The proposed Northstar commuter rail line will be more than a stone’s throw from Annandale if it becomes reality. But the alternative to hitting the road to get to the Twin Cities does offer some benefits for area residents, says a Northstar official. Northstar trains would cover the 82-mile stretch from Rice and St. Cloud to downtown Minneapolis, the fastest-growing corridor in the state, on tracks that are already used by Amtrak. The commuter rail system would cost $302 million compared to the $1 billion it would take to add a lane to nearby Highway 10, according to the Northstar Corridor Development Authority. And if the Legislature comes up with the $123.2 million state share during this session, Northstar will be on the tracks in 2006, the authority says. Annandale is located several miles south of the 10-or-so-mile-wide area along the rail line that makes up the corridor. Area riders initially would have to travel to Becker or Big Lake to connect with Northstar. A future station proposed for Clear Lake would be closer via Highway 24, but that’s still 17 miles away. Jason Tidemann, community coordinator for Northstar, said 74 percent of people outside but near the corridor think the commuter rail line is a good idea, according to a poll taken last fall. Riding Northstar would benefit Annandale area people who don’t want to deal with downtown traffic, he said. Avoid congestion Others could avoid congestion on Interstate 94, especially during rush hours, by taking Northstar. People who want to get to the Mall of America, the airport or the Veterans Administration Hospital could take Northstar to downtown Minneapolis and make connections with light rail transit to those destinations. Reduced congestion on I-94 as a result of Northstar would be an indirect benefit for area travelers, Tidemann said. By saving millions of dollars compared to road building, “we could free up money for Greater Minnesota projects,” he said. State Sen. Mark Ourada (R, Buffalo) is a longtime member of the Senate Transportation Committee. He represented Annandale until last year’s redistricting. He now serves Clearwater, the townships of Clearwater, Albion and Silver Creek and other areas east of Annandale. “I’ve been a supporter of Northstar,” Ourada said. “Even with expanding highway capability that’s not going to be enough. “I think in limited applications that commuter rail makes sense.” The Northstar proposal meets the test, he said, and possibly another line is needed to run southeast to serve the Rochester high-growth corridor. But he noted the distance from Annandale. “I’d say for most folks from Annandale it’s not going to make a whole lot of difference.” By the time you drive to Big Lake or Becker you could be east of Rockford on Highway 55, he said, so you probably wouldn’t gain any time. Northstar would be more attractive for Annandale people on a wintry day, he said. Ourada said the idea of Northstar saving money for Greater Minnesota projects was “a bit of a stretch.” The state doesn’t have the money to begin with, he said. The legislator added he saw Tidemann’s point, “but I’m not sure I buy into it.” Riding commuter rail will be expensive, he said, and for a lot of people it will be a question of whether the added cost is worth the benefit they get from it. The round trip from St. Cloud to downtown Minneapolis will cost approximately $18, Tidemann said. The Northstar proposal is expected to reach the Legislature by about mid-March, he said, when it will be introduced both in the House and the Senate. State and federal money will be used to buy locomotives and cars, build stations and maintenance facilities and make some track improvements. Ourada said the amount of funding approved will be very much affected by the state’s overall deficit. “I look favorably on it,” he said. But, “at this point I guess I have to wait and see what the proposal is.” He also declined to predict whether the Legislature will approve or reject the plan.