HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_April-2024-WebStudy: Rail Line Safe and Unlikely To See Train Traffic Increase
Chance of Derailment Low Along Little-Used Dan Patch Line
BY MATT CORDS
What comes to mind when you think
about Edina? For most residents, it’s the
bustling commercial district at 50th &
France, Southdale Center or one of the
golf courses in town. However, an often-
overlooked aspect of the city is its industrial
roots. In fact, one of the oldest pieces of
infrastructure in Edina is a 4.15-mile stretch
of railroad bisecting the city from north to
south, originally built by a company that has
been gone for nearly a century.
Under the leadership of Marion W. Savage,
the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester &
Dubuque Traction Company constructed
a line from Minneapolis to Northfield,
Minnesota, in the early 20th century. Savage,
who had an agricultural background, named
the railroad the “Dan Patch” line after one
of his horses. Today, the Canadian Pacific
Kansas City Railroad, created in 2023 from
a merger of two major rail companies,
owns the 4-mile route through Edina.
Although the railroad through Edina
remains very limited in capacity with an
average of less than one train per day, public
concern regarding rail safety has been on
the rise across the country as stories about
derailments and their implications become
a more mainstream issue.
As a result, the City of Edina hired an
independent consulting firm to perform
a comprehensive analysis and rail safety
plan. The project was led by John Stark,
owner and President of Enduring Cities,
who has over 30 years of municipal
government experience.
Stark’s 2023 study lasted roughly five
months and included history, current
operations, infrastructure conditions and
alternate uses of the railroad right-of-way.
City Manager Scott Neal pointed to the
public’s general lack of knowledge about
the rail line as one of the main motives
behind the project.
Today, America’s railways are known
for carrying a variety of toxic materials,
including flammable hydrocarbons
and chemicals. This cargo undoubtedly
represents the greatest threat to public
safety in the event of a derailment. During
the study, however, Stark logged the
commodities shipped through Edina via
train and found that the vast majority
weren’t dangerous. “I observed between
60 and 70 trains in my study … none of
the railcars I spotted during this period
had placards or special markings to
suggest they were hazardous,” Stark said.
Another common rail safety concern is
the possibility that an operator might lose
control of the train, creating a “runaway”
situation. Yet, according to information on
the line’s operating rules, the maximum
speed for trains on the entirety of the spur
track is 10 mph, practically eliminating
the chance of a high-speed disaster and
dramatically reducing the chance of
widespread damage in the already unlikely
event of a derailment. The rail line is
not expected to increase the speed limit
any time soon, either, as an increase in
maximum authorized track speed would
take years of infrastructure upgrades and
logistical hurdles to implement.
Finally, the potential for increased traffic
as a result of expanding the line to reach
more markets – namely river barge
transload – was examined, but was
reported to be a gamble the railroad was
not willing to take. This is mainly due to
costs associated with fixing an inoperable
swing bridge and the increasingly
inefficient practice of exporting goods on
barges via the Mississippi River.
Despite the chance of a major derailment
occurring in Edina being very low,
Stark made recommendations after
a subsequent investigation on safety
infrastructure, both public and railroad-
owned. “Important safety signage is
blocked by vegetation in many areas,
which is the responsibility of the railroad
to maintain,” Stark said.
Nevertheless, the study found the railroad
in Edina to pose no real risk for a major
incident. “Edina residents can rest assured
that there are no signs of concern in terms
of train speed, traffic and safety,” Stark said.
“The Edina Fire Department is more than
capable of responding to a train derailment.”
The greatest risk, according to Stark, is
criminal trespassing. “I spotted a lot of
people walking along the right-of-way
during my study – primarily children and
people who were potentially impaired …
All it takes is one slip and you’ve got a
potential tragedy on your hands.”
Read the study at
EdinaMN.gov/RailroadStudy.
Enduring Cities owner and President John Stark recently
conducted a five-month rail safety analysis in Edina to
assess risk and offer suggestions. (Photo by Jason Heuer)
City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1
Edition: Edina
APRIL 2024
Volume 11, Issue 4Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City
BY LAUREN SIEBENALER
Twenty years after it first opened, the
South Metro Public Safety Training Facility
(SMPSTF) is expanding.
SMPSTF is owned by Edina, Bloomington,
Eden Prairie and the Metropolitan Airports
Commission to provide training space and
scenarios for their law enforcement and
fire agencies.
A new 6,524-square-foot, L-shaped building
with garage doors on each end will be built
on the south side of the property, located
off Braemar Boulevard south of Braemar
Arena. The majority will be one level, but
the building will feature a mezzanine with
multiple sets of stairs for training scenarios
that include a second level. Three vehicles
will be able to drive into and fit in the
building at one time, which will come in
handy for training during winter months.
“About half of the building will have 150
4-foot-by-8-foot moveable panels that
can be arranged to simulate a house
or commercial property; areas where
police have to go in and search for drugs,
hostages and other contraband,” said
Executive Director Robert Slater. “They
will be able to manipulate those walls to
simulate an apartment or a second floor
of a residence.”
This building will be used by the SMPSTF’s
owner agencies. Other local and federal
agencies will be able to rent the new facility
for an hourly fee. All types of training will
be conducted in the building, including
building searches, use-of-force techniques
and traffic enforcement.
Only simulated firearms will be used in
the new facility. The building will include a
bathroom and a mechanical room. Other
than those two rooms, the building will have
a lot of open space for the agencies to use.
“This flexible space is going to be so
valuable to our three owner cities. They
need to be able to train their officers
on searching a variety of commercial,
residential and industrial properties. The
moveable walls will enable the departments
to create whatever space they need,” said
Slater. “In addition, this building will give
them the opportunity to train on vehicle stops
and the issues that arise with stops. No one
owner city has a good training space for all of
these scenarios and this space will offer that.”
State bonding is expected to cover
the estimated $2 million project. A
groundbreaking of the new building and
celebration of the SMPSTF’s 20th anniversary
is being planned for this spring.
The expansion helps continue the SMPSTF
mission to serve its owner agencies and
offer public training opportunities, including
a firing range, firearm safety classes and
self-defense courses.
For more information on SMPSTF,
visit policeandfire.training.com.
20-Year-Old Public Safety Training Facility to Expand
New Building to Offer More Options for Police Simulations
- COMPILED BY REHAM ALEMAM
Don’t miss out on the Edina Community Clothing Swap 4-7 p.m. Thursday,
May 9, at Braemar Arena’s Backyard Rink, 7501 Ikola Way. It’s a free event
that is open to everyone and is dedicated to reducing textile waste in a
fun way. Pre-event donations can be dropped off 9 a.m.-4 p.m. that day
at Braemar Arena. Bring any bag, big or small, filled with clean clothing
and accessories. Don’t have anything to swap? No problem! No
donation is required to participate. All unswapped clothing will be
donated to the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota. For more
information, visit EdinaMN.gov.
BY THE NUMBERS
Community
Clothing Swap
The South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, 7525 Braemar Blvd., is celebrating 20 years of safety
and education for all. (File Photo)
79%
Clothing swapped during
the 2023 swap
4,177 pounds
Clothing brought in
for the 2023 swap
Volunteers needed
for 2024 swap
30
875 pounds
Donated to Disabled American
Veterans of Minnesota after
the 2023 swap
Increase of donations from
2022 swap to 2023 swap
64%
2
BY BRITTANY BADER
Long before she started work in the
Engineering Department as Edina’s
newest Sustainability Manager, Marisa
Bayer had already helped the City
reach some of its Climate Action
Plan (CAP) goals.
Before coming to Edina, Bayer worked
for six years at the Center for Energy
and Environment (CEE), an energy
nonprofit based in Minnesota, where
she helped several cities and counties
in Minnesota and Wisconsin with
personalized energy planning to
meet their climate action goals.
Most recently, Bayer served as the
organization’s Senior Manager of
Community Planning and, before
that, in roles as Community Energy
Program Manager and Community
Energy Planner.
During her time there, Edina was one
of the communities to have benefitted
from her expertise.
As part of Xcel Energy’s Partners in
Energy program and through additional
consulting services, she worked with
City staff on data analysis, energy plan
implementation and co-facilitation of
the policy development process for the
Sustainable Building Policy, which went
into effect in 2022.
She was even on the team that helped
the City meet its goal of sourcing 100%
renewable electricity for municipal
operations that was achieved last year.
“I was one of three CEE staff members
who helped work on that project with
Edina and looked at the data and
strategies out there for achieving that
goal, which included a subscription to
Xcel’s Renewable*Connect program,
but also encouraging the community
to participate in the program and
reduce their own carbon footprints,”
explained Bayer.
Engineering Director Chad Millner says
the hiring of Bayer as Sustainability
Manager is a big win for Edina, as
she is highly respected in the industry
and understands the importance of
building relationships.
“Marisa brings great experience. She’s
worked on projects requiring very detailed
reviews of energy management, but
also unique and challenging community
engagement components,” he said. “That
balance is what our Sustainability Manager
needs to be successful. Because of that
experience, she will be able to quickly
understand our current programs and
advance them with her own ideas.”
As Sustainability Manager, Bayer will
champion the City’s CAP, which was
approved by the Edina City Council at the
end of 2021 and got off to a successful
start under her predecessor, Grace
Hancock. Hancock left the position
in late 2023 to take a job out of state,
and while she left big shoes to fill, Bayer
is up to the task.
“I’m excited to take over the great work
Grace has already done. Edina is really
well known as a leader in climate action
and sustainability. I am excited about the
opportunity to be the staff member who
helps continue that great legacy.”
In addition to overseeing the completion
of the CAP’s more than 200 actions by the
plan’s end in 2030, Bayer will also ensure
sustainability principles are incorporated
into all projects and programs for the City;
serve as the staff liaison to Edina’s Energy
& Environment Commission and represent
the City on sustainability and conservation
issues to the City Council, community and
other levels of government.
“I want to focus on creating an
environment in Edina where everyone
feels like they have a voice and have
actions they can take to make meaningful
progress to increase their sustainability at
home or at their business.”
Earlier in her career, Bayer worked for the
City of Eden Prairie as the Community
Development Coordinator, where she
helped launch and manage sustainability
initiatives, including a community
sustainability recognition program.
Because of her experiences, she is very
familiar with the housing and building
sector; analyzing emission data; facilitating
workshops; creating and implementing
energy plans; policy development;
managing budgets; and engaging
staff, City Council, commission, and
community members.
Bayer’s passion for sustainability doesn’t
just stop at her day job.
She currently volunteers for the City
of St. Louis Park as a member of
its Environment and Sustainability
Commission. She is also on the Metro
CERT (Clean Energy Resource Teams)
Steering Committee, which focuses on
increasing clean energy opportunities
in the area.
“Marisa is incredibly familiar with
the Twin Cities sustainability scene.
She’s very tapped in, which is hugely
important because so much of the work
we do is regional,” said Sustainability
Specialist Matthew Gabb, the other
member of the Sustainability Division.
“She brings so many strengths to this
job and I’m looking forward to what
we’ll accomplish together.”
For more information on the City’s
sustainability efforts, visit
EdinaMN.gov/Sustainability.
Marisa Bayer is Edina’s New Sustainability Manager
Bayer Begins Work for the City Already Familiar with Edina’s Climate Goals
Sustainability Manager Marisa Bayer comes to the
City with years of experience helping communities,
including Edina, with energy management. (Photo
by Jason Heuer)
3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov
952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4
Council Discusses Design of Rosland Park
Pedestrian Bridge
Engineering Department To Research Higher Quality
Architectural Bridges
A new accessible pedestrian bridge over
Minnesota Highway 62 will include switchbacks
rather than elevators.
The current bridge, which does not meet
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
standards, was built in the 1960s and is owned
and managed by the Minnesota Department
of Transportation (MnDOT). The bridge is an
important piece of transportation infrastructure
connecting the northeast and southeast
parts of Edina. It is a critical connection for
pedestrians and cyclists to safely access
Rosland Park and its amenities, including
the Edina Aquatic Center.
The bridge was significantly damaged in 2022
when it was struck twice by trucks traveling
on Highway 62. The second crash resulted
in the closure of the bridge for most of 2022
until expensive temporary repairs were made
in January 2023.
Since that time, the City and MnDOT have
been in discussions about replacing the bridge.
Funding for the project has been secured with
a successful State bonding request in 2023 and
MnDOT funds.
After almost a year of community engagement,
staff recommended a steel truss bridge with
compliant access ramps be constructed. A
steel truss bridge can span longer distances
and will allow for the removal of the bridge
support in the center of Highway 62. The
design also allows MnDOT more flexibility for
future improvements to Highway 62, such as
the addition of a third westbound travel lane
and noise wall.
Cost to build the bridge with switchbacks is
about the same as building it with elevators,
but the difference in maintenance costs is
substantial. Elevators are eight times more
expensive to maintain, according to engineers.
It is estimated that the ramps require
approximately $2,500 per year to maintain
versus $20,000 per year for elevators.
The City Council removed elevators from
consideration and directed the Engineering
Department to research higher quality architectural
pedestrian bridges for future consideration.
In other business last month, the City Council:
•Approved a contract for improvements on 50th
Street and Grange Road, the last improvements
identified with the East Grandview
Transportation Study eligible for funding
with tax-increment financing proceeds
The project includes the rehabilitation of the
sanitary sewer; upgrades to the storm sewer;
reconstruction of watermain systems, concrete
curb and gutter and bituminous pavement;
and new sidewalk.
•Purchased spectator sideline safety netting,
backstops and dugout safety screening,
batting cages and overhead safety netting
for Courtney Fields at Braemar Park. The
project will be paid for by a local option sales
and use tax approved by voters in 2022.
•Amended the City’s Capital Improvement
Plan to increase bonding for Fire Station 2.
•Approved a three-year contract with City
Manager Scott Neal.
The City Council will next meet 7 p.m.
April 2 and 16. For more information,
visit EdinaMN.gov.
– COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, April 2, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 4, 10:30 a.m.
Princess at the Park, Edinborough Park
Sunday, April 7, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra,
Edinborough Park
Friday, April 12, 5-7 p.m.
“Bling It On!” accessory swap,
Edina Senior Center
Friday, April 12, 5:30 p.m.
Movie Night, “Yogi Bear,”
Edinborough Park
Friday, April 12, 6-9 p.m.
“A Night of Games and Giving”
benefiting Edina Give and Go, Pinstripes
Sunday, April 14, 6 p.m.
St. Louis Park Community Band,
Edinborough Park
Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, April 18, 10:30 a.m.
Rosie Posies, Edinborough Park
Sunday, April 21, 6 p.m.
Gypsy Mania Hot Club Trio,
Edinborough Park
Thursday, April 25, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
meeting, Edina City Hall
Friday, April 26, noon
Arbor Day Tree-Planting Celebration,
Centennial Lakes Park
Sunday, April 28, 6 p.m.
First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band,
Edinborough Park
Monday, April 29, 11 a.m.
Fire Station 2 Groundbreaking Ceremony
Tuesday, April 30, 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Special Primary Election for Hennepin
County District 6 Commissioner
For a complete listing of meetings
and events, visit EdinaMN.gov.
Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment
Authority and Planning Commission meetings live:
• Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16)
• Facebook.com/EdinaMN
• “Watch a Meeting” web page at
EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings
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EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE
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