DEPARTMENT: Physical Development Administration
FILE TYPE: Consent Information
TITLE
title
Update On Dan Patch Rail To Trail Study
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Provide update on the Dan Patch Rail to Trail Study.
SUMMARY
As part of the 2024 Dakota County Regional Rail Authority Capital Improvement Program (CIP), funding was established to study the potential of converting 12.5 miles of the Dan Patch rail corridor to a greenway (Attachment: Study Map). Over the past few months, Dakota County staff have met with city/county staff from communities along the corridor. The meetings were to provide information about the upcoming study and to understand any potential issues or opportunities. Feedback from the staff level meetings indicated general support for the study and included a few specific items:
* Savage staff suggested limiting the north end of study to TH 13/Savage Downtown (Savage)
* Savage requested State bonding to for Quentin Ave in recent bonding sessions. ($7M)
* Savage received $800,000 in bonding (2023) for final design of Quentin Ave bridge over Dan Patch
* Burnsville, in cooperation with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), has removed tracks under Burnsville Parkway and South Cross Rd.
* Lakeville is continuing to work with Progressive Rail on a potential rail car parking facility south of the airport. Lakeville has received $8M in Federal and State funding.
Dakota County has also met with MnDOT Rail, Hennepin County Reginal Rail Authority staff and a few recommended consulting firms. As a result of these meetings, staff is moving forward with a two-phase approach for the study. Phase one is a small contract with a railroad consultant who is experienced working on rail corridor acquisition projects. The report/study will include research, analysis, and agency coordination. Phase one will help identify the current state of the corridor and potential acquisition options. It will also initiate a discussion with CPKC. If discussions with CPKC res...
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