advertisement

---

The Northstar Commuter Rail Project's application for a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) has entered the last stretch of the federal approval process.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget recently approved the FFGA package, which now enters the 60-day Congressional review phase. The agreement would secure $156.8 million in federal funding for construction and rolling stock for the Northstar project, a proposed 80-mile corridor between downtown Minneapolis and Rice, north of St. Cloud.

The 40-mile Northstar line would run between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, parallel to Highway 10. Trains would provide 4,100 rides during week-day rush hours in the first year of operation, and 5,900 rides by 2030. Limited service would be provided on weekends and during special events.