Sponsor: Public Works
Title
title
2025 Funding Commitment to the Great River Rail Commission
end
Recommendation
recommendation
1. Accept the Great River Rail Commission’s 2025 Work Plan and Budget.
2. Approve the payment of $16,400 to the Great River Rail Commission as the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority funding commitment to the Great River Rail Commission 2025 Work Plan and Budget.
end
Background and Rationale
body
The Great River Rail Commission (Commission) is a joint powers board established under Minnesota Statutes, Section 471.59. Member parties on the Commission include the regional railroad authorities from Ramsey County, Goodhue County, Wabasha County, Washington County and Winona County, the La Crosse Area Planning Committee, the cities of Cottage Grove, Goodview, Hastings, Lake City, Newport, Red Wing, Saint Charles, Saint Paul, Saint Paul Park, Utica, Wabasha and Winona, and Wacouta Township.
The Borealis is a daily round-trip passenger train service between Union Depot in Saint Paul and Chicago Union Station that began revenue service on May 21, 2024. The Borealis service is operated by Amtrak and serves 13 cities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
The Commission actively supported the development of the Borealis service by using its communication resources to inform the public of the benefits of increased passenger rail service and activate support for the Borealis. The Commission successfully lobbied state legislators to provide $10 million as Minnesota’s share to match a federal grant secured by the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation for track and signal improvements. The Commission also provided an opportunity for public engagement at their regular meetings during the development of the Borealis service.
Pursuant to the members’ Joint Powers Agreement (JPA), the five regional railroad authorities and the La Crosse Area Planning Committee are financial parties, responsible for payment of annual dues that fund the Commission’s annual work plan. The dues are based on a formula established in the JPA that includes population, existing passenger rail route mileage and station stops within the jurisdiction of each financial party and a base amount shared equally among all financial parties.
The Commission considered two revenue options and adopted a 2025 Work Plan and Budget of $40,000 on September 5, 2024. Within the Commission’s final adopted budget, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority’s 2025 funding commitment was identified as $16,400.
More information on the Great River Rail Commission can be found at:
<https://www.greatriverrail.org/>
end
County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
The Commission advocates for the implementation of faster and more frequent passenger train service in the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern route along the Mississippi River between Saint Paul, MN and Chicago, IL. The Borealis added another affordable and accessible travel option that is well connected to urban centers and other destinations. Demographic data for the entire service area is undetermined; however, Union Depot is the only passenger train station in the Twin Cities, serving all of Ramsey County and the entire metro area population. Contracts for construction of track and signal improvements will comply with federal rules for hiring of disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses.
Community Participation Level and Impact
In 2024, the Commission promoted the inaugural run of the Borealis service from Union Depot and supported celebrations in Red Wing, Winona, and La Crosse. The Commission continues to promote the Borealis through social media and distribution of printed material, and through business roundtable groups in Red Wing, Winona, and La Crosse. The Commission provides an opportunity for public feedback on the Borealis operations at their regular meetings. The Commission also monitors progress on other passenger rail studies led by the Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of transportation so it can provide an opportunity for public engagement about those studies that could add faster and more frequent passenger train service to the Commission’s member parties.
The Commission discussed the draft 2025 Work Plan and Budget at their meeting on June 6, 2024, and adopted the final version at its meeting on September 5, 2024. This board action serves to inform the public of the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority’s funding commitment to the Commission.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding in the amount of $16,400 for Ramsey County’s funding commitment to the Commission is available in the 2025 Public Works Multimodal Planning operating budget.
Last Previous Action
On April 9, 2024, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority approved a payment of $16,400 to the Great River Rail Commission for its financial commitment to the 2024 Commission budget (Resolution R2024-009).
Attachments
1. Great River Rail Commission Adopted 2025 Work Plan and Budget