Support Grows for Southern Minn. Rail

A trio of Minnesota politicians on Tuesday announced their support for a rail corridor around the south side of Rochester, Minn., away from the Mayo Clinic and the city's downtown.

Congressman Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Governor Tim Pawlenty are all in favor of the southern Minnesota rail line, with a bypass around the heart of Rochester, saying it would create hundreds of construction jobs and possibly keep more jobs alive at the Mayo Clinic.

The southern rail corridor would primarily supports freight but also accommodate high speed passenger rail, if a MnDOT study supports a route from Chicago to Rochester. The project is expected to create just under 50 miles of new track outside of Rochester.

The three met last week in Washington with Mayo Clinic officials to discuss funding options for the rail line. Sources of money could include:

• Reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Bill
  
• A state loan applied for from the Federal Railroad Administration
• Funding obtained by applying for a portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  
• State share of bonding dollars to leverage federal funds

Walz, a member of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, agreed to request funding for the rail line near Rochester in this year’s reauthorization of the federal Surface Transportation Bill.

“I will do everything in my power to preserve and protect the heart and soul of Mayo Clinic in southern Minnesota and to ensure that Mayo can continue to grow here in our state,” Walz said

Gov. Pawlenty is directing the Minnesota Department of Transportation to apply for federal grants that could be used for construction of a Rochester bypass. Pawlenty also said he would support state bonding funds in future years that could leverage federal funds.

“The State of Minnesota has been a significant partner with the Mayo Clinic over the years and Mayo has repaid us back many times over with their contributions to our state and the world,” Governor Pawlenty said. “We need to take all reasonable steps to ensure that Mayo continues to grow and thrive in Minnesota.”

Pawlenty, Klobuchar and Walz all echoed the importance of the Rochester bypass in keeping the Mayo Clinic safe and allowing it to continue its growth.