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St. Cloud State University
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Commentary
Rail line should stop in St. Cloud
Published:
Monday, April 26, 2004
By 2008, the long-awaited commuter rail system extending northwest out of the Twin Cities will be complete. And, if things go as planned, there may be stops in both Becker and St. Cloud.
University Chronicle believes that St. Cloud should be a stop on the commuter rail system for several reasons.
It promises to make the life of commuters easier. Both students and faculty commute here every day from the Twin Cities. Would it not be easier to take a train and let someone else do the driving? In theory, a commuter rail would reduce morning and evening traffic because some of those commuters would opt for the train.
Commuter rail also has the ability to link intermodal transportation in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud. If there was a commuter rail stop in St. Cloud, think of how much easier it would be to get to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Gone would be the days of students hounding people for a ride, or having to pay for a bus ticket. Instead, travelers would simply ride commuter rail to Minneapolis and transfer to the Hiawatha Line, which opens this summer and runs directly to the airport. St. Cloud Regional Airport is also expanding and will probably offer non-stop jet service to Chicago in just a few years. Commuter rail could bring travelers from the northern edge of the Twin Cities to the St. Cloud airport to take advantage of this certain-to-come service.
Commuter rail has so many positives. The problem, unfortunately, is that a stop in St. Cloud is still under consideration by the Minnesota Legislature. It's part of Phase Two of development of the commuter rail system; research provided by the government suggests that passage through this corridor will actually cause the system to lose money.
We find this hard to believe; connecting St. Cloud to the Twin Cities with mass transit, along one of the fastest growing corridors in the country, was the original point of this project. The project already has a hefty price tag, but not connecting St. Cloud to the commuter rail system would be a foolish move.
Area students especially stand to benefit from commuter rail service. Students who are from the Twin Cities will have an easier time getting home on the weekends. Students who need a change of pace will find the Twin Cities, a short train ride away, much more accessible.
And let us not forget about commuter rail's potential positive impact on the environment. Consider the number of cars traveling along Interstate 94 on a typical day - and a typical Friday. Our roads are all but clogged with heavy traffic, much of it large, gas-guzzling vehicles like SUVs. Commuter rail is an environmentally sound commuting option that should cut down on vehicle emissions and save some fossil fuel consumption.
Commuter rail connecting the Twin Cities with its northwestern neighbors is an exceptional idea, but St. Cloud should be part of the line. This system marks a step into the future, and the St. Cloud metro area should not be left behind.
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