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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Page 8 ,July 1987 • IV. PROSPECTS FOR GROWTH o The region is well positioned for both residential and commerical growth. ,1 The Twin Cities metropolitan area as-a-whole is growing and the northern suburbs are among the principal beneficiaries. Even if they remain largely bedroom communities,the northern suburbs will benefit from metropolitan growth. They will gain population,in- come and property tax base. [The property tax base gains may not be adequate to maintain services at their current levels without tax increases,but growth will increase taxable value.] ,! Within the metropolitan area,the northern suburbs are well located with respect to the two downtowns Md the major resort and recreation areas of northern Minnesota. Down- town St. Paul is 30 minutes from Maple Grove and 15 minutes from New Brighton. Shoreview is 15 minutes from either downtown. And,with a north suburban office or residence,cabin and boat owners are at least one-half hour closer to"the lake"than they lived or worked in south Minneapolis or a southwestern suburb. ,/ The potential for commerical and industrial growth is greater now than ever because large tracts of undeveloped land are more readily available in the northen suburbs than in the central cities or first ring suburbs. Within the band between 10 and 15 miles from downtown Minneapolis,there is more undeveloped,accessible land to the north than in anyother direction. See Map 4. • With one major exception,the public infrastructure is modern and complete. ,/ Recent highway improvements(e.g. 1-94 and the Osseo by-pass) make the western portion of the region accessible from other parts of the metropolitan area. The far eastern edge of the region is well served by 35W. ,/ Completion of the Champlin-Anoka interceptor gives the region enough sewer capacity to support major residential and commerical/industrial development projects. The eastern part of the region has been served by the metropolitan sewer system since the early 1970s. J Transportation within the region remains difficult. There are no freeway routes for north-south travel and only one(1-694)for east-west. State highways 100, 65 and 47 as well as federal highways 10 and 169 are all interrupted by stoplights. The new river crossing will take some pressure off 1-694,but under current construction schedules, it will beat least a decade before the new crossing provides a complete east-west route. (i.e. Hwy 610 is extended through Brooklyn Park to Maple Orove,reaching 1-94,and across Coon Rapids and Blaine, reaching 1-3SW.) See map S. Transportation within the regions contrasts sharply with that in the southwest suburbs. • BLAZAR RESEARCH