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Why Northstar Commuter Rail?

Northstar Commuter Rail is the best transportation alternative for the Northstar Corridor because:

Northstar will save commuters significant travel time.
According to an independent analysis prepared for the Federal Transit Administration, Northstar will save commuters nearly 900,000 hours in travel time every year compared to bus transit, the next best alternative.

Northstar will quickly and efficiently add needed transportation capacity.
Northstar can be operational in 2009, with the capacity to carry the equivalent of nearly one and a half lanes of highway traffic at peak travel times. It has the capacity to carry 10,000 riders per day. Commuter rail can also adapt to increased commuter demand more quickly than expanding highway capacity.

Northstar is the most cost-effective choice for the Northstar Corridor.
Highway expansion would be nearly four times as expensive and adding a dedicated busway would cost nearly six times more than commuter rail per passenger trip.

Northstar will provide reliable transportation.
Northstar will offer riders on-time and reliable travel regardless of the weather. For example, riders can count on a 34-minute commute from Elk River to Minneapolis, whether it's sunny or snowy. In contrast, the typical car commute is nearly 70 minutes.