MVTA to Begin Constructing Park and Ride Location in Rosemount

The has been working closely with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) on a federal grant to help fund a park and ride location in downtown Rosemount, just south of City Hall.

At the last regular council meeting, on Dec. 6, the council approved to advance $750,000, which is the federal grant share of the project.

"The net loss to the city may be about one year of interest on $750,000, which at today's investment rates, is not significant," City Administrator Dwight Johnson wrote in the executive summary document for the project.

"The [federal] money will be repaid [to the city] in 2013," Community Development Director Kim Lindquist said. "We're just putting up the money so [the project] could be done a year sooner." 

The federal grant monies wasn't available until 2013, and the city wanted to get moving on this right away, she said.

"MVTA says that with state reductions in transit funding, their fund balance would not be able to provide advance funds for the project," Johnson wrote in the executive summary. "The Met Council typically picks up the local matching share for the project and they have confirmed to MVTA staff that they could provide their match a year early in 2012 if needed."

The exact location of this park and ride will be next to the , on 145th Street and Burnley Avenue West, which is city-owned property, and should be completed before the end of next year.

According to Lindquist, Rosemount's park and ride location will have about 100 parking stalls and the shelter will be similar to the Cedar Grove Station in Eagan.

"This grant is for the park and ride, but also to buy buses and have some opportuntiies to expand services," Lindquist said.

Currently, there is a temporary MVTA park and ride location at the , which has been running for about three years. However, buses only go to Minneapolis.

Lindquist said they have about 20-30 commuter riders, but believes there's an even greater need than the city even knows about.

"We think the need is here, but we have nothing to document it," Lindquist said. "Having [a park and ride] downtown will encourage more people to go to our park and ride than using adjoining communities' [facilties]."

Once built, the temporary services will be re-located to the new park and ride facility in downtown Rosemount. In addition, buses will also begin shuttling people to St. Paul as well as Minneapolis.