Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/10/2015

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City of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 6: Transportation Hennepin Technical College. Public transit in Ramsey is limited to the Anoka County Traveler Dial -a -Ride service. This service provides curbside to curbside transportation anywhere within Anoka County. A request for this service can be telephoned up to four days in advance of travel. Anoka County Traveler also offers fixed bus routes in portions of southern Anoka County, however, no fixed route service is provided in Ramsey. The Anoka County Volunteer Transportation Program provides weekday services to seniors and/or clients receiving social services from Anoka County. While no rail station is currently planned for Ramsey, Anoka County has begun a ridership projection study to determine demand at a potential rail station on the Northstar Commuter rail line in Ramsey at the Town Center. Ramsey is participating in this study and providing 50 percent of the funding. The City of Ramsey currently operates the Ramsey Star Express (Route 856), a commuter coach service from Municipal Parking Ramp in Ramsey Town Center to Downtown Minneapolis. The Ramsey Star Express runs four routes from Ramsey to Minneapolis in the morning and four return trips in the afternoon/evening. Ridership on the Ramsey Star Express continues to increase, averaging approximately 280 riders per day. The Ramsey Star Express was made possible through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant. The CMAQ grant is set to expire in early 2010. The City continues to explore opportunities to continue the service after the expiration of the CMAQ grant. In addition, the City has authorized a continuation of the service until March 31, 2010. Route 856 is shown on Figure 6.4. 2. Recommended Policies and Strategies As Ramsey continues to grow, greater emphasis will be placed on public transit as a viable alternative to the automobile in the community's transportation plan. Consistent with this view, it is the policy of the City of Ramsey to: 1. Advocate affordable, dependable, and efficient means of public transit in the community. 2. Support efforts to implement commuter rail service. 3. If implemented, encourage commuter rail ridership by planning compatible commercial land uses near any future depot site that will attract ridership. 4. If a commuter rail depot is opened, consider and study development of a feeder bus service to serve places to work and residential areas of Ramsey. 5. Cooperate with public agencies responsible for the planning and providing of public transit services in all efforts to implement public transit service to the community. 6. Encourage Mixed -Use development that is transit oriented and supports siting of a commuter rail station or park and pool lot near Ramsey Boulevard and TH 10. 7. Examine the use of public transit and park & ride lots as a travel demand management (TDM) strategy. City of Ramsey 2030 Comprehensive Plan Pg. 6-20