Greetings,

It is time to break ground on the next big step for Northstar Commuter Rail!

Construction of the Northstar station in Anoka has just begun and will be complete in time for the beginning of Northstar service from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis at the end of next year.

Reaching this milestone would have been impossible without the persistence of supporters like you, so we hope you can help us break ground on your local Northstar station at 5:00 p.m. Monday, May 19!

Please click here to RSVP by Friday, May 16.

The event will include remarks from Anoka County Commissioner Dan Erhart, chair of the Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA), Anoka County Commissioner and NCDA member Dennis Berg and other local and state supporters of the project. An informal, short reception will follow, during which you can see new information about the Anoka Station.

Progress continues in other portions of the corridor, too. The vehicle maintenance facility in Big Lake and the four-block Hiawatha Light Rail Transit extension are moving ahead quickly. The Coon Rapids-Riverdale and Big Lake stations broke ground on April 29 and May 6, respectively, and the groundbreaking for the Elk River Station is scheduled for late summer. Everything is on target for opening in late 2009.

I hope you can join us as we celebrate the construction of the state's first commuter rail line. Let's get ready to ride the line in 2009!

Dan Erhart
Chair
Northstar Corridor Development Authority