Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail Project from Minneapolis to Duluth, Minnesota Tier 2 Project Level Environmental Assessment Contents Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................. xvi 1. Purpose and Need ............................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Project Description ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 Project Location...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.2 Project Setting ........................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1.3 System Connectivity ............................................................................................... 1-4 1.2 Project Background ...................................................................................................... 1-7 1.2.1 Policy Direction and Prior Planning/Decision Making ............................................ 1-7 1.2.2 Environmental Review Process .............................................................................. 1-9 1.3 Project Purpose ......................................................................................................... 1-10 1.4 Project Need .............................................................................................................. 1-11 1.4.1 Limited Statewide Intermodal Connectivity ........................................................ 1-11 1.4.2 Travel Demand Related to Population Trends ..................................................... 1-13 1.4.3 Decreased Travel Reliability Due to Congestion .................................................. 1-14 2. Alternatives ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Alternatives in the NLX Tier 1 EA .................................................................................. 2-3 2.1.1 Route Alternatives .................................................................................................. 2-3 2.1.2 Service Alternatives ................................................................................................ 2-6 2.2 Infrastructure Improvement Analysis .......................................................................... 2-7 2.2.1 Types of Infrastructure Improvements .................................................................. 2-7 2.2.2 Operations Simulation Modeling ......................................................................... 2-10 2.2.3 Proposed Infrastructure Improvements .............................................................. 2-11 2.2.4 Facilities Site Evaluation and Design .................................................................... 2-22 | i | NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail Project from Minneapolis to Duluth, Minnesota Tier 2 Project Level Environmental Assessment Contents 2.3 Alternatives in the NLX Tier 2 EA ................................................................................ 2-29 2.3.1 No Build Alternative ............................................................................................. 2-29 2.3.2 Build Alternative ................................................................................................... 2-31 3. Transportation ................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ......................................................................... 3-4 3.2 No Build Alternative .................................................................................................... 3-4 3.3 Build Alternative – Freight and Passenger Rail Operations ........................................... 3-4 3.3.1 Existing Freight Rail Operations ............................................................................. 3-5 3.3.2 Existing Passenger Rail Operations ........................................................................ 3-5 3.3.3 Freight Rail Impacts ................................................................................................ 3-6 3.3.4 Passenger Rail Impacts ........................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.5 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures .............................................. 3-9 3.4 Build Alternative – Transit ......................................................................................... 3-10 3.4.1 Intercity Regional Bus Service .............................................................................. 3-10 3.4.2 Station Community Transit Service ...................................................................... 3-13 3.4.3 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 3-26 3.5 Build Alternative – Traffic Circulation in Station Communities ................................... 3-27 3.5.1 Methodology ........................................................................................................ 3-27 3.5.2 Traffic Analysis...................................................................................................... 3-29 3.5.3 Crossings ............................................................................................................... 3-47 3.5.4 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 3-47 3.6 Build Alternative – Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities .................................................. 3-49 3.6.1 Station Community Bicycle Routes and Pedestrian Analysis ............................... 3-49 3.6.2 NLX Project Corridor Bicycle Routes and Pedestrian Analysis ............................. 3-56 3.6.3 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 3-57 3.7 Summary ................................................................................................................... 3-57 | ii | NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail Project from Minneapolis to Duluth, Minnesota Tier 2 Project Level Environmental Assessment Contents 4. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ................. 4-1 4.1 Land Use and Land Cover ............................................................................................. 4-4 4.1.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................... 4-5 4.1.2 Affected Environment ............................................................................................ 4-6 4.1.3 Impacts ................................................................................................................. 4-12 4.1.4 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 4-18 4.1.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 4-18 4.2 Right of Way .............................................................................................................. 4-20 4.2.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................. 4-21 4.2.2 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 4-21 4.2.3 Impacts ................................................................................................................. 4-21 4.2.4 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 4-25 4.2.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 4-26 4.3 Vegetation and Wildlife ............................................................................................. 4-27 4.3.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................. 4-29 4.3.2 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 4-30 4.3.3 Impacts ................................................................................................................. 4-36 4.3.4 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 4-41 4.3.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 4-44 4.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ......................................................................... 4-45 4.4.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................. 4-47 4.4.2 Affected Environment .......................................................................................... 4-47 4.4.3 Impacts ................................................................................................................. 4-54 4.4.4 Avoidance, Minimization and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 4-58 4.4.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 4-59 4.5 Wetlands ................................................................................................................... 4-61 4.5.1 Regulatory Context and Methodology ................................................................. 4-61 | iii | NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail Project from Minneapolis