This week the Minnesota Department of Transportation released a report showing the “analysis and evaluation of options for development of transit and rail service improvements in the corridor between the Minnesota Cities of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, St. Cloud and Moorhead, and Fargo, North Dakota.”

“This is yet another a clear example of misused taxpayer dollars – instead of funding rail projects that benefit virtually no one, we should be using critical transportation funding as a way to address our local roadway needs,” said Senator Michael Kreun (R-Blaine). “Many of our roads and highways in our own community, and throughout the state, are unsafe and congested because the state is wasting billions on rail projects. We are heading towards a $5.1 billion deficit, and the legislature is still pursuing new rail projects that will waste further billions of taxpayer dollars. Enough is enough. We need to mothball Northstar rail, halt all future rail projects, and prioritize our transportation dollars to improving our roads and bridges.” 

The report showed that infrastructure costs for a full rail line extension to Fargo could reach almost $3 billion and the ongoing cost to subsidize rail tickets are estimated at $187 million per year.

The report also documents a clear trend of declining ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic. In its first year, 2017, Northstar recorded approximately 790,000 rides, but by 2020, ridership had plummeted to around 150,000, and by 2024, it had declined further to fewer than 100,000.