Dear neighbors,
Late last week, I joined Governor Mark Dayton as he unveiled his Rail Safety Improvement Package. One component of his proposal is to fund an overpass at Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids over the Burlington-Northern railroad tracks. I have co-authored legislation with Rep. Melissa Hortman (HF 680) to build this project, and I appreciate that the Governor has included it in his package. For more information on the Governor’s proposal – which I strongly support – click here.
I joined local leaders, emergency responders, fellow legislators, and Governor Dayton on Friday to discuss the need for improved safety at rail crossings, including Hanson Blvd. in Coon Rapids.
I was pleased to be asked by Governor Dayton to join with him and other community leaders who are concerned with rail safety issues. Coon Rapids Fire Chief John Piper spoke to the need for a bridge over the rail tracks on Hanson Boulevard to insure there is a guaranteed means for emergency vehicles to get from one end of the city to the other without being delayed by a long, slow train. For the past several months, Chief Piper and I have been working with the Governor's office to develop a rail safety plan which insures the residents of Coon Rapids can continue to receive emergency services in a timely manner.
For more than 20 years I have been working on rail safety in our region, beginning with creating the state's first Federal Rail Administration approved quiet zone for the multiple crossings in Coon Rapids and, most recently, authoring the bill to have a bridge built over the railroad tracks on Armstrong Boulevard and Highway 10.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Governor’s rail safety plan, or any other legislative issue, you can contact me at Rep.Jerry.Newton@house.mn or 651-296-5369.
Sincerely,
Jerry Newton
State Representative