Northstar speeds up rail project

WASHINGTON (AP) - Northstar officials are looking at ways to speed up the development of the commuter rail line service in response to last week's bridge collapse, with temporary service possible as soon as this fall.

Tim Yantos, executive director of the Northstar project, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that officials are exploring ways to begin "emergency mobility service" by this October or November.

That would involve service on four of the six planned stations linking Minneapolis and Big Lake, even if it meant putting in wooden platforms, he said, assuming federal funding comes through.

Yantos said the goal is to have the full service up and running as soon as October 2008 - about a year ahead of schedule.

"Like all transportation agencies and projects, we are seeing what we can do to help alleviate traffic congestion due to the bridge collapse," he said.