East Metro Recovery

Tracking Economic Recovery and Stimulus Projects in Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties

Posts Tagged Reinvestment

Recovery Act has brought $2.6 billion to Minnesotans

Jul 12

Posted by Art Coulson in ARRA, Minnesota | No Comments

From the Minnesota Budget Project, an effort of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits:

Minnesotans have received approximately $2.6 billion in direct federal assistance from February 2009 through May 2010 as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The direct assistance was provided through increased benefits for existing federal programs, through new tax credits and through direct cash payments. The collective impact of this direct assistance has been to put additional income into Minnesotans’ pockets to help struggling working families avoid falling into poverty and to save jobs in our local economy through increased consumer spending. Most economists agree that increased consumer spending is the key to a sustained economic recovery.

Read the whole thing here.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

State Updates Recovery Act FAQ

Oct 29

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Jobs, Minnesota | No Comments

minnesotaTo date, more than $1.6 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds has been received and spent by the state of Minnesota. Current estimates are that Minnesota will eventually receive a total of $4.7 billion for state-administered programs with an additional $4.2 billion in the form of individual tax benefits to Minnesota residents. The data, which has been sent to the federal government for national reporting, links stimulus funds with creating or retaining 11,800 jobs in Minnesota.

To read the most up-to-date list of frequently asked questions and answers compiled by the state Office of Management & Budget, click here.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ramsey County ARRA Update

Sep 28

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Ramsey County, Stimulus | No Comments

Public Works project in Ramsey County

Public Works project in Ramsey County

Ramsey County departments have been awarded about $13.5 million in stimulus funds by the federal government under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as of Sept. 23.  Other federal stimulus funds have been awarded to schools and municipalities in the county, as well as to businesses and individuals. Local government agencies will be filing their first quarterly ARRA spending reports to the federal government on Oct. 10. Click here for a spreadsheet of grants applied for and awarded to Ramsey County under the ARRA so far.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

More Transparency

Sep 16

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA | No Comments

arra-transparentFrom Federal Times:

A special panel overseeing the government’s economic stimulus spending will unveil on Sept. 28 a new version of the Recovery.gov Web site that will allow citizens to track recovery spending down to the zip code, contract and grant.

Related posts

Tags: , ,

Big Week for Union Depot

Sep 1

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, High Speed Rail, OnBoard Midwest, Ramsey County, Union Depot | No Comments

Commissioner Jim McDonough leads a tour of the depot concourse for members of Sen. Amy Klobuchar's staff.

Commissioner Jim McDonough leads a tour of the depot concourse for members of Sen. Amy Klobuchar's staff.

Three significant pieces of news regarding St. Paul’s Union Depot, future home of the East Metro’s multimodal transit hub:

  • From OnBoard Midwest — “The State of Minnesota has submitted a request for $135.8 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to renovate Union Depot as a multi-modal transit hub. The Minnesota Department of Transportation worked with the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to submit an Intercity Passenger Rail grant application for Track 1 capital funding. This is another key milestone in the effort to create a high-speed rail connection between downtown Saint Paul and Chicago. Money from the grant request would be used to renovate the concourses, upgrade the tracks, and prepare the building to be a hub for light rail, passenger rail, high-speed rail, and bus service. Union Depot is considered a Track 1 project to qualify for the funding because it meets key standards:
    - It is a capital project
    - The project is ready to begin work
    - Project level environmental review (NEPA) has been completed
    The decision to submit the funding request was based on recommendations from the Aug. 3 Intercity Passenger Rail Forum meeting. MnDOT is also working to prepare an additional request for a grant for Track 2 projects next month that would include funding for corridor development work for the Milwaukee to Twin Cities portion of the Chicago to Twin Cities corridor. This would involve some additional planning and environmental review. On Board Midwest will continue to keep you updated as things move forward. “
  • Staff members from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office toured the depot, including the concourse and recently purchased head house, with Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough, chair of the Regional Rail Authority, and Tim Mayasich, its executive director.
  • Ramsey County and its partner agencies published an Environmental Assessment of the Union Depot project Aug. 24, setting in motion a 45-day public comment period. More information about the Environmental Assessment and how to submit comments is listed below.

    • For more information about the Union Depot project, visit the depot web site or the Regional Rail web site.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

County Road 96 construction gets go-ahead

Aug 27

Posted by Dakota in Dakota County | No Comments

Dakota County received Recovery Act funds to pave and reconstruct County Road 96.

Dakota County received Recovery Act funds to pave and reconstruct County Road 96.

Reconstruction and paving of County Road 96 in Dakota County was originally intended to use County levy dollars, but the County applied for and will receive federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Now approved by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Dakota County can now go out for bids and move towards awarding a contract for the project. This could happen as early as October.

This project includes:

  • The reconstruction and paving of County Road 96 (320th Street) from County Road 23 to Highway 3 in Greenvale and Waterford Townships. County Road 96 is currently a gravel road.
  • The project includes two railroad crossings. Both locations will have new concrete surface crossings and railroad signals with gates.
  • The existing curve on County Road 23 at County Road 96 will be removed and an intersection will be constructed.
  • A southbound right turn lane on Highway 3 will be constructed at County Road 96.

The funding (based on the construction cost estimate) for the project is:

  • Federal ARRA: $1,890,217
  • Federal – RR signal: $179,859 (this was already programmed prior to securing the ARRA funding)
  • County funds: $366,724
  • Total: $2,436,800

County Road 96 will remain open over the winter as a gravel road. Because a contract will be awarded so late in the season, activities this fall will probably be limited to clearing trees or moving utility lines. The bulk of the construction will take place in 2010.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ramsey County Stimulus Update

Aug 25

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Ramsey County, Stimulus | No Comments

bridge-550

Ramsey County has updated its list of projects and grant applications filed under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To read the latest information on stimulus-funded projects in Ramsey County, click here.

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , ,

Union Depot Project Moves Forward

Aug 24

Posted by Ramsey in High Speed Rail, Ramsey County, Stimulus, Transit, Union Depot | No Comments

depot-aerial-with-trains

Environmental Assessment Published

In order to secure federal funding for the purchase and renovation of Minnesota’s Union Depot, Ramsey County and its partner agencies were required to perform an environmental assessment of the project. A notice of availability was published in the August 24, 2009 EQB Monitor on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration and Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration.

The comment period for the Draft EA will remain open from August 24-October 8, 2009. Written comments on the Draft EA will be accepted until the close of business on October 8, 2009.

Comments may be made by:

Mail: Steve Morris, Transit Project Manager, RCRRA, 50 W Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 6560 RCGC-West, St. Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (651) 266-2795 (note: This line will record comments only and is not staffed. To ask questions about the project or the environmental assessment, contact Steve Morris at (651) 266-2784)

Fax: (651) 266-2761

E-mail: Steve Morris

Public Hearings Scheduled

To afford an opportunity for all interested persons, agencies and groups to comment on the EA, two public hearings have been scheduled for September 9, 2009, at the Union Depot Head House, 214 4th St. E., St. Paul, MN 55101:

  • 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The public hearings will be open house format with formal presentations. The formal presentations during the afternoon meeting begin at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.; for the evening meeting the formal presentations will be at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. A court reporter will be on hand to record oral comments. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the public meeting or comment on the Draft EA should contact the RCRRA Project Manager (651-266-2784).

Copies of Environmental Assessment Available for Review

Copies of the EA for the rehabilitation and reuse of Minnesota’s Union Depot as a multi-modal transit hub are available for review online (Click here for the complete assessment, broken into sections. Some of the sections are still large and might require some time to download) or at the following libraries and RCRRA offices during regular business hours:

  • St. Paul Central Library, 90 West Fourth Street, St. Paul, MN, 55102
  • Rondo Community Outreach Library, 461 N. Dale Street, St. Paul, MN, 55103
  • Hamline Midway Library, 1558 West Minnehaha Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55104
  • Merriam Park Library, 1831 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55104
  • St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108
  • Dayton’s Bluff Library, 645 East 7th Street, St. Paul, MN, 55106
  • Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, 50 W Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 6560 RCGC-West, St. Paul, MN 55102
  • Mn/DOT Library, Minnesota Department of Transportation, M.S. 155, Room 175, Transportation Bldg., 395 John Ireland Boulevard, St. Paul, MN, 55103

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Private Journalism Project Tracks ARRA

Aug 7

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Dakota County, Ramsey County, Washington County | No Comments

The private, public interest journalism site ProPublica has launched a site for tracking American Recovery and Reinvestment Act spending, breaking down the totals by county and state across the U.S. Click here to see the Ramsey County list. Click here to see the Dakota County list. Click here to see the Washington County list. Click here to see the state of Minnesota list. [A note of caution: The list contains several errors, such as listing funding for the Upper Sioux Community in Western Minnesota and the Grand Portage Reservation in Northern Minnesota under the Ramsey County heading. Ramsey County's list also includes federal ARRA grants to state agencies based in St. Paul].

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Stimulus Act Resource for Taxpayers

Aug 7

Posted by Ramsey in ARRA, Stimulus | No Comments

arra-transparentThe IRS has published a useful pamphlet for individual taxpayers, “Catch a Break: Overview of some of the key provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.” The booklet includes a rundown of tax benefits, credits and other information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Click here to download a copy (520k PDF).

Related posts

Tags: , , , , , , , ,