

For perspective, an 80% match at $600M means they would only have to bond for $120M. That's less than the SWLRT bonding on the table.

'Northern Lights Express linking Twin Cities to Duluth quietly hums along'

http://www.startribune.com/northern-lig ... 380581341/

Hinckley loop study is finished. There will be no Hinckley loop.

https://content.govdelivery.com/account ... ns/14f1676