Greetings,

Yesterday was a great day for Northstar Commuter Rail—ground was officially broken for the vehicle maintenance facility in Big Lake.

The $21.6 million Big Lake facility will have an important role when Northstar trains start rolling in 2009. It will be a center for fueling, cleaning, inspecting, maintaining, and storing the commuter trains, and will allow Northstar to provide a safe, efficient and reliable transportation alternative to commuters. Get a sneak peek of the facility here.

It may not be long before we start seeing other Northstar work taking place in Big Lake and along the corridor, once the Federal Transit Administration awards final federal funding for Northstar construction this fall.

Thursday's groundbreaking event also marked the 10-year anniversary of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA). Can you believe that it's been 10 years since 30 local government entities and rail authorities joined together with the goal of improving transportation in the Northstar Corridor between St. Cloud and Minneapolis? The leadership and cooperation within the NCDA and with our partners at the Met Council and Minnesota Department of Transportation as well as the work of so many supporters like you have been crucial to advancing Northstar through difficult state and federal funding requirements. Here we are a decade later and we're almost there.

We are making great progress in putting Minnesota's first commuter rail line in motion by the end of 2009. Thank you for doing your part!

Sincerely,
Dan Erhart
NCDA Chair