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State Representative David Bly
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0171
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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HOUSE PASSES DAN PATCH RAILWAY LEGISLATION
Legislation Included in Omnibus Transportation Policy Bill
ST. PAUL – The Dan Patch Railway legislation authored by Rep. David Bly cleared a significant hurdle today when the House passed the Omnibus Transportation Policy bill. Bly, who worked to include the legislation in the final transportation policy bill, said this was an important step toward providing the South Metro with 21st Century transportation options.
"Just this week we learned that Metro Transit ridership is at an all-time high," said Bly. "There clearly is a demand for more transit options and the people of the South Metro deserve to have those options. This legislation moves us in that direction."
During the first three months this year, officials with the Metro Transit service said there were 1.3 million more riders in 2008 than 2007, the largest transit ridership increase in 24 years.
Viability for the Dan Patch railway was studied by MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council Transit 2020 Plan in the late 1990's and was given the same rating as the Northstar Corridor that is currently under construction. However, legislation in 2002 pulled the plug on any further actions related to the Dan Patch railway. The legislation would repeal the limitations, re-opening the option to study the viability of the Dan Patch railway. Bly said given what it takes to build a light rail line like this, it's important to start planning today.
"We're not going to be able to build a light rail line that connects Northfield to Minneapolis overnight, that's why it makes a lot of sense to start considering this now," said Bly. "It takes significant work between local, state, and federal officials, and I look forward to leading those efforts to move this project forward."
Recent studies have shown that transit ridership is at an all-time high in Minnesota. Bly said this trend fits into the broader transportation direction the state should travel.
The Omnibus Transportation Policy will now go to the Senate, and then to the Governor for this signature before becoming law.
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