$35-million Recovery Act grant to renovate St. Paul, Minn., Union Depot
Written by jrood
Renovations to Minnesota's historic Union Depot in Saint Paul can now begin thanks to a signed agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority for $35 million, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.
The money will pay for
the renovation of the multimodal transit hub in the heart of downtown Saint
Paul and for the restoration of tracks, driveways and sidewalks. The
upgrades will help create a vibrant transportation center, revitalize downtown
and promote economic growth with greater access to the city’s businesses.
"This project is another
great example of how the Recovery Act is creating jobs and improving lives in
cities and towns around the nation," said Secretary LaHood. "This project will
bring together transportation options all at one location in a way that is
convenient for passengers and beneficial to the environment."
The project will connect
several modes of transportation to one facility to provide seamless service to
travelers and link Saint Paul to other cities in the region.
"The Recovery Act is
improving livability for Saint Paul residents by providing more travel choices,"
said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. "With its all-inclusive
approach to transportation designed to serve everyone, the Union Depot is an
excellent model for urban communities."
Mendez added that
protected bike storage would make it even easier for riders to access transit
without having to drive a car and that the depot has the future capacity for
high-speed intercity passenger rail service.
"The Union Depot project
embodies perfectly the goals of the Recovery Act," said Federal Transit
Administrator Peter Rogoff. "It will create jobs now while improving the
quality of life for thousands of Saint Paul residents in the future."
The overall project is
$237.5 million, which includes renovation of the transit facility and
co-locating Amtrak, intercity bus carriers, local bus, light rail services,
taxis and bicycle accommodations.
The $35 million was
awarded under the Recovery Act’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic
Recovery) program. TIGER funding is designed to promote innovative, multi-modal
and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant
economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or
the nation.
