Agenda Gateway Corridor Commission (Rescheduled) March 23, :30 PM

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1 Agenda Gateway Corridor Commission (Rescheduled) March 23, :30 PM Woodbury City Hall, Birch Room 8301 Valley Creek Road Woodbury, MN Notes: There will NOT be a DEIS Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting proceeding the Gateway Corridor Commission (GCC) Meeting this month. Item Action Requested 1. Introductions Information 2. Consent Items Approval a. Summary of January 14, 2016, Meeting* b. Checks and Claims* 3. Draft Environmental Impact Statement* Information 4. Communications Update* a. Twitter Account* Information b. Website Redesign Information 5. Results of Focus Groups Conducted by the Counties Transit Improvement Board Todd Rapp, Himle Rapp* Information Legislative Strategy Brian McClung, MZA+Co* Information 7. Other Information a. Engagement and Meeting Dates Summary* b. Social Media and Website Update* c. Media Articles* 8. Adjourn Approval *Attachments For questions regarding this material, please contact Jan Lucke, Washington County at (651) or at jan.lucke@co.washington.mn.us.

2 Gateway Corridor Commission Draft January 14, 2016 Meeting Summary Woodbury City Hall, Birch Room Members Agency Present Rafael Ortega Ramsey County X Lisa Weik Washington County X Mary Giuliani Stephens Woodbury X Dan Kyllo West Lakeland Township X Jane Prince St Paul X Randy Nelson Afton X Mike Pearson Lake Elmo X Paul Reinke Oakdale X Bryan Smith Maplewood X Amy Williams Lakeland X Victoria Reinhardt, Alternate Ramsey County Ted Bearth, Alternate Washington County Richard Bend, Alternate Afton Bob Livingston, Alternate Lakeland Paul Rebholz, Alternate Woodbury Justin Bloyer, Alternate Lake Elmo Dave Schultz, Alternate West Lakeland Township X Ex-Officio Members Agency Present Scott Beauchamp St Paul Chamber of Commerce Ed Schukle Landfall Village Randy Kopesky Lakeland Shores Bill Burns Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce Tim Ramberg WI Gateway Coalition Doug Stang 3M Jason Lott Woodbury Chamber of Commerce X Lisa Palermo Woodbury Chamber of Commerce Matt Kramer St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce X Others Jan Luke Lyssa Leitner Laura Kearns Andy Gitzlaff Will Schroeer Beth Barts Jeanne Wuzik Josh Straka Tom Cook Agency Washington County Washington County Washington County Ramsey County East Metro Strong SRF KHA US Representative McCollum Metropolitan State University Page 1 of 5

3 Susan Kent MN Senate Kimberly Slaughter HDR John Kahl Washington County Lobbyist Tim Cossalter Senator Klobuchar s Office JoAnn Ward 53A - Minnesota House of Representatives Peter Wagenius City of Minneapolis John Bradford Woodbury Brian McClug MZA+Co Judy Cook Cook Girard Associates Tom Diamond ---- Pat Bursaw MnDOT Amy Vennewitz Metropolitan Council Ryan Garcia Metropolitan Council Harry Melander Metropolitan Council Linda Stanton Resident Peggy Rectn Resident Mary Mullouney Resident The Gateway Corridor Commission convened at 3:00 p.m. by Chair Weik. Agenda Item #1. Introductions Introductions were made by those present. Commissioner Ortega arrived at 3:05PM Agenda Item #2. Election of Chair and Vice Chair for 2016 Chair Weik asked if there were any nominations for Chair for the 2016 term. Mayor Giuliani Stephens nominated Commissioner Weik. Commissioner Ortega seconded. No other nominations were presented. All were in favor. The motion carried (11-0). Commissioner Weik was voted in for another term as chair of the Gateway Corridor Commission for Chair Weik called for nominations for vice chair for the 2016 term. Mayor Williams nominated Commissioner Ortega. Councilmember Reinke seconded. No other nominations were given. All were in favor. The motion carried (11-0). Commissioner Ortega was voted in for another term as Vice Chair of the Gateway Corridor Commission for Agenda Item #3. Consent Items Item 3a. A motion was made by Commissioner Ortega to approve the October 15, 2015 and the December 18, 2015 meeting summaries. The motion was seconded by Mayor Giuliani Stephens. Councilmember Smith abstained. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Item 3b. Checks and Claims: A motion was made by Councilmember Reinke to approve the checks and claims. The motion was seconded by Mayor Person. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Agenda Item # Work Plan and Budget Ms. Lucke stated the first reading of the Work Plan and Budget was in October The most significant Page 2 of 5

4 comment at that time was to add a Government Relations task. The second reading was in December 2015 with the revision added. The Work Plan and Budget remains the same from when it was last presented in December Only the grant funds, from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB, that are anticipated to be spend in 2016 are reflected in the budget. Mayor Giuliani Stephens mentioned a couple of changes. The date on page 3 needs to be updated, which was previously mentioned by Chair Weik. Item #5 needs to change from summer 2016 to summer Mayor Giuliani Stephens asked if there was a benefit to adding in the station area planning to show the goal to align it along with the work cities are doing to their comprehensive plans. Ms. Lucke deferred the question to the commission. Chair Weik said that it sounded logical. A motion was made by Commissioner Ortega to approve the 2016 Work Plan and Budget with changes. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pearson. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Agenda Item # Meeting Calendar Commissioner Ortega commented if there is no business to be reviewed during any certain month that there is no reason to have a meeting. Councilmember Reinke made a motion to approve the 2016 meeting calendar. The motion was seconded by Mayor Giuliani Stephens. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Councilmember Prince arrived at 3:17PM Agenda Item # Insurance Renewal Ms. Lucke gave a brief review of the insurance renewal request. Ms. Lucke stated Julie Sorrem with Washington County Risk Management suggested that the commission not waive the monitory limits on tort liability established by Minnesota Statues. Commissioner Ortega made a motion to approve the 2016 Insurance Renewal without waiving the statutory tort liability limits. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pearson. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Agenda Item # Strategic Communications Contract Ms. Leitner gave a brief presentation on the interviews conducted for the strategic communications contract. Eight proposals were received. Four companies were interviewed. Staff recommended hiring MZA+Co. along with their sub consultant Cook Girard Associates for an amount not to exceed $150,000. Commissioner Ortega made a motion to approve the 2016 strategic communications contract in an amount not to exceed $150,000. The motion was seconded by Mayor Williams. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Brian McClug (MZA+Co) and Judy Cook (Cook Girard Associates) introduced themselves to the commission and gave a brief background on themselves and their respective companies. Page 3 of 5

5 Agenda Item #8. Draft Environmental Impact Statement Item 8a. Commissioner Weik said at the PAC meeting the commission decided to delay an action on the managed lane alternative until the TAC provides input. Commissioner Weik suggested the commission not override the decision of the PAC and table this item until after the PAC acts. Commissioner Weik asked staff to provide a brief overview of the managed lane process. Ms. Leitner said the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) submitted a letter to both the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Gateway Corridor project in March They requested that the Gateway Corridor project revisit a managed lane alternative that was previously eliminated in the Alternative Analysis (AA) phase. FHWA felt there could be an alternate way that a managed lane and bus rapid transit (BRT) could be implemented that may rank better than the one studied in the AA. The FHWA had three main concerns: 1. The elimination of feasible alternative that may better achieve the project purpose and need with fewer adverse impacts 2. The need to fully inform decisions on the allocation of limited right of way in the corridor 3. The potential degradation of Interstate ramp terminal operations due to the interaction with the facilities under consideration. Members with Washington County, Ramsey County, MnDOT, Metro Transit, FHWA and Met Council have worked very diligently at a technical level over the past year and a half to respond to FHWA s concerns. FHWA submitted another letter to FTA in January 2016 to state that they approved the level of analysis and agreed that BRT in a dedicated lane better met purpose and need than a managed lane alternative. They also stated that their three original concerns were addressed. Councilmember Reinke made a motion to postpone agenda Item 8a until March. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Ortega. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Item 8b. Ms. Leitner gave a brief overview of the activities the Kimley-Horn team did in December for Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This information was provided within the packet. Item 8c. Ms. Leitner said over the past several months the Commission has been working to refine the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). The PAC passed a resolution of support in early October The City of Woodbury passed their resolution of support in December The City of Lake Elmo did not pass a resolution of support at their January 5, 2016, meeting. Separate from the Lake Elmo vote, there have been multiple activities over the past few months that require a time and cost extension of the DEIS contract with Kimley-Horn. There have been three high level items that have driven this contract extension are: 1) The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) delay of review of the DEIS which has added about 6 months onto the schedule; 2) Multiple conversations and activities to make this a better project going into project development; and 3) Increasing the level of community engagement. Items that have been added to the extension as a result of the Lake Elmo action are Project Management, LPA alternative, Stakeholder Coordination (3 month project extension from August 31 November 30, 2016). This information has been added since the December commission meeting. The Locally Preferred Alternative work task assumes the alternatives evaluation process could include a phased or shorter system than currently defined or new routes that have not been considered. There are two options available for Enhanced Public Engagement/Corridor Video/Animation. A scaled back Page 4 of 5

6 outreach effort (option A) or a robust outreach effort (option B). Staff strongly recommends option B due to the fact at the December meeting the conversation was extremely robust about the importance of public engagement. As this project continues to develop and becomes more viable, the need to communicate very clearly with stakeholders and the public about project details becomes more important. Under option A (a scaled back outreach effort) the preparation of a corridor wide video would also be eliminated from the work scope. Councilmember Smith asked is amount for option B is in addition to option A or if the fees shown are their own individual totals. Ms. Leitner said they are their own standalone totals. Commissioner Ortega made a motion to approve the DEIS Contract Amendment option B in the amount of $937,940. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Prince. All were in favor. Approved. The motion carried. Commissioner Ortega exited at 4:10PM. Agenda Item #9. Communications Update Information was provided in the packet to read at the commission s leisure. Agenda Item #10. Other Information was provided in the packet to read at the commission s leisure. The meeting adjourned at 4:15PM Page 5 of 5

7 Agenda Item #2b DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Staff Checks and Claims DEIS Contract (Kimley Horn) 12/1/15 12/31/15 $101, /1/16 1/31/16 $73, Contract Utilization = 79% Communications Contract (Dehler PR) 11/1/15 11/30/15 $5, /1/15 12/31/15 $6, /1/16 1/31/16 $6, Contract Utilization = 65% Total $193, Detailed invoices can be made available upon request. Action Requested: Approval

8 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 1 DATE: March 3, 2016 Agenda Item #3 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Jeanne Witzig, Kimley-Horn DEIS Update Gateway Corridor Environmental Impact Statement PROGRESS REPORT TO THE GATEWAY CORRIDOR COMMISSION MARCH 2016 SUBMITTED BY JEANNE WITZIG, KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC. Key Work Activities/Progress during from mid-january to mid-march 2016 Meetings Project management team (PMT) - Held meeting on February 24, Meeting focused on resolution of Managed Lane Alternative, locally preferred alternative process update, status/review of Draft EIS Chapters and Technical Reports, and upcoming coordination activities. Technical and Community Advisory Committees (TAC) The TAC met January 20, The meeting focused on the updated LPA process, a walk-through of the Gateway Corridor, focusing on key findings from the technical analysis completed to date, and review/recommendation (to be provided to the PAC) regarding how to address the Managed Lane Alternative in the Draft EIS. Oakdale Neighborhood Topic Discussion (Environmental Issues/Analysis) Two, two hour meetings were held on February 24 (4-6 pm and 6:30-8:30 pm). Each session included an approximately 30-minute presentation followed by general question and answer. KHA/SRF team prepared PowerPoint, handouts, presented and staffed the meetings and prepared summary of discussion. Meetings with MnDOT CRU Conference call discussions were held on February 17 and March 3, Check in calls focus on status of survey work, next steps in the Section 106 process, and coordination activities with stakeholder agencies, including FTA and SHPO. BPO/SPO/Gateway Coordination Meeting Meeting held on February 1, Key topics included coordination of EIS schedules, FTA review/contacts, and issue area methodologies. Other Project Activities Responded to local review comments on Technical Reports and Draft EIS Chapters, as appropriate given the LPA redefinition process. Prepared updated LPA process and potential schedule for discussion with PMT.

9 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 2 Prepared Action Item summary of January 13 Cost Workshop and addressed action items, as appropriate. Advanced Phase I Architectural Survey work in define area of potential effect and advanced preparation of the Phase I Architecture/History Inventory Forms, prepared table of properties within the boundaries of the Dayton s Bluff Heritage Preservation District, responded to comments provided by MnDOT CRU on expanded Phase I forms on several properties and continued coordination with MnDOT CRU on the overall Section 106 process for the Gateway Corridor. Weekly coordination with KHA/SRF project team and Washington County. Respond to individual requests for project information, as needed. Upcoming Activities Prepare for and attend upcoming neighborhood/community meetings in Oakdale (next scheduled for March 9 Ridership is topic area), and other locations as requested. Continue coordination with Metro Transit regarding location, facility elements and operational considerations associated with their proposed park and ride Continue coordination with MnDOT Cultural Resources Unit (CRU) on Section 106 process/activities. Anticipate submittal of first batch of Phase I Inventory Forms (redefined APE) the week of March 7, Continue to address action items from Cost Workshop, as appropriate. Continue to work with Washington County and other stakeholders to develop approach/schedule to address LPA redefinition, and initiate high level technical analysis, as appropriate. Prepare for and attend BPO/SPO/Gateway monthly coordination meeting Prepare for and attend upcoming meetings with PMT, TAC, PAC, GCC, CAC, and FTA.

10 DATE: February 27, 2016 Item 4 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Jeff Dehler Public Relations Gateway Corridor Communications and Public Relations Update Media and Community Relations Three Enewsletters were distributed in January and February: Jan. 9, Eastern End of Gold Line Likely to Change as Project Moves Forward, open rate 31%, click rate 7% Jan. 22, Gateway Commission to Explore Options for East End, open rate 38%, click rate 17% Feb. 10, FAQs--Crime, Property Values and BRT, open rate 35%, click rate 8% Gateway DEIS Publicity Planning Activities Our team began preparations for Gateway s fall 2016 public meetings which will increase project awareness and help the public learn how to comment on the DEIS document. These activities were completed: Planning calendar along with recommendations for specific publicity tactics. Branding tagline and graphical icon for use in DEIS publicity-related materials. Research on costs of publicity tactics, including direct mail printing and mailing options. Draft materials including a postcard and fact sheet. Website The new website launched on February 23. It features a new, but similar design, new content and an easy-to-use content management system so website edits can be made in-house. New content can be found under the What is BRT section, defining what bus rapid transit looks like, how it works, and how it would look in the Gateway Corridor. New content also encourages public engagement by suggesting ways to get involved. Videos Production of three videos was completed. They are: Business: Shows how business owners will benefit from BRT, including attracting and retaining employees and removing cars from the road so trucks can move products. Legislators: An overview of the benefits of BRT to the east metro, Twin Cities and state. Commuters, Seniors, Students: Highlights three types of BRT users, how BRT works and what it looks like. The Dehler Team, including Jeff Dehler, Jill Brown, Lindsey Wollschlager, Cara Lee and Kyle Noyed would like to thank the members of the Gateway Corridor Commission for the opportunity to work with you these past three years. We are pulling for your continued success! The Dehler Team includes: The Dehler Group, Richardson Richter and Associates and Jill Brown. JeffDehlerPR@gmail.com or

11 Agenda Item #4 DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Brian McClung, MZA+Co Gateway Corridor Communications and Government Relations Update MZA+Co was approved by the Gateway Corridor Commission and the Washington County Regional Railroad Authority and began communications and government relations work in support of the Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project on February 2, Strategic Communications MZA+Co conducted a language audit looking at media coverage of Gateway over the past two years and internal and external communications. The audit also included recommended words and phrases to be used when talking about the project. As part of this analysis, we recommend using consistent terminology about the project -- describing it as Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit on first reference and Gold Line BRT in subsequent references. The audit also includes the following standard paragraph regarding the project: Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit will provide a new transportation option to get people to and from jobs, shopping and other activities in the East Metro. Gold Line BRT will be Minnesota s first Bus Rapid Transit line in a dedicated busway, traveling between downtown St. Paul and Woodbury. This cost-effective solution to our growing transportation needs is critical to the future development of our region Gold Line BRT will enhance Washington County s and the East Metro s economic competitiveness and ensure that we keep and attract good jobs and good employees for decades to come. This project needs $3 million from the state in planning money this year to stay on schedule. We also assisted with messaging for the Washington County Legislative Delegation meeting. Website We reviewed and provided recommended edits for the new Gateway Corridor website that went live in February. Community Outreach We met with Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Kramer, Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Barbara Tuccitto Warren and East Side Area Business Association Executive Director Melissa Donald. Those meetings were positive and productive and we look forward to continuing to work with these business organizations and their members. We also attended the Oakdale community meetings that were held in February. MZA+Co 1

12 MZA+Co Memo, March 3, 2016, p. 2 Government Relations Our team has been actively meeting and talking with legislators and staff in advance of the 2016 legislative session. That work will continue to ramp up now that legislators are back in session at the State Capitol.

13 Agenda Item #4a DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Brian McClung, MZA+Co Gateway Corridor Social Media Update The Commission s current social media portfolio includes YouTube and Facebook pages. Both were established in 2012 and meet different communication needs of the Commission. The approved contract with MZA+Co includes resources to establish and manage a Twitter account on behalf of the Commission for the Gateway Corridor as another communication tool. This is especially important as the Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project moves into its next phase. We will expand the use of social media to share information with the public and engage community members and policymakers. The Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit Facebook page has been a good source of information on the project with about five posts per week. We plan to maintain this level of engagement going forward. The YouTube page has been used to post videos and the website, e-newsletters, and Facebook to generate views. We will also be adding Twitter to our outreach toolbox. The Twitter handle that staff is recommending This Twitter handle name is consistent with our recommendations from our language audit to consistently refer to the project as Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit on first reference and as Gold Line BRT on subsequent references (the first version is too long for Twitter s requirements). MZA+Co has experience working with many non-profits, government entities, and businesses to manage their social media outreach. Here are some best practices that we have found success with in the past and recommend for the Gold Line BRT project: Create a content plan. Similar to what is already happening with Facebook, we will work with staff to create and manage a content plan including a calendar to strategize content development and a posting schedule. Monitor the conversation. We will track and monitor conversations about Gold Line BRT and related issues. Contribute to the conversation. We will tweet links to news articles and other information that will be useful to those seeking to learn more about Gold Line BRT, as well as answer questions that may arise, within reason. We will make sure to post in diverse ways to engage with multiple Twitter user types (e.g. text-only posts, media articles, text with images). MZA+Co 1

14 MZA+Co Social Media Update Memo, March 3, 2016, p. 2 Share profile information. profile will encourage people to engage with and follow us. Tweet regularly and consistently. A key to positive engagement and an increased following is regularly tweeting and providing updated information on an ongoing basis. Action Requested: Information

15 Agenda Item #5 DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Staff Results of Focus Groups Conducted by the Counties Transit Improvement Board In 2015, the Counties Transit Improvement Board contracted with Himle Rapp & Company for public affairs and strategic communications counsel. As part of this work, they conducted focus groups of metropolitan area residents regarding transportation issues. Todd Rapp with Himle Rapp & Company will present the detailed findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the work. A similar presentation was delivered to CTIB at their January meeting. Action Requested: Information

16 Agenda Item #6 DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Staff 2016 Legislative Strategy The 2016 Gateway Corridor Strategic Communications contract includes a task for government relations. A large piece of this task is to develop and implement a strategy for the 2016 legislative session. Brian McClung, the project manager for the contract, and Judy Cook, with Cook Girard Associates, will be present to discuss the 2016 legislative strategy with the Commission and provide information about how this year s short session will necessitate a different approach. Action Requested: Information

17 Agenda Item #7 DATE: March 3, 2016 TO: FROM: RE: Gateway Corridor Commission Staff Other Items Items 7a. Engagement and Meeting Dates Summary Included below is a summary of the upcoming Commission and DEIS Study meetings. The engagement meetings that have taken place and are upcoming are attached to this memo. Month Meeting Date Planned Start Time April PAC April 14 1:30pm April Commission April 14 3:30pm May Commission May 12 3:30pm Item 7b. Website and Social Media Updates Facebook The Gateway Corridor Facebook page was launched on Monday, February 20, The page currently has 549 Likes. There have no instances during the reporting period where comments have been removed in line with the Commission s social media policy. YouTube The views of the Gateway Corridor videos ranges from 1-2,720. Website For the month of January and February, there were 818 and 364 hits respectively to the website. Item 7c. Media Articles Attached are media articles about the Gateway Corridor from the last two months. Action Requested: Information.

18 The Gateway project team has been arranging outreach meetings to stakeholders along the corridor. These stakeholders range from local community city councils, council districts, business chambers, individual businesses, community groups and others. Included below is a summary of the Commission s outreach activities in 2014, 2015, and Upcoming Outreach Stakeholder Status District 1 Community Council March 21, 2016 Oakdale Ridership Meeting March 9, 2016 Previous Outreach Stakeholder Status Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health Services Advisory March 2, 2016 Committee Oakdale Environmental Meeting February 24, 2016 Oak Meadows Senior Living February 4, 2016 Oakdale Community Meetings January 21 and 28, 2016 Living Healthy Washington County January 20, 2016 Lake Elmo City Council January 5, 2016 Woodbury City Council December 9, 2015 Oakdale Neighborhood Meetings December 7, 8, 17, 2015 Senate Bonding Presentation December 1, 2015 ESABA Lunch and Learn November 12, 2015 Washington County Realtor Forum October 20, 2015 Joint Woodbury/Cottage Grove City Council October 20, 2015 Oakdale Community Meting October 15, 2015 Woodbury City Council Workshop October 14, 2015 Oakdale City Council October 13, 2015 DC Trip October 7-8, 2015 St. Paul Chamber of Commerce September 17, 2015 Lake Elmo City Council September 15, 2015 Lake Elmo Planning Commission September 14, 2015 E Segment Public Hearing September 10, 2015 East Side Enterprise Center Presentation, August 25, th Street Live Booth, August 21, 2015 Lake Elmo Open House Open House, August 19, 2015 Oakdale HOA Presentation, August 17, 2015 Oakdale Farmers Market Booth, August 5, 2015 St. Paul Youth Services Presentation, August 5, 2015 National Night Out Conway Rec Center Booth, August 4, 2015 District 1 Community Council Presentation, July 27, 2015 Landfall Open House Open House, July 23, 2015 Woodbury Chamber Public Affairs Committee Presentation, July 23, 2015

19 CAC June 24, 2015 District 4 Community Council Presentation, July 20, 2915 Building Owners and Managers Association Booth, June 15, 2015 East Side Area Business Association Presentation, June 11, 2015 Saint Paul City Council Transitway Workshop Workshop, June 10, 2015 Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health Presentation, June 3, 2015 CAC Meeting, June 2, 2015 Living Healthy Washington County Presentation, May 20, 2015 Wilson Apartment Building Meeting, May 18, 2015 Opus (Carlson Business Park Owner) Meeting, May 12, 2015 Lake Elmo City Council Workshop, May 12, 2015 E. 7 th Street Placemaking Discussion, May 12, 2015 Guardian Angels Finance Committee Meeting, May 6, 2015 Washington County Public Health staff Presentation, April 24, 2015 Lafayette Business Park Commuter Fair Booth, April 23, 2015 Carlson/Oaks Station Property Owner Meeting, April 22, 2015 Gateway Corridor Development Forum Forum, April 14, 2015 East Metro Strong Lake Elmo Workshop Workshop, April 13-14, 2015 Ramsey County Environmental Health Staff Presentation, March 30, 2015 African American Leadership Forum Meeting, March 16, 2015 HIA Workshop Workshop, March 13, 2015 Senate Transportation Committee Tour, March 5, 2015 Oakdale Chamber Presentation, March 5, 2015 Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health Presentation, March 4, 2015 Legislative Breakfast February 27, 2015 St. Paul Station Planning Task Force Meeting, February 17, 2015 St. Paul Historic Preservation committee Presentation, February 12, 2015 Stillwater Lion s Club Presentation, February 10, 2015 Oakdale City Council Workshop, February 10, 2015 Governor Briefing Meeting, February 9, 2015 Bus Tour with Chair Duininck Tour, January 6, 2015 St. Paul Station Planning Task Force Workshop, February 5, 2015 Community Advisory Committee Meeting, January 29, 2015 Washington County Public Health Community Leadership Presentation, January 21, 2015 St. Paul Station Planning Task Force Meeting, January 6, 2015 Maplewood Planning Commission Presentation, December 16, 2014 River Valley Action Forum Presentation, December 9, 2014 ESABA Gala Table December 4, 2014 St. Paul Station Planning Task Force Workshop, December 2, 2014 Legislative Strategy Meeting November 13 and 21, 2014 Met Council Committee of the Whole Presentation, November 12, 2014 Maplewood Station Planning Meeting November 7, 2014 Lake Elmo Station Planning Meeting November 6, 2014

20 Dayton s Bluff Community Meeting November 6, 2014 Oakdale Station Planning Meeting November 6, 2014 Partnership for Regional Opportunity-TOD Committee Presentation, November 3, 2014 Woodbury Station Planning Meeting October 31, 2014 District 4 Community Council New Moon Celebration Flyers/booth October 30, 2014 St. Paul Station Planning Meeting October 27 and 30, 2014 Washington County Regional Rail Authority October 7 th, 2014 Globe University Welcome Day for Students Booth October 1 st, 2014 Woodbury City Council September 24 th, 2014 Oakdale City Council September 23rd, 2014 Maplewood City Council September 22 nd, 2014 Lake Elmo City Council September 16 th, 2014 Washington County Regional Rail Authority Public Hearing- September 16 th, 2014 Metro State University Fall Fest Booth-September 13 th, 2014 Landfall City Council September 10 th, 2014 Lake Elmo City Council Workshop-September 9 th, 2014 Oakdale City Council Workshop-September 9 th, 2014 Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority- Public Hearing Presentation-September 9 th, 2014 Saint Paul Planning Commission Update -September 5 th, 2014 Woodbury Rotary Club Presentation September 4 th, 2014 Bruce Vento Elementary-Back to School Night Booth-August 27 th, 2014 City Walk Board (Woodbury) Presentation-August 27 th, 2014 Metropolitan Council-Transportation Policy Plan Outreach Booth-August 26 th, 2014 Oakdale City Council Workshop Workshop August 26 th, 2014 Maplewood City Council Workshop Workshop August 25 th, 2014 St. Paul Transportation Committee Presentation August 25 th, 2014 Metro State University-Welcome Day Booth-August 20 th, 2014 Lake Elmo Property Owners along I-94 Presentation/discussion-August 14 th, 2014 Landfall City Council Workshop Presentation-August 13 th, 2014 LPA Public Hearing Public Hearing August 7 th, 2014 National Night to Unite-several Woodbury neighborhoods Booth-August 5 th, 2014 National Night to Unite- Dayton s Bluff, Saint Paul Booth-August 5 th, 2014 Primrose/City Walk Businesses (Woodbury) Presentation-July 31 st, 2014 Community Thread-Stillwater Update-July 29 th, 2014 St. Paul District 1 Community Council Presentation July 28 th, 2014 Woodbury Chamber Public Affairs Committee Presentation July 24 th, 2014 Wabasha Street Block Party Booth July 24 th, 2014 ESABA Bowling Tournament Booth July 24 th, 2014 Landfall Planning and Finance Committee Presentation July 8 th, 2014 Community Advisory Committee Meeting June 30 th, 2014 Orange Line Tour Field Trip June 25-27, 2014 Make it Happen on E. 7 th St. Night Out Business & Event Presence June 20, 2014 Community Fair

21 FTA Tour and Workshop Tour and Presentation June 20 th, 2014 District 4 Community Council Presentation June 16 th, 2014 Green Line Opening Booth at Depot/Wanderers June 14 th, 2014 Community Advisory Committee Meeting June 3 rd, 2014 Target Station Opening Booth May 17 th, 2014 National Train Day Booth May 10 th, 2014 Future of 4 th Event Booth May 8, 2014 St. Transportation Summit Booth May 6, 2014 Woodbury Expo Booth May 3, 2014 St. Paul Port Authority Presentation April 17, 2014 Corridor Cities and Market Analysis Consultant Meetings - Week of April 14, 2014 Met Council Transportation Committee Presentation - April 14, 2014 Globe University Students Presentations April 9, 2014 Engage East Side Gateway Event Presentation/Panel April 8, 2014 Globe University Staff Presentation March 28, 2014 Gateway Day at the Capitol One-on-ones - March 26, 2014 DEIS Scoping Open House, Conway Rec Center Open House March 25, 2014 DEIS Scoping Open House, Guardian Angels Open House March 24, 2014 District 1 Community Council Open House Booth March 22, 2014 Interagency Scoping Meeting Meeting March 20, 2014 River Valley Action Presentation March 18, 2014 FHWA Meeting March 13, 2014 Landfall HRA Presentation March 12, 2014 Environmental Quality Board Meeting March 12, 2014 Park and Rides Flyer handout March 12, 2014 Legislative Strategy Meeting February 28, 2014 Engage East Side Gateway Event Meeting February 25, 2014 Washington County Board Workshop February 25, 2014 Gateway Legislative Kick-Off Breakfast Meeting February 20, 2014 Guardian Angels Finance Committee Meeting February 19, 2014 Legislative Strategy Meeting February 14, 2014 Policy Advisory Committee/Commission Meeting February 13, 2014 Woodbury Chamber Presentation February 12, 2014 FTA Call Call February 12, 2014 Community Advisory Committee Meeting February 10, 2014 D1/D2 Open House Open House February 6, 2014 St. Paul Area Chamber Presentation February 6, 2014 Harley Davidson Meeting February 3, 2014 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting January 29, 2014 Legislative Strategy Meeting January 3, 2014 Washington County Administrators Presentation January 22, 2014 St. Paul East Side Groups Meeting January 21, 2014

22 TAC Staff from Woodbury, Oakdale, and Lake Elmo Meeting January 9, 2014 Driving tour of Corridor w/ Senator Housley Tour December 27, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting December 18, 2013 Get to Know Woodbury Realtors event Booth December 18, M Staff Meeting December 16, 2013 Policy Advisory Committee Meeting December 12, 2013 Community Advisory Committee Meeting December 9, 2013 FHWA Staff Meeting December 6, 2013 Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation Transit Summit December 5, 2013 District 2 Community Council Presentation November 20, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting November 20, 2013 FTA Conference Call Meeting November 13, 2013 Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation Town Hall November 7, 2013 MnDOT, Met Council, County leadership Meeting November 1, 2013 FTA Tour Tour November 1, 2013 St. Paul District 1 Community Council Presentation October 28, 2013 Landfall Meeting October 25, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting October 16, 2013 Lake Elmo Presentation October 15, 2013 MnDOT/Met Council/County Staff Meeting October 11, 2013 East Side Area Business Association Presentation October 10, 2013 East Side Partners Meeting October 8, 2013 Policy Advisory Committee Meeting October 10, 2013 Community Advisory Committee Meeting September 30, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting September 25, 2013 FTA Coordination Call #2 September 25, 2013 Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation Engage ES Presentation September 25, 2013 St. Paul Transportation Committee Meeting September 22, 2013 Woodbury staff Meeting September 12, 2013 Oakdale staff Meeting September 12, 2013 Maplewood staff Meeting September 11, 2013 Lake Elmo staff Meeting September 10, M Meeting September 4, 2013 Metro State Meeting August 29, 2013 St. Paul staff Meeting August 29, 2013 Community Advisory Committee Meeting August 26, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting August 21, 2013 FTA Coordination Call August 15, 2013 East Side Groups Update Meeting August 13, 2013 Policy Advisory Committee Meeting August 8, 2013 Hot Dogs and Transit Engage East Side Booth August 3, 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Meeting July 24, 2013

23 Hot Dogs and Transit Engage East Side Booth July 13, 2013 Development Forum June 24, 2013 Alliance for Metropolitan Stability Staff level meeting June 7, 2013 Engage East Side Resident Network staff Discussion on CAC May 31, 2013 Start of DEIS

24 Minneapolis based Wall Cos. and Lupe Development are proposing 113 units of workforce housing on St. Paul s east side. The decision to build was influenced by the planned Gold Line bus rapid transit station nearby. Submitted rendering: City of St. Paul Gold Line BRT spurs St. Paul development By: Janice Bitters March 10, :00 am 0 Two St. Paul projects proposed near a planned bus rapid transit route are leading what city officials hope will be a long list of transit oriented developments in the corridor, boosted by proactive zoning changes. The Gold Line BRT route isn t expected to open until 2023, but St. Paul has already updated zoning rules for hundreds of parcels around five of the six planned stations in the city to allow higher density than exists today. This is a long term plan, said Bill Dermody, city planner for St. Paul. We probably won t see those parking lots and those vacant lots in those current conditions forever, so we re just preparing for how they get redeveloped. Minneapolis developers Wall Cos. and Lupe Development are partnering on a proposal while Minneapolis based Samir Abumayyaleh is looking at a site within walking distance to planned Gold Line stations. The 12 mile Gold Line would start at St. Paul s Union Depot and travel in a dedicated lane on Hudson Road next to Interstate 94. St. Paul has rezoned areas around Mounds Boulevard, Earl Street, Etna Street, White Bear Avenue and the Sun Ray Shopping Center. A 113 unit workforce housing project proposed by Wall Cos. and Lupe Development recently received approval from the St. Paul Planning Commission. The building will sit two blocks from a planned Etna Street transit station. The three story apartment project at 1254, 1256 and 1276 Wilson Avenue is expected to cost between $20 million and $21 million. The decision to build was influenced by plans for the Gold line, said John Wall, president of Wall Cos. Wall Cos. and Lupe Development also purchased a 102 unit building adjacent to the planned apartments in 2014 for $4.89 million. Since then, the team has renovated the building s units and amenities, said Steve Minn, vice president of Lupe Development. We bought the site thinking not only did the existing apartment complex deserve an upgrade because of transit, but an expansion would be easier to advance if we had demonstrated a commitment to both transit and an investment in the property, Minn said. Meanwhile, Abumayyaleh is making plans for a vacant parcel at 1880 Old Hudson Road, which sits adjacent to the planned White Bear Avenue station.

25 Abumayyaleh has conditional site plan approval for an apartment project, which will include more units than the previous zoning would have allowed, Dermody said. Abumayyaleh could not be reached for comment Wednesday. City planners took lessons from the Green Line light rail transit project while preparing for the Gold Line, said Jonathan Sage Martinson, director of the city s Planning and Economic Development Department. We learned that it is important to do this work early, he said. The Green Line, which opened in 2014, was expected to see $7 billion in new development over 30 years. But the Metropolitan Council had logged $3 billion in development around the corridor before the line opened, Sage Martinson said. The more transit lines we get in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the region, the more and earlier the development community is responding to those transit lines, he said. Gold Line funding is still uncertain. The $485 million project calls for the state to commit to fund 10 percent of the project. The federal government is projected to contribute 45 percent, neither of which has been officially committed. But efforts to encourage and rezone for transit oriented development may help the route secure the money it needs to keep moving, said Lyssa Leitner, Gold Line project manager at Washington County. Primarily with the federal funding [two of] the categories that we have to be competitive in is land use and economic development, she said. As these projects continue to develop, that will only increase our competitiveness. RELATED CONTENT: St. Paul sets framework for Gold Line station areas Like this article? Gain access to all of our great content with a month to month subscription. SPECIAL: Start your subscription with our low intro rate of just $9.99. Copyright 2016 Finance and Commerce Suite 2300, Campbell Mithun Tower, 222 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis, MN (612)

26 Washington County pursues planning funds for 2 rapid bus lines Bus-rapid transit vehicles include blue, yellow, and red colors and wider, darker windows. (Courtesy of Metropolitan Council) By NICK FERRARO nferraro@pioneerpress.com March 7, 2016 UPDATED: 4 days ago Washington County officials hope the 2016 Legislature will provide the money to continue planning two key transportation projects. At the top of the county s wish list is an additional $3 million to continue planning the Gateway Corridor transitway stretching from Union Depot in downtown St. Paul along Interstate 94 and into Wisconsin. Plans call for bus rapid transit known as the Gold Line in dedicated roadways on which other traffic is not allowed. Rep. Kelly Fenton, R-Woodbury, was chief author of a bill seeking the $3 million in last year s legislative session. The legislation was unsuccessful. At an estimated cost of $485 million, the 12-mile line is proposed to begin service in It would be the

27 At an estimated cost of $485 million, the 12-mile line is proposed to begin service in It would be the first in the state to use bus rapid transit on a dedicated roadway. Moving on to the next phase in the federal planning process requires approval from the Federal Transit Administration, and the agency will not do so until the state s share of funding is committed to the project, said Jan Lucke, the county s transportation planning manager. The additional $3 million sought by the county would make up the balance. The phase includes preliminary design work and a final environmental impact statement, which would take about two years to complete. It basically brings your project from about 1 percent designed up to approximately 30 percent, Lucke said. Meanwhile, the Washington County Regional Rail Authority is asking for $1 million for engineering and environmental analysis for the 30-mile Red Rock transit corridor between St. Paul and Hastings. Planners also have identified bus rapid transit as the preferred option for the corridor. Lawmakers rejected the authority s previous requests of $1 million in 2014 and The Metropolitan Council, the Twin Cities regional planning agency, projects that by 2030, the entire length of the U.S. 61 study area will be a congested corridor. Tags: Minnesota Legislature Nick Ferraro A Minneapolis native, Nick Ferraro joined the Pioneer Press in 1997 after graduating from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He's been a reporter covering Dakota County communities since Follow Nick

28 ST. PAUL A bus line far in St. Paul's future caught the eye of some developers Developers are pitching a complex near an expected bus rapidtransit project. By Don Jacobson Special to the Star Tribune MARCH 3, :30PM Transit-oriented development in St. Paul has almost exclusively been focused on the Green Line light-rail corridor in recent years. The Metropolitan Council estimated last year that at least 13,700 housing units have been built or are in the pipeline within a halfmile of the line s total length. Now, however, there are signs that the Green Line isn t the only mass-transit corridor in the city attracting new multifamily housing investment. On St. Paul s East Side, the Gateway Corridor Gold Line bus rapid-transit project still years away from possible funding and build-out has already prompted a pair of wellknown developers to pull the trigger on new construction near a proposed stop. Minneapolis-based Lupe Development and Wall Cos., each boasting many years of housing development savvy, have teamed to pitch a 113-unit workforce housing complex on a vacant lot next to the existing Wilson Ridge Apartments. The spot is just two blocks from the planned Etna Station on the Gold Line in a part of the city that has a considerable unmet need for affordable housing. That station is one of five envisioned for the St. Paul portion of the 12-mile, $485 million Gold Line, which, if built, would run from downtown s Union Depot eastward to Mounds Boulevard, then along the north frontage of Interstate 94 to Oakdale in Washington County. After that point, the route is undecided, but its eventual terminus is likely to be in Woodbury. The dedicated bus transitway wouldn t open for riders until And that assumes the Gateway Corridor s backers in Ramsey and Washington counties can successfully secure the federal funding needed to pay for 45 percent of the project in a timely fashion and then persuade the state Legislature to kick in another 10 percent. That lengthy time frame, however, hasn t deterred Lupe Development and Wall Cos., which committed to investing along the Gold Line last year when they purchased and then renovated the existing 102-unit Wilson Ridge Apartments at 1276 Wilson Av. The property also came with a big area of adjacent open space which presented another opportunity, according to Steve Minn, Lupe Development s vice principal and chief financial officer. ( DAVID JOLES The green space will become a 113 unit affordable housing complex at Wilson Ridge Apartments in St. Paul, located near the futur ( Developers are taking advantage of future transit. A rendering of Wilson Ridge Apartments. We bought it primarily because we think the [Gold Line] transit corridor is going to wake up that part of town, he said. The other reason is that it was sitting on 4.2 acres of land and had only 102 units of housing. That situation really wasn t consistent with the transit scheme or the kind of urban density you should see that close to downtown. Thus the development team last month submitted requests to split the big parcel and obtain re-zonings to allow for the greater density the new building would bring. The idea was enthusiastically backed by the Dayton s Bluff Community Council, which hailed the effort as an important asset for an East Side neighborhood that has chronically lacked investments in new affordable housing and transit infrastructure. The developers request was approved unanimously by the St. Paul Planning Commission s Zoning Committee last month. The Wilson Ridge addition is probably the first new development in St. Paul to be specifically inspired by the bus rapid transit proposal, city officials said, and despite the still-uncertain status of the transit line, demonstrates how the Green Line s success in luring new housing can be duplicated elsewhere in the area. To have private investors who otherwise wouldn t be investing their own time, money and effort but for a new transit opportunity on the East Side is pretty big for us, said Gary Leavitt, the city s transit-oriented development manager.

29 The proposed Etna Station is near the interchange of I-94 and Hwy. 61, which currently lacks good pedestrian connections between the north and south sides of the freeway. Don Jacobson is a freelance writer based in St. Paul. He is the former editor of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Real Estate Journal.

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33 2/8/2016 Gateway, Red Rock corridor funding tops county s legislative agenda for 2016 Woodbury Bulletin Gateway, Red Rock corridor funding tops county s legislative agenda for 2016 By Michelle Leonard on Feb 7, 2016 at 12:56 a.m. T o no real surprise, Washington County would really like to see the Minnesota Legislature come through with $4 million for the Gateway Corridor and Red Rock Corridor during the upcoming 2016 session. After all, Washington County has asked for $5 million for the Gateway project since Of that, the county received $2 million by way of a Metropolitan Council grant in The county asked for the remaining $3 million in 2015, but did not receive the allocation. At the same time, Washington County requested $1 million in state bond funds gateway red rock corridor funding tops countys legislative agenda /3

34 2/8/2016 Gateway, Red Rock corridor funding tops county s legislative agenda for 2016 Woodbury Bulletin for the Red Rock Corridor in both 2014 and To date, that funding has not been allocated, either. So this year, Washington County s legislative agenda, to no real surprise, starts off with requests for $3 million for the Gateway project, and the $1 million for the Red Rock Corridor. Requested through the Washington County Regional Railroad Authority (WCRRA), the $3 million for Gateway would be put toward engineering, environmental analysis and an application for federal transit administration funds. The WCRRA is seeking the $1 million for the Red Rock Corridor for the same reasons. But the two bus rapid transit projects are not the only transit projects of interest for the county this year. Washington County, in its legislative agenda, also casts support for expansion of the Regional Transit Capital area, so it includes the entire seven-county metro area, which will help the Metropolitan Council in its funding of transit capital improvements. The county also supports the legislature implementation of additional new revenue for development and construction of transit in the metro area. Other priorities Shifting gears from transit, Washington County officials are also urging state officials to pass legislation that would allow an in-person absentee voter to place their ballot directly into a ballot counter. This would replace the current system which requires absentee voters to use two envelopes to store their ballot. The current method results in delayed tabulation, and does not allow voters to correct errors on their ballots. The move could not only make absentee voting easier for residents, but it could also result in a significant cost savings to the county. In 2016, county election gateway red rock corridor funding tops countys legislative agenda /3

35 2/8/2016 Gateway, Red Rock corridor funding tops county s legislative agenda for 2016 Woodbury Bulletin official Jennifer Wagenius expects the cost for absentee ballot administration to exceed $100,000 for Washington County. More than half of the absentee ballots cast in 2014 were in person, so changing the methodology for absentee voting could result in reduced costs for the county. Washington County is also asking legislators to support special legislation to add economic development powers to the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority s enabling law. The action would allow the county to have an increased role in aiding townships and cities with economic development activities. The legislative agenda is the product of several meetings of the county s legislative committee. The document, County Administrator Molly O Rourke said, reflects the most important issues to Washington County. County commissioners and staff will bring these priorities to local legislators at the annual legislative reception, scheduled for Feb. 11. Michelle Leonard Michelle Leonard joined the Woodbury Bulletin staff in November, 2014, after 14 years covering news for the Bulletin's sister publication, the Farmington Rosemount Independent Town Pages. Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications: News Editorial from Mankato State University in She is an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary Clifford Larson Unit 189 of Farmington, and served as the Third District President to the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota. Michelle is also the volunteer coordinator for the Minnesota Newspaper Museum which is open annually during the Minnesota State Fair. She has earned Minnesota Newspaper Association awards in Investigative Reporting, Local News Coverage, Feature Photography and Column Writing. MLeonard@woodburybulletin.com (651) ADVERTISEMENT gateway red rock corridor funding tops countys legislative agenda /3

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44 Lake Elmo s exit from BRT means extra expense Finance & Commerce Page 1 of 2 1/21/2016 The Gold Line is a planned 12-mile corridor from St. Paul s Union Depot, pictured, to the city of Lake Elmo, which rece out of the alignment. Planners are working to get the line back on track with a new alignment. (File photo: Bill K Lake Elmo s exit from BRT means extra expense By: Janice Bitters January 15, :51 pm 0 Now that Lake Elmo is out of the picture for the proposed Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project, planners are steps to get the process back on track, which will take additional time and more than $200,000 to explore options. The Gateway Corridor Commission, the authority planning the Gold Line BRT route, met Thursday for the f since the city of Lake Elmo opted out of the 12-mile line last week. The commission approved a nearly $938,000 contract with Cary, North Carolina-based Kimley-Horn. The am contract, which includes more than $200,000 needed for additional work due to Lake Elmo s decision, woul the project through the federally required Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Counties Transit Improvement Board is funding the work through a $1.1 million grant. Lake Elmo s exit also means planners will need to repeat a time-consuming process they pursued in 2014 b the route could change significantly. We will have to go back to square one with whatever the new routing is and do the public hearings and comment periods and have each city pass their resolutions of support, Lyssa Leitner, Gold Line project ma Washington County, said in an interview Friday. The upside, Leitner said, is that the city decided against the line at this point, rather than waiting until later the process would have been more time-consuming and expensive. The Gold Line, also known as the Gateway line, would start at St. Paul s Union Depot and travel in a dedica on Hudson Road next to Interstate 94. The line would stop in Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale and Woodbury project cost had been estimated at about $485 million based on a 2023 opening. Planners and Kimley-Horn will also need to spend $50,000 on additional work with the Minnesota Departme Transportation to assess the impacts to cultural resources along the line.

45 Lake Elmo s exit from BRT means extra expense Finance & Commerce Page 2 of 2 1/21/2016 Part of that cost is due to the route change, said Jan Lucke, transit and planning manager for Washington But another part of the work stems from a recent MnDOT change in the cultural resources staff. The new s more stringent requirements will likely affect every transit project in the DEIS stage, Leitner said. The current [MnDOT] staff has a different level of expectations than the previous one, she said during th meeting. On average it is taking three times the amount of effort it took under the cultural resources appr under the old staff. Lake Elmo Mayor Mike Pearson, one of two city council members who voted for the Gold Line in the city, sa meeting he was grateful for the commission s efforts. I think it s worth noting that in spite of the vote, the [Lake Elmo city] council did express some positive se and they appreciate that it is a good project, he said. I appreciate the fact that the commission is going t do more work. For now, nothing substantial has changed for the corridor, Leitner emphasized Thursday. A Lake Elmo align continue to be studied in the DEIS, which is largely complete and includes analysis for the city, she said. I did ask the team what s more expensive: hitting delete, or just keeping [Lake Elmo] in there, Leitner sa meeting. But there may be a value of just keeping it in there, because if something changes, or if we wan compare one thing against it, we know what that is. RELATED CONTENT: Lake Elmo votes down Gold Line BRT Leveraging BRT on the Gateway Corridor Issue: GATEWAY LINE GOLD LINE LAKE ELMO LANDFALL MAPLEWOOD OAKDALE ST. PAUL UNION DEPOT WOODBURY Copyright 2016 Finance and Commerce Suite 2300, Campbell Mithun Tower, 222 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis, MN (612)

46 Rapid bus lines as economic drivers Finance & Commerce Page 1 of 2 A bus drives by a new A Line station on Snelling Avenue. The A Line will be the region s first Arterial Bus Rapid Tran when it opens in the spring, running from Rosedale Mall in Roseville to the 46th Street Station in Minneapolis. Staff p Klotz Rapid bus lines as economic drivers By: Janice Bitters February 4, :16 pm 0 Bus Rapid Transit lines can generate economic development, attract high-paying jobs and increase propert according to a study released last month by the Metropolitan Research Center at the University of Utah. The report, which aims to answer questions about economic development near BRT lines by comparing sys around the country, veers into new research territory. Until very recently, there just hasn t been much opportunity to do research on BRT in a North American co because there hasn t been much BRT here, said Andrew Guthrie, a research fellow at the Humphrey Schoo Public Affairs who studies transit systems. A few decades ago, nearly no BRT routes ran in U.S. cities. Today, there are 19 active lines around the cou that number is set to double in the coming years, according to the Metropolitan Research Center study. Another recent study by Guthrie and co-author Yingling Fan for the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota took a more focused look at economic development and job opportunities for the h BRT lines currently being planned in the Twin Cities. Among those lines is Metro Transit s A Line, which is set to open in the spring as the region sfirst Arterial Bu Transit line. A Line buses will travel in the same lanes as other vehicles but offer more amenities, high-freq service and faster commutes for riders. The 10-mile A Line will feature limited-stop, rapid bus service along Snelling Avenue, Ford Parkway and 46t between the Rosedale Center mall in Roseville, through St. Paul to the Blue Line s 46th Street Station in Minneapolis. It will also connect to the Green Line light rail route at Snelling and University. The line s route through a densely populated area that already sees strong ridership bodes well for its succ other planned BRT lines have more potential for development, Guthrie said. 2/5/2016

47 Rapid bus lines as economic drivers Finance & Commerce Page 2 of 2 Despite the A Line links to major job and residential hubs, BRT lines that use a bus-dedicated lane like th planned Gold and Orange lines likely have greater potential for new job creation, especially for higher-pa jobs, Guthrie said. The Gold Line, also known as the Gateway Corridor, is set to run from St. Paul s Union Depot to Lake Elmo, although the city of Lake Elmo recently opted out of the route. The Orange Line is a 17-mile route that will downtown Minneapolis to Burnsville and is scheduled for a 2019 opening. Businesses that offer higher-paying jobs that require more formal education may look at transit differently retail or service industry businesses, Guthrie said. It s possible they re caring about transit in terms of getting employees to their business and both light ra BRT do that, he said, adding that businesses like retail stores and restaurants prefer light rail for attracting customers. The Metropolitan Research Center study, which looked at BRT station area development before and after th recession, echoes those findings. The study also noted that light rail systems tended to attract lower- and m jobs near station areas. The report found that for metropolitan counties with BRT systems, both office space and apartment density increased, but so did office rents. BRT systems in other cities attracted a mix of residents primarily older th and renters, according to the study. While density and jobs along the transit lines are critical for success, for Janna King, president of St. Paul-b Economic Development Services, the success of Twin Cities BRT transit hinges several factors. Not only doe need development opportunities along the lines, but also community access to existing jobs. King has contracted with Metro Transit and other planners on local BRT lines, including the A Line and the C Line, which will run from downtown Minneapolis, through north Minneapolis on Penn Avenue to the Broo Center Transit Center. The C Line, which will run through a heavily residential area, has limited opportunity for new job developm offers high wages, King said. But you can get significant access to jobs, she said. That route will go right to downtown Minneapolis an just so many opportunities there. It s about a mix. RELATED CONTENT: Progress report: A Line builds shelters C Line BRT station plans to be released Copyright 2016 Finance and Commerce Suite 2300, Campbell Mithun Tower, 222 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis, MN (612) /5/2016

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52 (/articles/2016/03/02/some oakdale residents remain opposed new bus rapidtransit) Homeowners skeptical of benefits of proposed Gold Line Washington county officials met with Oakdale residents Wednesday, Feb. 24, to present their preliminary environmental impact findings for the proposed Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project. The BRT Gold Line project would start at the Union Depot in downtown St. Paul and run along Interstate 94 into Woodbury. It would have a dedicated lane in each direction. For the most part, these dedicated lanes will be added between I 94 and a frontage road. They would not take lanes away from the freeway or other existing roadways. The environmental impact presentation explained the preliminary findings on air quality, noise pollution and wetland disruption that could be caused by building the BRT Gold Line. All of the data was calculated with worst case scenario information and represented only preliminary analysis. It is preliminary because we have done some of that analysis, but that analysis has not been vetted in a legal fashion by any of our participating agencies, said Lyssa Leitner, Washington County project manager for the Gateway Corridor Gold Line. Preliminary findings indicate that the Gold Line addition to the I 94 area would not exceed federal or state standards for air pollutants and would not have a noise impact on noise sensitive areas uses such as nearby homes, churches and schools. The findings did indicate there could be as much as one third of an acre of Oakdale wetland impacted by the construction of the BRT system, and as much as one acre of wetland impacted for the entire project. The project must compensate for any disrupted wetlands by improving or adding 2.5 times more wetland than was impacted or by purchasing credits at the same rate from a state managed wetland bank. Oakdale Mayor Stan Karwoski said he thought there was good attendance at