Saint Paul Union Depot
Saint Paul, MinnesotaIn 1997, the Minnesota Department of Transportation conducted a feasibility study to determine if the Twin Cities metropolitan area could support commuter rail service as an alternative to automobile commuting. Out of the 19 rail corridors studied, six rail corridors proved to be feasible. Of these six rail corridors, three were identified as tier-one projects. The three tier-one rail corridors are:
The Saint Paul Union Depot is identified as a key stop for the Red Rock Corridor Rail Service, and a north-south connecting station between St Cloud and Hastings.
In tandem with the on going rail studies, the City of Saint Paul appointed HGA to conduct a study to reestablish the Union Depot as the Regional Transit Hub serving the regional rail lines. Other long range rail service being considered include the existing Empire Builder's Line serving between Seattle and Chicago, future high-speed rail from the Twin Cities to Chicago, and a downtown transportation museum tour train.
The primary goal of the study is to explore the constraints and opportunities of reestablishing Union Depot as a regional transit hub. The short term immediate objective is to evaluate the feasibility of reopening the Depot to serve the current Empire Builder's line running between Seattle and Chicago. It includes evaluating short term rail availability, facility needs, cost, and timeline for implementation. For the long term, the study addresses long range prospects of developing the Union Depot to serve the regional rails, and the broader Midwest Regional Rail System.