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Coordination Implications <br />In 1987 the Minnesota Legislature placed primary responsibility for developing light rail transit on <br />regional railroad authorities formed by individual counties. The regional agencies (Metropolitan Council, <br />Regional Transit Board and Metropolitan Transit Commission) were given secondary roles in the <br />planning, designing and operation of light rail transit. The Council was directed to report to the <br />legislature on a recommended process to ensure coordination in planning and development by the <br />counties. The Council's report determined that sufficient coordination could occur through actions that <br />are contained in Strategy C of Policy 6. <br />The report also suggested that if a public agency in the Metropolitan Area receives regional, state or <br />federal funds for light rail transit, the Council should be empowered to review and approve proposals to <br />ensure funds are spent in accordance with regional policies, plans and priorities. As currently <br />constituted, the Council's involvement will consist of its federal review authority, authority to review the <br />light rail transit development and financial plan and the implementation plan of the Regional Transit <br />Board. <br />The RTB implementation plan, discussed primarily in Policy 10 and in Appendix B, is a vehicle to <br />ensure good coordination among transit services and between transit and between transit services and <br />facilities and the Metropolitan Development Guide. Light rail transit implementation decisions must be <br />consistent with the implementation plan, and the implementation plan must reflect the integration of <br />light rail transit in regional service and finance areas. <br />One important implication of planning at a local rather than regional level involves project -level <br />coordination. Where light rail transit routes are planning in conjunction with highway improvements, it <br />is important for the regional railroad authority to participate in the planning and design along with the <br />appropriate highway agencies. Where a transit corridor extends between two counties, the region should <br />be involved to ensure that regional objectives for the corridor as a whole are achieved as well as local <br />objectives for the individual portions of the corridor. <br />7 <br />