Don Heinzman column --

Officials are predicting the Northstar rail passenger cars will be entirely full from day one as they travel the 40 miles back and forth from Big Lake to the Target Field transit hub in Minneapolis.

The North Star Commuter Rail line officially gets its start on Monday, Nov. 16 but for weeks, the trains have been going over the tracks in readiness for the actual beginning.

Here, a local legislator boards the Northstar train on its way to the Twin Cities transit station at Target Field, Minneapolis

(Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

This is the first commuter rail in the region and the second rail transit system, first being the Hiawatha Light Rail in southwest Minneapolis.

For years, in survey after survey, the public has wanted better transportation systems.  The Metropolitan Council, which runs the rail and bus system, finally is answering the plea.

By 2014, the council will have completed six transit ways totaling 115 miles.

This will include the Central Corridor line along University Avenue connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul and a northwest corridor carrying passengers into Minneapolis from Eden Prairie.

Planning is under way to have passenger rail connecting the Twin Cities and Duluth.

The Metro Council transportation plan includes bus transit on I-35W between Lakeville and downtown Minneapolis, on County Road 81 from Minneapolis to Osseo,  Dayton and Rogers and on Cedar Avenue from Lakeville to the Mall of America.

Improving and building highways is also part of the plan. The goal is to double transit ridership by 2030.  Last year, 82 million rode on buses and trains, including 10 million on light rail.

Cost of the Northstar rail project is $317 million, including $2.5 million for the 18 new rail cars.

Over half of the money came from federal taxpayers, $100 million from state taxpayers and and $51 million from Hennepin, Anoka and Sherburne counties. They drew $12 million from the quarter-penny sales tax from shoppers in Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Washington and Anoka counties.

Operating Northstar will cost $17 million, with $12 million coming from the quarter-penny sales tax.

A Northstar locomotive, #505, awaits the Nov. 16 opening (Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

Dan Erhart, Anoka County commissioner, has been a key point person for Northstar.  (They should name a locomotive after him.)  Congressman James Oberstar, who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Committee, has been a major backer.

The project was stalled until Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty decided to back it, releasing all kinds of financial and political support.

Critics, however, say all that money could be better spent on building roads, highways and bridges.  Backers say Northstar will carry two-thirds the number that one new lane in each direction of Highway 10 and 35W would accommodate.  And they project building an extra lane in each direction of the two highways would cost $2.2 billion compared to the $317 million for Northstar. This calculation does not include the operating expenses.

In its transportation plan, the Metropolitan Council, favors removing obstacles from the highway system and extending roadways.  A good example is the extension of Highway 610, helped immensely by federal stimulus funds.

Nov. 16 will be a new day for transit. All aboard. – DON HEINZMAN