Greetings,

The Federal Transit Administration has notified Congress of its intent to grant the Northstar Commuter Rail project permission to enter final design for the project. This is great news because it allows us to seek federal matching funds needed to begin construction.

Northstar has achieved this milestone largely because of the broad bi-partisan support of our Members of Congress, the Governor and legislators, who have guided the project through a highly competitive process. These leaders will continue to play a vital role in helping Northstar secure 50 percent federal matching funds. If the match is approved, construction will begin next year and Northstar may begin operations in 2009.

Developing transportation options for Minnesotans requires a lot of cooperation among elected officials, as well as strong support from people like you. Thank you for helping Northstar prove it is a smart investment for the state.

Sincerely,

Duane Grandy