MnDOT requests proposals for Step 2 of the Corridor ID work for Northern Lights Express. The 152-mile Northern Lights Express (NLX) corridor lies between Minneapolis and Duluth, with intermediate stations in Coon Rapids, Cambridge, Hinckley, and Superior, Wisconsin. The NLX will operate on an existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway corridor. The proposed work under Step 2 of the Corridor ID program update and revise a Service Development Plan completed for the corridor in 2017. The work will result in development of a Purpose and Need Statement for intercity passenger rail development; incorporate an analysis of alternatives supported by technical transportation planning and conceptual engineering; incorporate a high-level analysis and consideration of environmental factors associated with the alternatives; include input provided through public involvement and relevant public agencies; and identify the governance structure for the implementation and operation of NLX service. The work will result in a corridor project inventory that identifies the capital projects and other legal and programmatic actions necessary to achieve the proposed service. Deliverables will serve as the foundation for Step 3 Project Development activities under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Corridor ID program.
