Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/01/2016

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The draw area for the Ramsey Station is based on previous express bus ridership, which has been replaced by the Northstar Commuter Rail. The draw area, which includes Ramsey and portions of Nowthen and Elk River, had 2,779 Minneapolis employees. Ridership on the Northstar has averaged 129, of which 67.4 percent, or 87 riders, are estimated to be from the draw area based on bus ridership. These riders represent 3.1 percent of the Minneapolis employees. Inflow riders were estimated at 42 or 32.6 percent, all living north of the Mississippi River. The Anoka Station had a total of 213 riders, 190 or 89.2 percent lived in the draw area north of the Mississippi River. This draw area includes the cities of Anoka, Andover, Ramsey, Nowthen, Oak Grove, and St. Francis, with inflow riders from portions of Dayton and Champlin. Northstar users represented 3.2 percent of the 5,990 Minneapolis employees living in the draw area. Thirteen of the Anoka riders lived south of the Mississippi River. Coon Rapids Station Draw Area had an estimated 8,828 residents employed in Minneapolis with 165 or 1.9 percent that rode the Northstar. This draw area includes the cities of Coon Rapids, Andover, and Ham Lake. Inflow riders (32) represented 16.2 percent of the users. The Fridley Station had the lowest number of users (34) with 22 living in the draw area for a 0.7 percent market share of the 3,384 estimated Minneapolis employees. Draw area riders included riders from Fridley, Spring Lake Park, Hilltop, and Columbia Heights and represented 64.7 percent of the riders and inflow was 35.3 percent. Big Lake Station and Elk River Station have the highest rider market shares at 30.2 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively. This may be due to their further distance from Minneapolis. Market share increases with distance from Minneapolis; while the number of Minneapolis employees decreases with distance from the city. Ramsey Commuting While most Northstar riders are traveling to Target Field, some riders are disembarking at other stations. The potential for commuting from Ramsey to other stations is demonstrated in Table 2- 3. In 2010, 2,776 residents of the Ramsey Station Draw Area worked in Elk River. They represented 11.0 percent of the employed draw area residents. Ramsey Station Draw Area residents that work in the other station cities are also shown. The work location in each city is unknown, but some jobs may be within walking distance of a station or could be reached by a connecting bus. Table 2-3 RAMSEY STATION DRAW AREA RESIDENT COMMUTING;2010 RESIDENTS THAT WORK IN OTHER STATION CITIES Workers Station City Number Percent Big Lake 193 0.8 % Elk River 2,776 11.0 Anoka 1,598 6.3 Coon Rapids 1,404 5.6 Fridley 778 3.1 Minneapolis 2,779 11.0 Source: U.S.Census Bureau,Center for Economic Studies and McComb Group,Ltd. 2-4