go Minnesota! Blog
Looking through the New Patriot referrers, I found a link from go Minnesota! Blog. Their mission: go Minnesota! is a public engagement campaign to ensure that Minnesotans can get where they need to go with reliable transportation options that enhance our quality of life and promote future growth and prosperity.
Their primary goal is to support funding for a transportation bill, including funding for Northstar Commuter Rail. It looks like the Senate has passed $37.5 million bonding bill for Northstar, which is in line with what Gov. Pawlenty proposed, and the House (which has rejected this in the past) approved $10 million.
Almanac At the Capitol has more. (They should really make their site into a blog... permalinks!)
COMPLETELY UNRELATED: Disturbing yet funny video from a FOX News affiliate. [via Norwegianity]
posted by Chuck Olsen @ 1:10 AM |
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7 Comments:
god, i hope not... it starts out kinda funny, but then it's just awful. and then back at the studio they seem so calm. "oh my, umm. i think she's really hurt there. let's check in with the weather."
Ah, cool. I saw this new blog too, and I was going to link to it as well.
I sent it on to some people at Transit for Livable Communities.
I'm assuming the go MN! blog feels the same way, but what the hell is the point of building a commuter rail to Big Lake, when St. Cloud is ten miles down the road?
There are existing tracks used by the Empire Builder that go right through St. Cloud (getting you to the Twin Cities by 7AM, but not returning until 12:30 am), what's so difficult about solving our rail problems, and why aren't Repbublicans in the house willing to invest in our states vital infrastructure?
Tom, the point is 40 million dollars.
As I understand it, the Northstar to St. Cloud costs 80 million (probably low, I may be only including the state's part) and the Northstar to Big Lake costs 40 million.
The idea is to start building it in order to secure the federal money, and then when this segment is complete, finish the line to St. Cloud.
Also, the reason the Northstar is so cheap is that it uses the existing tracks. One of the big sticking points is how to get those tracks from the railroad in an affordable manner.
My friend who is a railroad buff told me that the Empire Builder actually has lower priority than freight trains on that line -- which is why it takes 5 hours to get to Fargo on the train, versus 3 1/2 in a car.
I'm not trying to dillute your point, but it takes me 4 1/2 hours to get to Fargo. :) Of course I tend to hover around the speed limit...
Isn't 80 mph the speed limit? <g>
Speed limit, what speed limit *laughing*
anywho, back on topic-- The Northstar is an issue that I have seen several Right leaners embrace. Ironically, I am luke warm at best, but with the success of our new local train, I see a possibility where it may all be interconnected.
AS for the lady in the video, it is from the Fox5 News in Atlanta) Here is a comment I found on another thread:""This is at WAGA-TV in Atlanta. It was a while ago because the female anchor was hired at WUSA-TV in Washington and recently completed a stint there. The building in the background is part of Chateau Elan, a high dollar resort/vineyard/winery outside of the Georgian metropolis.""
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