Connect & Go: East Metro
The East Metro needs to develop a multi-modal transportation system that will meet the needs of our growing population and stimulate economic growth within our community. A coordinated approach with leadership from the business community will help ensure that East Metro transportation projects are not overlooked.
Click here to view the Chamber's Connect & Go: East Metro online map.
The East Metro needs a multi-modal transportation system that will benefit our entire region.
• We have a real opportunity to transform Minnesota’s future and make our transportation system a driving force behind our economic growth and quality of life.
• For the East Metro to be strong, competitive, and attract and retain businesses, we need to come together to support a transportation system that will meet our needs for decades to come.
• Minnesota commuters pay an average of $916 annually in lost fuel and time due to traffic congestion.[1] Smart, well-planned transportation systems help us reduce congestion, improve air quality, and move thousands of people efficiently.
o The American Trucking Association estimates that the trucking industry loses about $19 billion a year in fuel, equipment expenses, and labor efficiency due to traffic congestion.
• A multi-modal transportation system is a coordinated plan that brings together MnPASS Express Lanes, local circulator buses, bus rapid transit (BRT), light rail transit (LRT), and inter-city commuter rail transit networks along multiple corridors in the East Metro.
• A coordinated approach to transit in the East Metro will make it easier for people throughout the Twin Cities to commute to work and access the wide array of cultural, historical and sporting attractions in the East Metro.
A comprehensive, coordinated transit system will help us create a more competitive business environment in the East Metro.
• Communities with better transit options are more economically viable and competitive. Every dollar spent on infrastructure generates approximately $1.60 in new economic growth.[2]
• Spending less on infrastructure reduces business competitiveness. The United States annually invests about 1.7% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on transportation infrastructure while other nations, including China and Europe, invest nearly 9% annually.[1]
• A high-quality, well-planned, multi-modal transportation system will help the East Metro retain businesses and attract new companies and financial capital.
• Transportation projects strengthen private sector investment in the corridor, creating jobs and enhancing the tax base.
o For example, Twin Cities developer Peter Remes recently bought nine buildings on Vandalia Street, two blocks south of the Central Corridor light rail line. He told Finance & Commerce that the complex had a “phenomenal location” due to the transportation links.
Minnesota’s transportation system needs to expand to meet the needs of population growth within the East Metro and throughout the state.
• Minnesota’s population is expected to increase by 1 million people by 2040.
• The East Metro population has seen tremendous growth. In the past decade, the population has grown by:
o 33.4% in Woodbury
o 21.8% in Hastings
o 20.4% in Stillwater
o 17.6% in Lake Elmo
• Metro Transit provided nearly 78 million rides in 2010, and the Metropolitan Council expects ridership to grow to 147 million by 2030.
• With the anticipated growth in population and ridership, we need to invest in our transportation systems and provide more transportation options that safely and efficiently connect our growing communities.
We need to build unified support for transit in the East Metro today.
• Getting the funding and approvals for transportation projects is complex and takes time. Transportation projects often involve working with local, state and federal levels of government.
• The East Metro is one of many regions around the country competing for transit dollars. The East Metro needs to make sure its projects are not overlooked.
• Effective transportation projects need public and private sector leadership working together.
• The cost of labor, concrete, and other construction materials has never been lower and will only increase as the economy recovers.
• Prices never go down. Each year that a project is delayed adds about 10% to the final cost of the project.
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For more information, contact james@saintpaulchamber.com // 651.265.2795
[1] Minnesota Transportation Alliance. “Minnesota Roadmap to the Future: 2040.” September 2011.
[2] Minnesota Public Radio. “Officials Seek to Grow, Improve State’s Transportation Network.” November 28, 2011.