HomeMy WebLinkAbout99-016 RESOLUTION
DATE January 19, 1999 RESOLUTION NO. 99-16
MOTION BY Mulvihill SECONDED BY Luick
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING STUDY OF THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILROAD
CORRIDOR TO MINNEAPOLIS FROM NORTHFIELD THROUGH LAKEVILLE FOR
COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE
WHEREAS, the Regional Blueprint projects that the Twin Cities Metro Area will grow
by 650,000 people and Lakeville will grow by 40,000 people (1 of 15) by the year 2020, and;
WHEREAS, traffic on Lakeville roads will increase dramatically based on the City's
adopted 50-year transportation plan and traffic on Dakota County roads is expected to increase
by nearly 80 percent by 2020 with commuting times expected to double without action to reduce
roadway congestion, and;
WHEREAS, the cities, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration,
Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Dakota and Scott County
Highway Departments and Rail Authorities must evaluate transportation alternatives to maintain
the quality of life and level of transportation service expected by its residents, and;
WHEREAS, the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railroad owns a rail line and corridor to
Minneapolis through the cities of Northfield, Lakeville, and Burnsville in Dakota County, and;
WHEREAS, this Canadian Pacific corridor has been evaluated in the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Study on Commuter Rail, Phases I and II, and;
WHEREAS, the MnDOT Commuter Rail Study, Phase II Report is now complete and
. the results .will be presented to the Minnesota Legislature in the 1999 Legislative Session, and;
WHEREAS, the Commuter Rail Study, Phase II Report places the Northfield to
Minneapolis CP Railroad Corridor (known as Line L) in the first tier (Line B, Elk River; Line N,
Hastings; and Line T, Minneapolis/St. Paul) to support commuter rail, with the recommendation
that this corridor receive further study and evaluation, and;
WHEREAS, the City of Lakeville by Resolution No. 97-222 has previously supported:
a) the acquisition of the currently unused CP Rail line and corridor through Lakeville, Burnsville
and Savage for principal use as a recreational trail, b) that if the line cannot be acquired for
• principal use as a recreational trail, then the three cities support an effort to secure appropriate
resources for addressing the detrimental consequences of the rail line and corridor within the
three communities; c) that if the line cannot be acquired for principal use as a recreational trail,
the three cities support efforts to explore potential development of passenger rail service on the
line and within the corridor;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
Lakeville hereby declares support for further evaluation and study of the Northfield through
Lakeville to Minneapolis Canadian Pacific Rail corridor (Line L), including an environmental
assessment of the potential of commuter rail service on the rail corridor, and examine
opportunities and barriers to commuter rail service for City of Lakeville residents, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Lakeville requests
to have representation on any committees formed to complete studies on this CP rail corridor,
and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the
Federal Highway Administration, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Department of
Transportation, Dakota and Scott County Highway Departments, Rail Authorities and elected
State and Federal representatives.
Passed and duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Lakeville this 19t" day of January,
1999.
1
Du e Zaun, Ma o
ATTEST:
i
Charlene Friedges, City Cl
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