Kimley-Horn, under contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), has conducted a review of guidance documentation on the design and operation of Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCIs), with a particular focus on signal-controlled RCIs. In addition to synthesizing information from a variety of sources, MnDOT also interviewed representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)—the two states with the most implemented signalized RCIs in the United States at this time. This document summarizes the findings of this literature review, and is intended to be used as a working best practices guidance document for the design and operation of signalized RCIs in Minnesota.
The purpose of the Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan (“State Rail Plan”), pursuant to Minnesota Statute Minnesota Session Law 2008, Section 174.03 subd 1b, is to guide the future of the rail system and rail services in the State. The development of the Plan, managed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), included extensive involvement by the private sector, public officials, and representatives, as well as the general public.
The Southeastern Minnesota Freight Rail Capacity Study is a look at the future of freight rail in the city of Rochester and the surrounding areas of Olmsted and Dodge counties, as well as an analysis of the potential need for a rail bypass to minimize the impacts of a large increase in freight rail traffic through downtown Rochester. Divided into two parts—a Feasibility Report and an Alternatives Analysis Report—the study represents the first publicly funded analysis of freight railroad operations and impacts to the city. The Feasibility Report examines existing traffic levels of the current railroad operations of the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railroad, as well as projections covering possible future levels of freight and passenger train traffic and the infrastructure necessary to accommodate increases in freight traffic along the existing corridor. The Alternatives Analysis Report presents an evaluation of impacts to the affected communities and the surrounding region, conceptual engineering and costs related to various design options, and strategies to mitigate identified impacts. The principles that have defined and shaped this study's development include an open and transparent, impartial, and factual assessment of conditions and alternatives in a fully public and participative process. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Olmsted Regional Railroad Authority (OCRRA), who were charged with its implementation, have operated in the spirit of these principles to actively involve all parties with an interest in the issues.
On December 16, 2009, Congress directed funds under the Rail Line Relocation and Improvement program for the Southern Rail Corridor project, referred to herein as the Southeastern Minnesota Freight Rail Capacity Study (SEMNFRCS). The Southeastern Minnesota Freight Rail Capacity Study is a freight rail planning project proposed by Olmsted County Regional Railroad Authority (OCRRA) to evaluate the need and feasibility to mitigate and/or relocate the existing Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) freight rail line in Rochester to accommodate a potential increase in train traffic and address capacity, environmental, and safety concerns associated with the current route through the city's downtown. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has been designated as the grantee of these funds.
The project is intended to advance the study of reasonable and feasible alternatives, including improvements to existing infrastructure and consideration of a bypass around Rochester, through completion of an initial environmental analysis of all alternatives. In order to qualify for future federal and state funding, the study must be conducted in accordance with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines. MnDOT, in coordination with OCRRA and FRA, will complete a series of technical reports and analyses that can be included in subsequent environmental documentation as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Minnesota Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) compliant environmental review process, and will result in three primary milestones, as noted in the FRA approved Statement of Work.
This Appendix A outlines the capital cost estimate used to develop the various costs used to input in to the FTA New Starts templates. The capital cost estimate is based on the Preliminary Engineering (PE) effort completed in June 2001. The capital cost estimate has been adjusted to account for the truncated project that now runs 40 miles from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis. The costs for the layover facility and terminal station (Big Lake) were modified to reflect the adjustment in project length. Further, two stations were eliminated as farther analysis of the system was completed to make the project as cost effective and efficient as possible.
The capital cost estimate identifies a total cost for track and signal improvements at $49,882,200 in 2003 year dollars. A Work Group was established by the Minnesota State Legislature to update information about the cost of improving and operating on the host railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). This Work Group and BNSF worked together and an upper end budget of $100,625,900 (again in 2003 dollars) was established. It is expected that prior to the submittal of the Request to Enter Final Design, this gap will be reduced and the project costs will be better defined.
This capital cost estimate also includes the cost for the Hiawatha LRT extension from 1 Avenue North to the multi-modal station connection with the downtown Minneapolis commuter rail station. These costs have been modified since the last submittal to reflect the addition of two light rail vehicles to accommodate the additional corridor length for the Hiawatha LRT system.
The Northstar Corridor Rail Project will serve a 40.1 mile transportation corridor extending from Big Lake, Minnesota to downtown Minneapolis. The proposed rail project will operate on the existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) freight rail line, and will include a vehicle maintenance facility in Elk River, a layover facility, and track and signal improvements. Eighteen trains (with 4 passenger cars) a day will serve six stations. Except for the Minneapolis downtown station, each station will have a park and ride facility. At the downtown Minneapolis multimodal station, Northstar will connect to the new Hiawatha light rail transit (LRT) line. The Northstar project includes the necessary 4-block extension of LRT to make this connection.
The goals of the Northstar Project, as established by the Northstar Corridor
Development Authority (NCDA) in 1998, include:
1. Providing a cost-effective and efficient transportation option
2. Improving mobility, and
3. Encouraging transportation-supportive land use.
More specifically, Northstar's objective is to transport commuters to work in downtown Minneapolis, in a safe, fast, and reliable manner.
