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Rice Street Crossings Redevelopment <br />Transit. Ramsey County is planning to relocate its maintenance facility within the next <br />five years. Other vacant land owned by the County along Rice Street will also be <br />released. The relocation of the maintenance facility will allow Metro Transit to reuse a <br />portion of the site for a transit hub and park- and -ride facility. Federal funds have been <br />awarded for the construction of this facility; however, formal commitments have not been <br />made by the involved agencies. <br />If this site is redeveloped by Metro Transit, it is anticipated that the Transit facility will <br />be designed as a fully integrated mixed -use transit center. Master planning the project <br />area provides an opportunity to enhance community linkages between land use, transit, <br />and pedestrians and to identify compatible land use to reduce dependence on the <br />automobile. When completed, this transit hub will increase connections to employment <br />centers via transit. Bus service will be available to and from Maplewood Mall, Rosedale <br />and St. Paul with express service to downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. <br />Local bus service provided by the Roseville Circulator and the Lake Area Circulator will <br />also benefit from this hub. Once the new park -and ride facility is complete, the land <br />currently used for the existing park- and -ride facility may become available for <br />development. <br />Commuter Rail. A Commuter Rail Feasibility Study currently being conducted by the <br />Minnesota Department of Transportation will evaluate two potential rail corridors near <br />the study area. The first is the Rush Line route, which may run adjacent to the western <br />boundary of this site. The second is south of the project area and is known as the Forest <br />Lake /St. Paul/Minneapolis route. This study will review issues regarding commuter rail <br />stations, capital and operating costs, and inter -modal connections to bus service and other <br />rail systems. Although local governments have not approved these lines for commuter <br />rail, the study should recognize the possibility of commuter rail in the vicinity. <br />Project Outcomes.... <br />Concept land use plan. The purpose of the concept planning process is twofold: (1) to <br />address issues arising from programmed improvements for this area, and (2) to strengthen <br />and integrate land uses in the area with the transportation system. Through this process, a <br />plan will be created that seeks to redevelop and intensify land uses at an appropriate level <br />taking advantage of transportation improvements. The land use pattern desired would <br />create a mix of uses that complement the redevelopment of the County maintenance <br />facility, proposed commuter rail line and planned roadway improvements. Once the <br />master plan has been developed, design issues and implementation strategies will also be <br />addressed. The concept land use plan will address. <br />• Mix and intensity of uses. <br />■ New housing opportunities, housing type and density. <br />• Proximity to existing employment centers and opportunities for new employment <br />within the project area. <br />• Connections between housing, jobs and transportation. <br />Page 40 <br />