By Maya Betti, News Intern
Editor’s Note: Here on KYMN, we’re taking a closer look at transportation, parking, and infrastructure in Northfield. In the first part of this series, we explored the issues of parking at St. Olaf College. Now we move our focus to public transit in Northfield.
- Part I – Parking pressure grows at St. Olaf, Council approves small fix amid bigger questions
- Partt II – Students and residents alike express concerns over current parking situation at St. Olaf
- Part III – The Routing Company launches new partnership with Northfield Lines, new public transportation option for the community
- Part IV – Three Rivers Community Action works to bridge rural transportation gaps
Since 1998, Three Rivers Community Action has helped to fill rural transportation gaps through its Hiawathaland Transit system.
But keeping those buses on the road takes more than drivers: it takes dollars.
Co-director of Transportation Tracy Borgschatz says the service is funded mostly through state and federal grants, including about five million dollars from MinnnDOT to operate across Wabasha, Rice and Goodhue counties. But those grants also require local matches.
As well, as a nonprofit, Three Rivers doesn’t fundraise.
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Instead, they rely on MnDOT and the Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA) to secure funding. Borgschatz says cuts at the federal level could put future service at risk.
“We have MnDOT and we have MPTA that are going to bat for us and trying to secure funding to ensure we don’t have to make cuts to our services, but that’s definitely something that could potentially happen in the future,” – Co-director of Transportation Tracy Borgschatz
For now, funding is secure through 2026, but long-term planning is a challenge.
That means that expansion of routes is off the table, and instead, Three Rivers is looking at ways to restructure existing routes to make the best use of every dollar.
One idea currently in the works is a new “community connection” bus linking their three counties. More details are expected in September.
“We’re really going to show that there is a need for rural transportation and show that we have riders that depend on us for a variety of reasons,” – Co-director of Transportation Tracy Borgschatz
As the organization looks ahead, the question isn’t whether there’s demand for rural transit: it’s whether the funding will keep up.
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