Red Rock rollout: commission promotes transit plan

• Red Rock open house

Red Rock transit corridor advocates walked Washington and Dakota County residents through plans for four transit stations along the corridor at an open house Wednedsay in Cottage Grove. John Hinzman of the city of Hastings is pictured discussing one of the proposed transit stations with Woodbury resident Ken Roberts. Bulletin photo by Scott Wente

Talk about it

Advocates of the Red Rock transit corridor through the southeast metro used an open house Wednesday to formally roll out plans for commuter rail stops along the 30-mile corridor.

The Red Rock Corridor Commission envisions commuter rail service along Highway 61 from Hastings to St. Paul and ultimately to Minneapolis.

The transit stations would be on Highway 61 at Upper Afton Road; the former Knox site in Newport; the Langdon Village area of Cottage Grove; and near downtown Hastings.

The commission is preparing a final report on the transit plans and could seek formal backing from the affected cities and Washington County this summer.

Red Rock rail advocates say they also will work to increase commuter bus ridership along the corridor, which could strengthen the argument for regional and federal funding for rail station construction.

See the upcoming print edition of the Bulletin for more on this issue.

Tags: washington county, cottage grove, newport, updates, traffic