Coon Rapids Foley Boulevard (Metro Transit station)
Encyclopedia
Coon Rapids - Foley Boulevard is a proposed infill station on the Northstar commuter rail line in Coon Rapids, Minnesota
at the site of a current Metro Transit
park and ride
facility. The station was originally included in Northstar plans, but it was cut in order to meet the Federal Transit Administration
's cost-effectiveness index (CEI).
The current park-and-ride facility is located on a sliver of land in between Minnesota State Highway 610
and Foley Boulevard. It has 3,200 parking spaces with a surface lot and a two-story parking ramp, giving it more than four times the capacity of the largest existing Northstar station, Elk River
(754 spaces). Despite the fact that it already existed and would be a significant source of riders, calculation of the cost-effectiveness index was biased toward saving time of commuters. Riders would not save enough time by changing from the existing bus service to rail, so the station was dropped.
Anoka County
and the city of Coon Rapids have been acquiring land and making arrangements for matching funds for the station. It is expected to cost approximately $15 million to build the station. Construction will likely occur along with a related project to add a third set of rails along this stretch of track, which is the busiest in Minnesota
. The third main line will allow additional passenger rail traffic, including the proposed Northern Lights Express
project to connect to Duluth, Minnesota
. The station will serve both lines, since it is nicely located just south of Coon Creek Junction where the BNSF Hinckley Subdivision
branches off of the Staples Subdivision
main line.
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...
at the site of a current Metro Transit
Metro Transit (Minnesota)
Metro Transit is the transit division of the Metropolitan Council, a regional governmental agency in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Metro Transit is the largest operator of bus services in the seven-county region surrounding Minneapolis and St...
park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility. The station was originally included in Northstar plans, but it was cut in order to meet the Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
's cost-effectiveness index (CEI).
The current park-and-ride facility is located on a sliver of land in between Minnesota State Highway 610
Minnesota State Highway 610
Minnesota State Highway 610 is an east–west freeway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota; located in northern Hennepin County and southern Anoka County. The freeway currently connects U.S. Highway 169 and U.S. Highway 10 . MN 610 crosses the Mississippi River on the Richard P. Braun...
and Foley Boulevard. It has 3,200 parking spaces with a surface lot and a two-story parking ramp, giving it more than four times the capacity of the largest existing Northstar station, Elk River
Elk River (Metro Transit station)
Elk River Station is a commuter rail station in Elk River, Minnesota, located at 17200 Twin Lakes Road. It is served by the Northstar Commuter Rail line. The station features bicycle lockers and a park and ride lot with capacity for 754 vehicles. The commute time to downtown Minneapolis from this...
(754 spaces). Despite the fact that it already existed and would be a significant source of riders, calculation of the cost-effectiveness index was biased toward saving time of commuters. Riders would not save enough time by changing from the existing bus service to rail, so the station was dropped.
Anoka County
Anoka County, Minnesota
Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...
and the city of Coon Rapids have been acquiring land and making arrangements for matching funds for the station. It is expected to cost approximately $15 million to build the station. Construction will likely occur along with a related project to add a third set of rails along this stretch of track, which is the busiest in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The third main line will allow additional passenger rail traffic, including the proposed Northern Lights Express
Northern Lights Express
The Northern Lights Express is a proposed passenger rail service running along the corridor between Minneapolis and Duluth primarily in the U.S. state of Minnesota. A portion of the line will run through neighboring Wisconsin to serve Duluth's "Twin Port" of Superior. Plans are to upgrade an...
project to connect to Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. The station will serve both lines, since it is nicely located just south of Coon Creek Junction where the BNSF Hinckley Subdivision
Hinckley Subdivision
The Hinckley Subdivision or Hinckley Sub is a railway line operated by BNSF Railway between Coon Rapids, Minnesota and Boylston Junction between Foxboro and Superior, Wisconsin...
branches off of the Staples Subdivision
Staples Subdivision
The Staples Subdivision or Staples Sub is a railway line running about from Dilworth to Fridley, Minnesota . It is operated by BNSF Railway as part of their Northern Transcon and contains the busiest segment of mainline track in the state, between Coon Rapids and Fridley...
main line.