Minnesota Department of Transportation
Office of Communications
395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155
News Release
March 15, 2013
Contact:
Chris Joyce
651-366-4265
chris.joyce@state.mn.us
State to release environmental document for high-speed rail between
Minneapolis, Duluth
Will hold public hearing, open house April 4 in Cambridge
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A public hearing and open house to discuss a proposed high-speed passenger
rail service from Minneapolis to Duluth will be held Thursday, April 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the
Cambridge Armed Forces Reserve Community Center in Cambridge, Minn.
The public is invited to learn more about and formally comment on the Tier 1 Service Level
Environmental Assessment for the proposed Northern Lights Express (NLX) service, which will be
released Monday, March 18. The Minnesota Department of Transportation prepared the EA, in
consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration, the Minneapolis-Duluth/Superior Passenger
Rail Alliance and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
MnDOT and Alliance staff will be available at the April 4 meeting to answer questions about the
proposed project. There will be no formal presentation.
The proposed project includes constructing the necessary infrastructure for a 155-mile long, highspeed intercity passenger rail service between Minneapolis and Duluth, Minn., a portion of which
will travel through Douglas County in Wisconsin, and allow trains to reach speeds of at least 110
miles per hour.
The EA documents the purpose and need of the project along with the anticipated service-wide
social, economic and environmental impacts. The EA sets the foundation for subsequent Tier 2
Project Level EAs to be completed as additional design details are developed. The EA is available
on the MnDOT project website at www.mndot.gov/nlx. Copies of the EA will be available for review
during the public hearing / open house and are also available for public viewing during business
hours at the following locations:
Minnesota


MnDOT’s Central Office – Transportation Building, 395 John Ireland Boulevard, Saint Paul
Anoka County Courthouse, 325 East Main Street, Anoka
An Equal Opportunity Employer












Cambridge Public Library, 244 South Birch Street, Cambridge
Carlton County Courthouse, 301 Walnut Street, Carlton
Coon Rapids Crooked Lake Branch Library, 11440 Crooked Lake Boulevard NW, Coon Rapids
Duluth Public Library, 520 W Superior Street, Duluth
Hennepin County Courthouse, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis
Hinckley Public Library, 106 First Street SE, Hinckley
Isanti County Courthouse, 555 18th Avenue SW, Cambridge
Kanabec County Courthouse, 18 North Vine Street, Suite 318, Mora
Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Pine County Courthouse, 635 Northridge Drive NW, Pine City
Sandstone Public Library, 119 North Fourth Street, Sandstone
St. Louis County Courthouse – Duluth, 100 North 5th Avenue W, Duluth
Wisconsin


Douglas County Courthouse, 1313 Belknap Street, Room 309, Superior
Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Avenue, Superior
Comments on the EA may be submitted online at www.mndot.gov/nlx. Written comments can be
mailed prior to the close of the public comment period on Wednesday, April 17, to Julie Carr,
MnDOT Project Manager, Minnesota Department of Transportation, 395 John Ireland Boulevard,
Saint Paul, MN 55155-1800.
The Cambridge Armed Forces Reserve Community Center is located at 505 Spirit River Drive in
Cambridge, Minn.
To request an ASL or foreign language interpreter or other reasonable accommodation for the April
4 meeting, call Janet Miller at 651-366-4720 or 1-800-657-3774 (Greater Minnesota); 711 or 1-800627-3529 (Minnesota Relay). You may also send an e-mail to janet.rae.miller@state.mn.us. Please
request at least one week in advance.
###
An Equal Opportunity Employer