Along with their regional partners, the
Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority and
Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority have begun an Alternatives Analysis compliant with the Federal Transit Administration’s
New Starts program.
The Alternatives Analysis process involves a thorough inventory of transportation issues and trends within a study area and develops a range of potential transit investments that can effectively address both near- and long-term transportation problems. The various alternatives are evaluated by locally defined study objectives, input from local stakeholders and federal measures for cost-effectiveness, environmental benefits and operational feasibility.
At the conclusion of the Alternatives Analysis, the Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority and Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority will recommend adoption of a single alternative for adoption into the
Transportation Policy Plan maintained by the Metropolitan Council. The results of this Alternatives Analysis will help the Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority determine how best to approach later stages of design and funding strategies.