From Hastings to Woodbury, the southeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities have seen its populations grow at a rate more than twice the state’s average. In the next 20 years, this region will add more than 100,000 new residents, bringing even more traffic to our already-congested highways. With these new residents, it is more important than ever that we start planning now by making sound decisions to develop a comprehensive transit system in the Red Rock Corridor.

Two major steps have already been accomplished for the Red Rock Corridor. First, the corridor is included in the Metropolitan Council’s 20 year vision for the Region. Second, the Red Rock Corridor Commission completed an Alternatives Analysis Study, which determined that commuter rail is the most appropriate long-term transit mode vision for the corridor. However, in order to achieve that vision, it is vitally important that we continue to support the use and expansion of the commuter coach buses in the corridor and begin to make land use decisions that support the implementation of a higher level transit service in commuter rail.

The time to act is now. We need to start connecting communities, businesses and residents in the southeast metro area to opportunities in the state and the region.

Sincerely,

Myra Peterson, Chair
Red Rock Corridor Commission