Agenda
Gateway Corridor Commission
August 18, 2016 - 3:30 PM
Woodbury City Hall, Birch Room
8301 Valley Creek Road
Woodbury, MN 55125
Note: There will be a DEIS Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting at 2:00 pm on August 18 at Woodbury
City Hall (immediately preceding the Gateway Corridor Commission meeting).
Item
Action Requested
1.
Introductions
Information
2.
Consent Items
a. Summary of June 23, 2016, Meetings*
b. Checks and Claims*
Approval
3.
East Metro Strong Vision
Information
4.
Communications Update*
Information
5.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Update*
Information
6.
Other
a. Meeting Dates Summary*
b. Social Media and Website Update*
c. Media Articles*
Information
7.
Adjourn
Approval
*Attachments
For questions regarding this material, please contact Jan Lucke,
Washington County at (651) 430-4316 or at [email protected].
Gateway Corridor Commission
Draft June 23, 2016 Meeting Summary
Woodbury City Hall, Birch Room
Members
Rafael Ortega
Lisa Weik
Mary Giuliani Stephens
Dan Kyllo
Jane Prince
Randy Nelson
Mike Pearson
Paul Reinke
Bryan Smith
Amy Williams
Victoria Reinhardt, Alternate
Agency
Ramsey County
Washington County
Woodbury
West Lakeland Township
St Paul
Afton
Lake Elmo
Oakdale
Maplewood
Lakeland
Ramsey County
Victoria Reinhardt
Richard Bend, Alternate
Paul Rebholz, Alternate
Anne Smith, Alternate
Dave Schultz, Alternate
Ramsey County
Afton
Woodbury
Lake Elmo
West Lakeland Township
Present
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Ex-Officio Members
Ed Schukle
Randy Kopesky
Bill Burns
Tim Ramberg
Doug Stang
Jason Lott
Lisa Palermo
Matt Kramer
Scott Nelson
Agency
Landfall Village
Lakeland Shores
Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce
WI Gateway Coalition
3M
Woodbury Chamber of Commerce
Woodbury Chamber of Commerce
St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
St. Croix County Highway Department
Present
Others
Jan Lucke
Lyssa Leitner
Hally Turner
Sara Allen
Andy Gitzlaff
Shelly Schafer
Josh Straka
Will Schroeer
Agency
Washington County
Washington County
Washington County
Washington County
Ramsey County
Office of Senator Franken
U.S. Representative McCollum
East Metro Strong
Present
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Page 1 of 5
Brian McClung
Linda Stanton
Blake Slette
Pat Bursaw
Victoria Nill
Sonja Piper
Kelly Fenton
MZA+Co
CAC
MnDOT
MnDOT
MnDOT
MnDOT
State Representative
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
The Gateway Corridor Commission convened at 3:34 p.m. by Chair Weik.
Agenda Item #1. Introductions
Introductions were made by those present.
Agenda Item #2. Consent Items
Item 2a. Summary of April 14, 2016, Meetings:
Chair Weik requested a phrase added in the April 14, 2016 meeting summary to read: “Chair Weik gave a brief
overview of the PAC meeting discussion, and additional conversation regarding Metro State University’s new
science addition, which will increase the number of students on the campus near the Gold Line.”
Motion made by Chair Weik approve the April 14, 2016, meeting summary with the additional phrase. The
motion was seconded by Councilmember Smith. All were in favor. Approved. Motion carried.
Mayor Pearson and Councilmember Paul Reinke abstained from voting, each citing absence from the April 14,
2016 meeting.
Item 2b. Checks and Claims: Motion made by Mayor Pearson to approve the checks and claims. The motion
was seconded by Councilmember Reinke. All in favor. Approved. Motion carried.
Agenda Item #3. Health Impact Assessment Final Report
Ms. Turner provided an overview of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) project scope and final report. The
HIA was funded by a year and a half long grant, and focused on developing tools to inform city land use
decisions with a public health perspective. It was noted that there was a substantial opportunity to guide city
comprehensive plan updates to consider public health in decision-making at all levels. Ms. Turner noted that
public engagement on the HIA was able to involve an even broader range of stakeholders than Gold Line
outreach, because of the tie to public health. The assessment collaborated with leadership teams from Living
Healthy Washington County and the Ramsey County Community Health Services Advisory Committee. The
assessment resulted in four focus elements: connectivity, housing, jobs and safety. Ms. Turner provided a vision
statement, suggested recommendations, and a summary of public feedback for each element. The HIA
emphasizes health should be front and center, and well connected to decisions made in comprehensive
planning processes. Recommendations can be chosen to fit the individual needs of each community.
Upcoming collaboration will be done with Washington County Public Health and Environment’s Statewide
Health Improvement Program with funding through the Minnesota Department of Health. An additional
opportunity for collaboration will be with the recently awarded Federal Transit Administration’s TOD grant for
station area planning throughout the Gold Line corridor. Ms. Turner provided copies of the HIA Summary to all
Page 2 of 5
Commission members. A technical report was available, and both documents are accessible on the Gateway
Gold Line BRT website.
Chair Weik opened the floor for questions.
Councilmember Prince complemented work performed by project staff.
Chair Weik commended the report’s organization and ease of readability in the Commission packet. Chair Weik
stated that the design of our communities matters, and highlighted efforts performed by the City of Woodbury
for the plan, Woodbury Thrives.
Motion made by Mayor Pearson to approve the Health Impact Assessment Final Report. The motion was
seconded by Councilmember Reinke. All in favor. Approved. Motion carried.
Agenda Item #4. Communications Update
Mr. McClung gave a briefing on the end of the legislative session and government relations efforts on behalf of
the Gateway Corridor Commission. The legislature adjourned without the passage of a transportation bonding
bill. The communications team has been closely monitoring conversations about a special session involving a
compromised transportation bonding bill, and will keep the Commission updated should a session be called and
look for opportunities to engage on behalf of Gold Line. At a hearing of house and senate bonding conferees,
Mayor Stephens testified with a very positive reception about Gateway Gold Line BRT funding. It is helpful for
legislators to see not only counties supportive of transit, but cities as well. Although there is disappointment in
the non-passage of transportation funding in this session, work on the corridor will continue with previous
state, CTIB, Ramsey and Washington County funding.
Mr. McClung thanked the group for following and sharing the project’s social media on Facebook and Twitter,
and encouraged everyone to continue doing so. Recent posts had positive impressions, such as a recent article
announcing 3M as the most desired employer for millennials. The article was apt, because millennials have
shown a preference for commuting via transit to work, and the Gold Line has a proposed station at the 3M
campus in Maplewood.
Continuing strategic communications with Metropolitan University, East Side Area Business Association (ESABA
member appreciation picnic), Transit for Livable Communities, Prom Center, and the Saint Paul Chamber of
Commerce. Looking into summer and fall opportunities to educate, reconnect and draw old and new
supporters together. Recently, the A Line grand opening was used as an opportunity to connect people and the
media with a tangible sense of what Gold Line may be like, although the BRT types differ: A Line is not
dedicated lane BRT, while the Gold Line is.
Chair Weik opened the floor for questions. No questions.
Agenda Item #5. Draft Environmental Impact Statement Update
Ms. Leitner briefly explained recent DEIS outreach and technical work has involved focused working group
sessions: on the eastern end of the corridor in Oakdale and Woodbury, and on the western end in Dayton’s
Bluff.
Chair Weik opened the floor for questions. No questions.
Page 3 of 5
Agenda Item #6. FTA Pilot Program Grant
Ms. Leitner explained that in 2014 the project worked corridor with cities and counties to put together an
application for funding from a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transit-oriented Development (TOD) Pilot
Program. The project has been awarded a $1 million dollar grant with $300,000 matching funds; the contract
must be in place by mid-September, the end of the FTA’s budget year. The application is a not only a regional,
but a national example of work well done. Staff will begin generating ideas for the project scope – which is city,
rather than county driven. To consider: station area planning is a local activity, but the project must ensure
communication between all localities and stations along the corridor. The grant application put particular
emphasis on housing, employment, and education assessment, with room for interpretation to suit the
individual needs of Gold Line communities. Station area planning efforts in the west metro are a learning
opportunity for best practices. Examples: Green Line concerns and community process around the maintenance
of single family housing, Hopkins and Minnetonka joint planning efforts with infrastructure and development.
The formal scope of work will be put into an RFP and come to the Commission for approval in the fall. Corridor
cities will be a part of scope development and the selection process.
Chair Weik expressed enthusiasm about federal investment and the maintenance of local identities along the
corridor, and related a previous experience riding Los Angeles Orange Line BRT. The line exemplified the
continuous use of landscaping to beautify the corridor, while reflecting each area’s individual identity around
stations. Chair Weik noted the timing and overlap of the TOD study with city comprehensive plan updates and
HIA work.
Chair Weik opened the floor for discussion.
Chair Weik acknowledged the presence of Will Schroeer of East Metro Strong and the work performed by the
organization to grow a regional transitway system. Mr. Schroeer explained that East Metro Strong tasked with
creating a vision for development around all five currently planned East Metro transitways, and offered to
provide a presentation at a future Commission meeting. Initial funding for East Metro Strong came from the
McKnight Foundation and Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, and now membership and support now includes
Washington, Ramsey, and Dakota counties, east metro cities, and large employers like 3M and the Saint Paul
Area Chamber.
Chair Weik asked if the Commission would like to add an East Metro Strong presentation to a future meeting
agenda. Councilmember Jane Prince agreed, and was seconded by Mayor Pearson. Chair Weik stated a
presentation would be added to a future Gateway Corridor Commission agenda.
No questions.
Agenda Item #7. Other
Item 7a. Meeting Dates Summary:
Ms. Leitner noted the cancellation of the July PAC and Commission meetings, with the next to take place on
August 11, PAC at 1:30 pm; Commission at 3:30 pm. To note: next Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
meeting July 6, 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Sun Ray Library.
Item 7b. Social Media and Website Update:
Ms. Leitner provided an update. 578 likes on Facebook, and an increase in Twitter followers from 70 to 118.
Page 4 of 5
Item 7c. Media Articles:
Ms. Leitner stated articles included in the Commission packet. Upcoming outreach meetings with St. Paul Youth
Services whose parking lot may be impacted by the Sun Ray station, the Woodbury Rotary, and the Woodbury
King of Kings Church Men’s Group.
Depending on the schedule, an outreach push with a focus on Dayton’s Bluff and the eastern end of the
corridor is anticipated to take place after a PAC approval of alternatives – likely in late summer or early fall.
Chair Weik opened the floor for questions. No questions.
The meeting adjourned at 4:17 PM
Page 5 of 5
Agenda Item #2b
DATE:
August 11, 2016
TO:
Gateway Corridor Commission
FROM:
Staff
RE:
Checks and Claims
DEIS Contract (Kimley Horn)
June, 2016
$66,863.94
Contract Utilization = 87%
Communications Contract (MZA+Co)
June, 2016
$10,225.00
Contract Utilization = 60%
Total
Detailed invoices can be made available upon request.
Action Requested:
Approval
$77,088.94
Agenda Item #3
DATE:
August 11, 2016
TO:
Gateway Corridor Commission
FROM:
Staff
RE:
East Metro Strong Vision
East Metro Strong is a public-private partnership of businesses, cities and counties working together to
bring more and better transit investment to the East Metro and catalyze job growth and economic
development opportunities. Over the last year, East Metro Strong has developed a vision through a
collaborative process engaging its members and additional organizations from the East Metro. Will
Schroeer, Executive Director, will present the East Metro Strong Vision.
For more information about East Metro Strong, visit www.eastmetrostrong.com.
MZA+Co
1
EastMetroStrong.com
East Metro Strong: Update and
What’s Next
June 21, 2016
Will Schroeer, Executive Director
Today
1. Review: East Metro Strong
2. What are we doing to support and advance
transit investment in the East Metro?
3. Vision for East Metro Growth
4. Next steps
2
1. What & Who is East Metro Strong?
Public – private partnership
Business
• Saint Paul Area
Chamber of Commerce
• 3M
• Health East
Cities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cottage Grove
Landfall
Oakdale
Saint Paul
West Saint Paul
White Bear Lake
Woodbury
Counties
• Ramsey
• Dakota
• Washington
Philanthropy
• Saint Paul Foundation
3
GOAL: Catalytic, successful transit
investments in the East Metro
• Mission
East Metro Strong seeks to address the challenges that have so far limited the
East Metro’s participation in that transit-related growth and investment. We bring
together regional business, community, and government leaders to draw and
accelerate investments that incorporate transit, economic, and community
development to maximize sustained and equitable growth.
• Help draw investment that creates great places
• More transit investment
• More economic development
4
Need
5
Benefit: employers move to transit
6
2. How are we supporting expanded
transit investment in the East Metro?
1. Lead stakeholders to create a Vision
2. Support others in implementing that Vision
3. Work with others to educate / advocate
7
Vision
How to best serve East Metro growth?
Up to 393,000 new residents
Up to 159,000 new jobs
Planned Transitways
Gold Line (Gateway)
Red Rock
Robert Street
Riverview
Rush Line
Red Line extension
8
Vision
How to best serve East Metro growth?
9
Vision process
What is important to us?
Establish East Metro Values
 Workshops with 23 East Metro
communities and organizations
 Participants
• Described an East Metro
that they care deeply about
• Were in remarkable
agreement on their values
and goals for the future of
the East Metro.
10
Vision process
Where are we now? Atlas
 Transit corridors total
200 sq miles
 Who’s here?
• 598,000 persons
/ 1.1 million 3-county
= 54%
• 305,000 jobs
/ 559,000 3-county
= 54%
11
Vision process
Where are we now? Atlas /2
 Atlas gives substantial
detail
12
Vision process
Where are we headed?
2010 to 2040:
• 172,000 new
residents
(59% of new East
Metro residents)
• 105,000 new jobs
(66% of new East
Metro jobs)
13
Room to grow
at strategic locations
Greenfields
24% of area - 41 sq. miles
Major Assets
60 major asset centers
50% of area within ½ mi of asset
Infill/Redev areas
Greenfields
Other greenfields
14
Many assets in the corridors
15
Vision process
What could growth look like?
1.
Participating communities ‘painted’ potential 2040
place types on portions of transit corridors in their
boundaries.
16
Vision process
1.
Communities ‘painted’ potential 2040 place types on portions of transit
corridors in its boundaries.
Next:
2.
Community results were combined into 2040 scenarios for the
whole Vision Area.
Nearly all of the individual growth scenarios painted by participating
communities exceeded the current 2040 forecast, some substantially.
The exceedance was greatest for jobs.
Simple summing of individual communities’ aspirational growth gave
results that far exceed forecast growth in the transit corridors.
17
Vision process
3. Communities reconvened to refine an overall Vision Scenario
Preferred this Scenario:
% Growth in Vision asset areas: +36%
% Growth in rest of Vision area: +8%
Illustrates:
• A robust implementation of East Metro values
• Performance that moves towards those values.
(See pp. 17-18 of Vision)
4. East Metro Strong Board approved this Scenario as an illustration of the Vision
18
What’s next? Opportunity
The market rewards places that build
transit-ready
 Commercial and residential values increase near
Transit, walkable places
 Development comes to
Transit, walkable places
 The market rewards these places long before transit
arrives.
1 Walk Score point = 0.9% increase in home value
19
19
Next steps for the Vision
• Use the Vision as a resource
• To make the case for transitway development and
funding
• For community comprehensive planning
(Met Council-required Comp Plan revisions due 2018)
• For planning in and around station areas
20
Discussion
• Questions?
• Discussion
21
21
Thank you
Will Schroeer, Executive Director
[email protected]
EastMetroStrong.com
22
Agenda Item #4
DATE:
August 11, 2016
TO:
Gateway Corridor Commission
FROM:
Brian McClung, MZA+Co
RE:
Gateway Corridor Communications and Government Relations Update
Since the Gateway Corridor Commission meeting in June, we have continued to actively engage on the
government relations and communications fronts.
Government Relations – Following the conclusion of the 2016 legislative session on May 23, Governor
Dayton and legislative leaders have discussed returning for a Special Session to pass a revised Tax Bill
and Bonding Bill. At this time, no decision has been made on holding a Special Session.
On Tuesday, June 16, House & Senate Bonding conferees held a hearing to review the bonding bill that
was before the legislature on the final night of session and take testimony. Woodbury Mayor Mary
Giuliani Stephens testified in support of Gateway Gold Line BRT. Senator Katie Sieben, a member of the
bonding conference committee, offered positive comments in support of the project as well.
We have continued to be in close contact with key legislators and staff to make the case for including $3
million in planning funds for Gold Line BRT should there be a compromise bonding bill in a Special
Session. This has included meetings with committee chairs and legislative leaders.
Strategic Communications – We have been assisting the East End Working Group as they have
discussions regarding a new potential alignment in Oakdale and Woodbury. A press release is going out
in conjunction with the PAC and Corridor Commission meetings on August 18. We are also sending out
an e-newsletter on Friday, August 19 to share information about the East End alignment discussion.
Our most recent Gold Line BRT e-newsletter was sent out on June 22. It included a link to the online
questionnaire regarding the East End alignment. As a result of that e-newsletter and other outreach, we
received approximately 120 responses from residents and businesspeople about where they would like
to travel, what types of events and activities they travel to, the benefits and impacts the project team
should be aware of. The vast majority – roughly 80% – of the responses were positive and express
support for Gold Line BRT.
MZA+Co
1
MZA+Co Memo, August 11, 2016, p. 2
We also did a press release on July 12 sharing the results of the Gold Line BRT Health Impact
Assessment. The press release resulted in an article in the East Side Review:
http://www.lillienews.com/articles/2016/07/17/gateway-gold-line-study
Community Outreach – We continue to reach out to organizations, businesses and non-profits in the
community. We are also executing a plan to share information in the community about the East End
alignment process.
Social Media – We have done significant work to build new audiences on social media and have had
good success in this area. Since beginning our new @GoldLineBRT twitter account on March 25, we have
tweeted 94 times. We now have 123 followers.
Our recent top tweet earned 1,306 impressions – it was a tweet sharing information about the new
Snelling A Line BRT and the increase in ridership seen there.
In June we had 19.2K tweet impressions, in July we had 8.5K tweet impressions and so far in August
we’ve had 3K tweet impressions.
Facebook also continues to be a very strong outreach tool for us. We reached 1,436 people on Facebook
between July 14 and August 10.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Page 1
Agenda Item #5
DATE:
July 11, 2016
TO:
Gateway Corridor Commission
FROM:
Jeanne Witzig, Kimley-Horn
RE:
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Update
Key Work Activities/Progress from mid-June to mid-August 2016

Meetings
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) – The PAC met on June 23, 2016. The meeting
focused on findings from the East End and Dayton’s Bluff working groups, and
kicked off the FTA Transit Oriented Development Pilot Program grant.
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – The TAC met on July 20, 2016. The
meeting focused on the findings from the East End and Dayton’s Bluff working
groups and federal agency coordination updates.
Community Advisory Committee (CAC) – The CAC met on July 6, 2016. The
meeting focused on findings from the East End and Dayton’s Bluff working group
meetings, and upcoming project decision/schedule.
Project Management Team (PMT) – The PMT met on July 13, 2016, to review
coordination and working group activities, discuss potential Draft EIS alternatives
and schedule.
East End Working Group – The working group met on July 12 and August 2, 2016.
The meetings focused on refinements to potential alignments and station
locations, outreach approach/schedule, and overall decision making.
Dayton’s Bluff Area Working Group – The working group met June 23 and July
13. The meetings focused on refinements to the BRT alignment to minimize
impacts and findings from the traffic analysis in the Dayton‘s Bluff area.
Meetings with MnDOT Cultural Resources Unit (CRU)–Every other week check in
calls conducted with CRU focus on status of survey work, next steps in the
Section 106 process, and coordination activities with stakeholder agencies,
including FTA and SHPO.
MnDOT Office of Environmental Services – A meeting was held with OES on July
25, 2016, to provide an overall Gateway update.
Metro Transit – A meeting with Metro Transit staff on July 28, 2016, focused on
updates to connecting bus service and refinement to the operating and
maintenance cost estimates.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
•

Page 2
City of Woodbury – A meeting with Woodbury staff on August 1, 2016, focused
on alignments and stations in Woodbury, along with upcoming outreach
activities.
Other Project Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prepared background demographic information, initial ridership information,
operational analysis, capital cost estimates and alignment concepts for the East
End Working Group.
Conducted traffic counts along Bielenberg Drive in Woodbury.
Conducted traffic and engineering analysis for the Dayton’s Bluff Working Group
discussion.
Updated project schedule to reflect local decision making process.
Advanced Section 106 activities, focusing on the Dayton’s Bluff Local Historic
District area.
Initiated preparation of the East End Alignment Technical Memo for review by
the working group in August, 2016.
Weekly coordination with KHA/SRF project team and Washington County.
Respond to individual requests for project information, as needed.
Upcoming Activities





Continue to work with the East End Working Group, and conduct preliminary technical
analysis to assist in decision making.
Advance the East End Tech Memo and prepare a Dayton’s Bluff Alternative Refinement
Memo.
Advance the preparation of the Draft EIS.
Continued Section 106 survey work activities and coordination with MnDOT Cultural
Resources Unit (CRU), including a meeting with MnDOT CRU on August 18, 2016.
Prepare for and attend upcoming meetings with Washington County staff, PMT, TAC,
PAC, GCC, CAC, and FTA.
Agenda Item #6
DATE:
August 11, 2016
TO:
Gateway Corridor Commission
FROM:
Staff
RE:
Other Items
Items 6a. 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
September
September
October
October
Meeting
PAC
Commission
PAC
Commission
Date
September 8
September 8
October 13
October 13
Planned Start Time
2:00pm
3:30pm
2:00pm
3:30pm
Item 6b. Social Media Updates
Facebook
The Gateway Corridor Facebook page was launched on Monday, February 20, 2012. The page currently
has 588‘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 4-3,499.
Twitter
The Gateway Corridor Twitter account (@GoldLineBRT) was launched in March 2016. The account
currently has 123 followers.
Item 6c. Media Articles
Attached are media articles about the Gateway Corridor from the last month.
Action Requested:
Information.
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 2016.
Upcoming Outreach
Stakeholder
King of Kings Church Men’s Group
Oakdale City Council Workshop
3M Bicycle Users Group
Previous Outreach
Stakeholder
St. Paul Youth Services
Woodbury Rotary Club
Oakdale Planning Commission
East Metro Equity Roundtable
District 1 Community Council
Oakdale Ridership Meeting
Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health Services Advisory
Committee
Oakdale Environmental Meeting
Oak Meadows Senior Living
Oakdale Community Meetings
Living Healthy Washington County
Lake Elmo City Council
Woodbury City Council
Oakdale Neighborhood Meetings
Senate Bonding Presentation
ESABA Lunch and Learn
Washington County Realtor Forum
Joint Woodbury/Cottage Grove City Council
Oakdale Community Meting
Woodbury City Council Workshop
Oakdale City Council
DC Trip
St. Paul Chamber of Commerce
Lake Elmo City Council
Lake Elmo Planning Commission
E Segment Public Hearing
East Side Enterprise Center
7th Street Live
Status
September 13, 2016
September 13, 2016
October 19, 2016
Status
July 7, 2016
July 14, 2016
May 5, 2016
April 13, 2016
March 21, 2016
March 9, 2016
March 2, 2016
February 24, 2016
February 4, 2016
January 21 and 28, 2016
January 20, 2016
January 5, 2016
December 9, 2015
December 7, 8, 17, 2015
December 1, 2015
November 12, 2015
October 20, 2015
October 20, 2015
October 15, 2015
October 14, 2015
October 13, 2015
October 7-8, 2015
September 17, 2015
September 15, 2015
September 14, 2015
September 10, 2015
Presentation, August 25, 2015
Booth, August 21, 2015
Lake Elmo Open House
Oakdale HOA
Oakdale Farmers Market
St. Paul Youth Services
National Night Out – Conway Rec Center
District 1 Community Council
Landfall Open House
Woodbury Chamber Public Affairs Committee
CAC
District 4 Community Council
Building Owners and Managers Association
East Side Area Business Association
Saint Paul City Council Transitway Workshop
Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health
CAC
Living Healthy Washington County
Wilson Apartment Building
Opus (Carlson Business Park Owner)
Lake Elmo City Council
E. 7th Street Placemaking
Guardian Angels Finance Committee
Washington County Public Health staff
Lafayette Business Park Commuter Fair
Carlson/Oaks Station Property Owner
Gateway Corridor Development Forum
East Metro Strong Lake Elmo Workshop
Ramsey County Environmental Health Staff
African American Leadership Forum
HIA Workshop
Senate Transportation Committee
Oakdale Chamber
Ramsey Co/St. Paul Community Health
Legislative Breakfast
St. Paul Station Planning Task Force
St. Paul Historic Preservation committee
Stillwater Lion’s Club
Oakdale City Council
Governor Briefing
Bus Tour with Chair Duininck
St. Paul Station Planning Task Force
Community Advisory Committee
Washington County Public Health Community Leadership
St. Paul Station Planning Task Force
Open House, August 19, 2015
Presentation, August 17, 2015
Booth, August 5, 2015
Presentation, August 5, 2015
Booth, August 4, 2015
Presentation, July 27, 2015
Open House, July 23, 2015
Presentation, July 23, 2015
June 24, 2015
Presentation, July 20, 2915
Booth, June 15, 2015
Presentation, June 11, 2015
Workshop, June 10, 2015
Presentation, June 3, 2015
Meeting, June 2, 2015
Presentation, May 20, 2015
Meeting, May 18, 2015
Meeting, May 12, 2015
Workshop, May 12, 2015
Discussion, May 12, 2015
Meeting, May 6, 2015
Presentation, April 24, 2015
Booth, April 23, 2015
Meeting, April 22, 2015
Forum, April 14, 2015
Workshop, April 13-14, 2015
Presentation, March 30, 2015
Meeting, March 16, 2015
Workshop, March 13, 2015
Tour, March 5, 2015
Presentation, March 5, 2015
Presentation, March 4, 2015
February 27, 2015
Meeting, February 17, 2015
Presentation, February 12, 2015
Presentation, February 10, 2015
Workshop, February 10, 2015
Meeting, February 9, 2015
Tour, January 6, 2015
Workshop, February 5, 2015
Meeting, January 29, 2015
Presentation, January 21, 2015
Meeting, January 6, 2015
Maplewood Planning Commission
River Valley Action Forum
ESABA Gala
St. Paul Station Planning Task Force
Legislative Strategy Meeting
Met Council – Committee of the Whole
Maplewood Station Planning Meeting
Lake Elmo Station Planning Meeting
Dayton’s Bluff Community Meeting
Oakdale Station Planning Meeting
Partnership for Regional Opportunity-TOD Committee
Woodbury Station Planning Meeting
District 4 Community Council New Moon Celebration
St. Paul Station Planning Meeting
Washington County Regional Rail Authority
Globe University – Welcome Day for Students
Woodbury City Council
Oakdale City Council
Maplewood City Council
Lake Elmo City Council
Washington County Regional Rail Authority
Metro State University Fall Fest
Landfall City Council
Lake Elmo City Council
Oakdale City Council
Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority- Public Hearing
Saint Paul Planning Commission
Woodbury Rotary Club
Bruce Vento Elementary-Back to School Night
City Walk Board (Woodbury)
Metropolitan Council-Transportation Policy Plan Outreach
Oakdale City Council Workshop
Maplewood City Council Workshop
St. Paul Transportation Committee
Metro State University-Welcome Day
Lake Elmo Property Owners along I-94
Landfall City Council Workshop
LPA Public Hearing
National Night to Unite-several Woodbury neighborhoods
National Night to Unite- Dayton’s Bluff, Saint Paul
Primrose/City Walk Businesses (Woodbury)
Community Thread-Stillwater
St. Paul District 1 Community Council
Presentation, December 16, 2014
Presentation, December 9, 2014
Table – December 4, 2014
Workshop, December 2, 2014
November 13 and 21, 2014
Presentation, November 12, 2014
November 7, 2014
November 6, 2014
November 6, 2014
November 6, 2014
Presentation, November 3, 2014
October 31, 2014
Flyers/booth – October 30, 2014
October 27 and 30, 2014
October 7th, 2014
Booth – October 1st, 2014
September 24th, 2014
September 23rd, 2014
September 22nd, 2014
September 16th, 2014
Public Hearing- September 16th, 2014
Booth-September 13th, 2014
September 10th, 2014
Workshop-September 9th, 2014
Workshop-September 9th, 2014
Presentation-September 9th, 2014
Update -September 5th, 2014
Presentation – September 4th, 2014
Booth-August 27th, 2014
Presentation-August 27th, 2014
Booth-August 26th, 2014
Workshop – August 26th, 2014
Workshop – August 25th, 2014
Presentation – August 25th, 2014
Booth-August 20th, 2014
Presentation/discussion-August 14th, 2014
Presentation-August 13th, 2014
Public Hearing – August 7th, 2014
Booth-August 5th, 2014
Booth-August 5th, 2014
Presentation-July 31st, 2014
Update-July 29th, 2014
Presentation – July 28th, 2014
Woodbury Chamber Public Affairs Committee
Wabasha Street Block Party
ESABA Bowling Tournament
Landfall Planning and Finance Committee
Community Advisory Committee
Orange Line Tour
Make it Happen on E. 7th St. Night Out Business &
Community Fair
FTA Tour and Workshop
District 4 Community Council
Green Line Opening
Community Advisory Committee
Target Station Opening
National Train Day
Future of 4th Event
St. Transportation Summit
Woodbury Expo
St. Paul Port Authority
Corridor Cities and Market Analysis Consultant
Met Council Transportation Committee
Globe University – Students
Engage East Side – Gateway Event
Globe University – Staff
Gateway Day at the Capitol
DEIS Scoping Open House, Conway Rec Center
DEIS Scoping Open House, Guardian Angels
District 1 Community Council Open House
Interagency Scoping Meeting
River Valley Action
FHWA
Landfall HRA
Environmental Quality Board
Park and Rides
Legislative Strategy
Engage East Side – Gateway Event
Washington County Board
Gateway Legislative Kick-Off Breakfast
Guardian Angels Finance Committee
Legislative Strategy
Policy Advisory Committee/Commission
Woodbury Chamber
FTA Call
Presentation – July 24th, 2014
Booth – July 24th, 2014
Booth – July 24th, 2014
Presentation – July 8th, 2014
Meeting – June 30th, 2014
Field Trip – June 25 - 27, 2014
Event Presence – June 20, 2014
Tour and Presentation – June 20th, 2014
Presentation – June 16th, 2014
Booth at Depot/Wanderers – June 14th,
2014
Meeting – June 3rd, 2014
Booth – May 17th, 2014
Booth – May 10th, 2014
Booth – May 8, 2014
Booth – May 6, 2014
Booth – May 3, 2014
Presentation – April 17, 2014
Meetings - Week of April 14, 2014
Presentation - April 14, 2014
Presentations – April 9, 2014
Presentation/Panel – April 8, 2014
Presentation – March 28, 2014
One-on-ones - March 26, 2014
Open House – March 25, 2014
Open House – March 24, 2014
Booth – March 22, 2014
Meeting – March 20, 2014
Presentation – March 18, 2014
Meeting – March 13, 2014
Presentation – March 12, 2014
Meeting – March 12, 2014
Flyer handout – March 12, 2014
Meeting – February 28, 2014
Meeting – February 25, 2014
Workshop – February 25, 2014
Meeting – February 20, 2014
Meeting – February 19, 2014
Meeting – February 14, 2014
Meeting – February 13, 2014
Presentation – February 12, 2014
Call – February 12, 2014
Community Advisory Committee
D1/D2 Open House
St. Paul Area Chamber
Harley Davidson
Technical Advisory Committee
Legislative Strategy
Washington County Administrators
St. Paul East Side Groups
TAC Staff from Woodbury, Oakdale, and Lake Elmo
Driving tour of Corridor w/ Senator Housley
Technical Advisory Committee
“Get to Know Woodbury” Realtors event
3M Staff
Policy Advisory Committee
Community Advisory Committee
FHWA Staff
Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation
District 2 Community Council
Technical Advisory Committee
FTA Conference Call
Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation
MnDOT, Met Council, County leadership
FTA Tour
St. Paul District 1 Community Council
Landfall
Technical Advisory Committee
Lake Elmo
MnDOT/Met Council/County Staff
East Side Area Business Association
East Side Partners
Policy Advisory Committee
Community Advisory Committee
Technical Advisory Committee
FTA
Fostering an East Side Transit Conversation – Engage ES
St. Paul Transportation Committee
Woodbury staff
Oakdale staff
Maplewood staff
Lake Elmo staff
3M
Metro State
Meeting – February 10, 2014
Open House – February 6, 2014
Presentation – February 6, 2014
Meeting – February 3, 2014
Meeting – January 29, 2014
Meeting – January 3, 2014
Presentation – January 22, 2014
Meeting – January 21, 2014
Meeting – January 9, 2014
Tour – December 27, 2013
Meeting – December 18, 2013
Booth – December 18, 2013
Meeting – December 16, 2013
Meeting – December 12, 2013
Meeting – December 9, 2013
Meeting – December 6, 2013
Transit Summit – December 5, 2013
Presentation – November 20, 2013
Meeting – November 20, 2013
Meeting – November 13, 2013
Town Hall – November 7, 2013
Meeting – November 1, 2013
Tour – November 1, 2013
Presentation – October 28, 2013
Meeting – October 25, 2013
Meeting – October 16, 2013
Presentation – October 15, 2013
Meeting – October 11, 2013
Presentation – October 10, 2013
Meeting – October 8, 2013
Meeting – October 10, 2013
Meeting – September 30, 2013
Meeting – September 25, 2013
Coordination Call #2 – September 25, 2013
Presentation – September 25, 2013
Meeting – September 22, 2013
Meeting – September 12, 2013
Meeting – September 12, 2013
Meeting – September 11, 2013
Meeting – September 10, 2013
Meeting – September 4, 2013
Meeting – August 29, 2013
St. Paul staff
Community Advisory Committee
Technical Advisory Committee
FTA
East Side Groups Update
Policy Advisory Committee
Hot Dogs and Transit – Engage East Side
Technical Advisory Committee
Hot Dogs and Transit – Engage East Side
Development Forum
Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Engage East Side Resident Network staff
Start of DEIS
Meeting – August 29, 2013
Meeting – August 26, 2013
Meeting – August 21, 2013
Coordination Call – August 15, 2013
Meeting – August 13, 2013
Meeting – August 8, 2013
Booth – August 3, 2013
Meeting – July 24, 2013
Booth – July 13, 2013
June 24, 2013
Staff level meeting – June 7, 2013
Discussion on CAC – May 31, 2013
Home ›
Gateway Gold Line BRT collecting
input
Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/29/2016 - 12:00am
The process is now underway to determine the eastern portion of the Gateway Gold Line Bus Rapid
Transit, and the Gateway Corridor Commission is seeking input from area residents, employers,
employees and others who travel in the corridor.
The commission wants to know where people would like to travel along the cooridor, what types of
events and activities they travel to, the benefits and impacts the project team should be aware of and
other questions regarding Gold Line BRT.
This public input will help a working group comprised of technical staff consider the best routes for
connecting St. Paul, Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale and Woodbury with a growing transit system in the
Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
After input has been collected on all of the viable alternatives, there will be a public hearing regarding the
locally preferred alternative. Final decisions on the route will be locally-driven and will incorporate
feedback from residents, employees, businesses and the local units of government along the line.
To answer three short questions about how you would like to use transit in the East Metro, please visit
http://thegatewaycorridor.com/contact-us-with-your-comments-about-the-ga...
From The Atlantic
CityLab
How the Twin Cities' Transit Expansion Will
Improve Access to Jobs
University of Minnesota researchers have mapped how disadvantaged
neighborhoods stand to gain.
TANVI MISRA |  @Tanvim | Jul 13, 2016 |  4 Comments
AP Photo/Janet Hostetter
In the U.S. overall, there aren’t enough jobs to go around. But that’s not the
case in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, where one job opening
exists for each unemployed person, according to a 2015 report. The problem,
however, is that while these vacancies are clustered in the suburbs, the people
who could potentially fill them live in the urban centers. As with many other
U.S. metros, prospective workers in the Twin Cities remain disconnected from
job-rich areas.
A group of researchers at the University of Minnesota, led by Yingling Fan,
associate professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, took a deep dive
into this spatial mismatch in a new report. Using GIS mapping, they visualized
the potential effect of recently proposed transit expansions in the region.
Below are their two main findings:
Disadvantaged neighborhoods would see significant gains
The map below, from the report, shows the number of job vacancies that are
accessible within 45 mins—by foot or via public transport—from a particular
area. The warmer the color, the larger the number of easy-to-reach jobs:
(Yingling Fan et al/University of Minnesota)
Generally, the urban core generally seems pretty well-connected. But on closer
examination, it’s clear that neighborhoods in North Minneapolis, despite their
proximity to downtown, are faring pretty badly with respect to job accessibility.
The Brooklyn Park neighborhood, which is northwest of the metro region, and
eastern Saint Paul also contain neighborhoods with low transit access. Some
context on these areas, via the report:
Disadvantaged urban areas with low transit accessibility—
particularly North Minneapolis—frequently have high levels of local
bus service. However, this service is often quite slow, meaning that
transit- dependent workers living in these areas face prohibitively
long commutes even to spatially proximate jobs. In such cases, a
transit-dependent worker may have a short walk to a bus stop and a
short wait for a bus, but still face an unreasonable commute.
The regional transportation plan that the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota
adopted in 2015 would yield dramatic improvements in job accessibility for
these disadvantaged neighborhoods in city centers, the researchers find. They
estimate that light rail expansion would yield a 23 percent increase in job
accessibility for Brooklyn Park. North Minneapolis and the Gateway Corridor
along I-94, east of St. Paul, would see an 18 and 17 percent improvement,
respectively. In fact, these are modest estimates given that the changes to the
bus routes in the region haven’t been finalized, and therefore are not taken into
account in this analysis. Upgrading the bus service is expected to boost the
benefits even more. Here’s what job accessibility would look like once these
changes to the regional transit system go through:
(Yingling Fan et al/University of Minnesota)
To make the gains to these neighborhoods even clearer, the report includes the
another map, which shades the region based on the magnitude of change
between current and the future scenarios. The warmer the color of the area, the
more job-accessible it is:
(Yingling Fan et al/University of Minnesota)
These results may seem obvious to some, but the report really spells out their
meaning:
The accessibility benefits to disadvantaged areas largely accrue
from faster regional mobility, bringing more employment centers
within the allowable travel time. Though fewer in number than local
bus routes, light rail and BRT lines allow transit users to cover
distance sufficiently faster to have significant accessibility even
beyond immediate station areas.
Workforce development needed in the broader strategy
While transit accessibility is a key aspect of the story in the Twin Cities, it’s only
one part. For the region overall, the report finds a need for a broader strategy
that includes skill development and targeted recruiting. Via the research brief:
Transit planners and workforce development professionals see a
need for greater coordination, particularly in suburban areas. There
also is broad agreement that connecting urban workers with
suburban jobs requires addressing the first-mile/last-mile problem
at the worksite end of the commute.
After examining the job market in the region, the report finds that, in industry
sectors with the highest demand for labor, most positions offering a livable
salary don’t even require high educational attainment. It would be in the
economic interest of businesses in the suburbs to direct recruiting efforts
beyond their immediate vicinity, and make sure their workers have
transportation options to and from the nearest transit station, researchers
suggest. But connecting the unemployed to opportunity would also be a moral
choice.
“If you’re meaning to hire a large number of people for relatively entry-level
positions,” Andrew Guthrie, a research fellow at the Humphrey School of Public
Affairs who worked on the study, tells CityLab, ”it makes sense both from a
business-efficiency perspective—and also from a social-equity perspective.”
About the Author
Tanvi Misra is a staff writer for CityLab covering demographics,
inequality, and urban culture. She previously contributed to NPR's
Code Switch blog and BBC's online news magazine.
ALL POSTS |
@Tanvim |
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ALL POSTS |  @Tanvim |  Feed
LOCAL
Study: Big disconnect between jobs and
transit
By Janet Moore (http://www.startribune.com/janet‑moore/10645476/) Star Tribune
JULY 12, 2016 — 10:58AM
Having a job is great, if you can get there.
A recent University of Minnesota study
(http://www.cts.umn.edu/research/featured/transitandworkforce) found a “serious
disconnect” between unemployed workers and job vacancies in the seven-county Twin
Cities area. The culprit? The lack of a dependable car, for one, but also the need for a
public transportation system that’s reliable and convenient.
As a result, disadvantaged workers who live in urban areas often have no way to reach
employment centers in suburbia, the study concludes. And employers hungry for
qualified workers can’t seem to attract and keep them.
Andrew Guthrie, a doctoral student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said U
researchers embarked on the study because they wanted “to address the fact that
disadvantaged workers often end up between a rock and a hard place. They might be
qualified for a variety of entry-level jobs, often in suburban areas. But if they don’t have
a car, or their household doesn’t have a second car, or a reliable late-model car, they
can’t physically reach these jobs.”
Plus, he added, while it’s relatively easy to reach a large number of jobs in both
downtowns, many people may not have the qualifications to actually land those
positions.
In research-speak, there’s a “spatial and skills mismatch.”
Guthrie was most surprised to find that there were a number of jobs available that paid
relatively well and that did not require a college degree, but were still out of reach for
some because of a lack of transportation. “We tend to forget that — we tend to think if
you don’t have a bachelor’s degree you’re out of luck,” he said.
These positions include coaches and scouts in the educational services sector, customer
service representatives, nursing assistants, machinists and truck drivers.
The study said that planned improvements to the regional transit system would offer
“significant gains in job access for residents of economically disadvantaged areas such as
north Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park and Midway in St. Paul.”
These transit improvements, outlined in the Metropolitan Council’s long-term
Transportation Policy Plan, include extensions of the Green and Blue LRT lines to Eden
Prairie and Brooklyn Park, respectively. It also assumes more arterial bus lines, like the
A Line service that recently opened along Snelling Avenue in St. Paul.
Should the build-out happen — and that’s a very big assumption at this point — access to
jobs would increase 23 percent in Brooklyn Park, 18 percent in north Minneapolis and 17
percent in the Gateway Corridor along Interstate 94 east of St. Paul, the study claims.
(I’m guessing many of the LRT critics in the area would dispute that conclusion.)
Sponsored by Hennepin County, the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of
Minnesota and the McKnight Foundation, the study offers a number of
recommendations to coordinate transit planning and employers’ workforce
development efforts. Copies of the study have been forwarded to key legislators involved
in transportation planning, Guthrie said.
There’s some indication that employers and transit agencies may be taking this
phenomenon seriously. Recently, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority announced a
new express bus route between the Mall of America and Shakopee, a burgeoning
employment center that is the home of Amazon.com, Shutterfly, Mystic Lake Casino
and others.
The Bloomington megamall is a transit hub for the Blue Line light rail, as well as several
bus routes. The new bus service begins in August, and it’s part of a one-year pilot
program to see if it works.
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