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Supporting the initiation of the Ford Corridor Study.
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WHEREAS, the Riverview Corridor is a transitway corridor in the cities of Saint Paul and Bloomington Minnesota, serving urban and suburban communities; and
WHEREAS, a pre-project development study has been completed to analyze bus and rail alternatives in the Riverview Corridor study area connecting the Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the Mall of America in Bloomington and the neighborhoods in-between; and
WHEREAS, a pre-project development study was completed to evaluate and recommend transit service that enhanced mobility and access to opportunities for residents, businesses and the region and to cultivate economic prosperity; and
WHEREAS, the pre-project development study was a joint local and regional planning effort conducted by Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee and led by the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority in collaboration with local and regional partners; and
WHEREAS, the study included thorough technical analysis of alternatives including multiple bus and rail modes and multiple route alignments providing service within the study area; and
WHEREAS, the technical analysis identified two separate travel markets in the Riverview Corridor study area; and
WHEREAS, one market, the Highway 5 market, is served by the Riverview Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative; and
WHEREAS, the other market, the Ford Corridor market, consists of the area between the Riverview Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative and the Blue Line in Minneapolis encompassing the Ford Site (see attached figure); and
WHEREAS, by selecting Alternative 4b as the Riverview Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative, the Policy Advisory Committee recognized the need for the City of Saint Paul, Metro Transit and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to work in consultation with Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and the City of Minneapolis to develop and deliver separate transit, livability and economic development investments to the Ford Corridor as soon as possible; and
WHEREAS, comments submitted by agencies, adjacent communities, the business sector and the public related to the Ford Corridor during the Riverview Corridor Locally Preferred Alternative comment period and throughout the duration of the pre-project development study will be addressed accordingly in the Ford Corridor technical analysis; and
WHEREAS, the public will continue to be engaged throughout the Ford Corridor technical analysis to ensure that any project resulting from the analysis is reflective of the needs of the diverse communities within the Ford Corridor; and
WHEREAS, Metro Transit, working closely with the City of Saint Paul and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, are committed to studying and implementing feasible, near-term transit improvements to better serve the existing Highland Park area; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul, Metro Transit and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority are committed to undertaking an evaluation of how best to serve and connect the Ford Corridor, including a future potential redeveloped Ford site, to a future potential Riverview Corridor, the existing Blue and A Lines, and the existing transit system with new transit options (such as regular route transit, arterial bus rapid transit, and rail transit) or restructured existing regular route bus service that will include the following benchmarks:
• Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, working collaboratively with Metro Transit and the City of Saint Paul, to develop a work plan and management structure by April 30, 2018.
• Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to secure funding for the analysis by April 30, 2018.
• Establishment of a Policy Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and Citizens Advisory Committee by August 30, 2018.
• Completion of the study prior to seeking municipal consent for the Riverview Corridor, currently anticipated to be in mid-2020.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Saint Paul requests Metro Transit, working closely with the City of Saint Paul and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, to analyze and implement feasible, near-term transit improvements to better serve the existing Highland Park area; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the next phase of study for the Riverview Corridor plans for a seamless connection between the West 7th Street portions of the Riverview Corridor with the Ford Corridor; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Saint Paul supports the initiation of the Ford Corridor Study, a partnership with the City of Saint Paul, Metro Transit and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, to undertake an evaluation of how best to serve and connect the Ford Corridor, including a future potential redeveloped Ford site, to the Riverview Corridor, the existing Blue and A Lines, and the existing transit system with new transit options (such as regular route transit, arterial bus rapid transit, and rail transit) or restructured existing regular route bus service that includes the following benchmarks:
• Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, working collaboratively with Metro Transit and the City of Saint Paul, to develop a work plan and management structure by April 30, 2018
• Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to secure funding for the analysis by April 30, 2018
• Establishment of a Policy Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and Citizens Advisory Committee by August 30, 2018
• Completion of the study prior to seeking municipal consent for the Riverview Corridor, currently anticipated to be in mid-2020;
and;
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the City of Saint Paul will forward this resolution to the Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee, the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority and the Metropolitan Council for their consideration.