The Hastings City Council was asked to approve a resolution for an updated Joint Powers agreement regarding the Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission. Councilmember Mark Vaughan is the City’s representative on the commission and the planning underway involves the development of Minnesota’s first high-speed rail line to connect the Twin Cities to Milwaukee and Chicago. The route would favor bringing the line to the Midwest through the upper Mississippi River Valley. The goal would be to eventually bring six to eight round trip high speed trains each day along the existing Amtrak Empire builder route to expand transportation for business and leisure travelers. The current plan includes Hastings as a route but not as a stop. Safety is the number one priority, according to Vaughan, and his continued involvement will provide a non-financial viewpoint and representation to the collaborative.
