Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2007
MET COUNCIL HONORS FLINT HILLS RESOURCES
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – (Dec. 12) –The Metropolitan Council today will honor Flint Hills Resources for its service to the community in the wake of the I-35W bridge collapse.
In a certificate of appreciation the Council will commend Flint Hills Resources for its donation of 100 tons of asphalt that was used to create a new park-and-ride lot for north metro commuters using public transportation as an alternative to driving alone.
“One of the first calls Metro Transit received in the aftermath of the bridge tragedy was from the Flint Hills refinery in Rosemount,” said Council Chair Peter Bell. “The Flint Hills staff knew that we would need to expand our park-and-ride capacity, and they wanted to help.”
In a race against winter weather, the asphalt was used in the late-season paving of a 225-space park-and-ride lot at I-35W and Industrial Boulevard, which opened Dec. 3 in Minneapolis. The site had been used as a construction staging area for MN/DoT contract work crews. The late-November paving project ensured that lot was completed just one day before the Dec. 1 snowfall.
Metro Transit has begun promoting the lot and new Route 241 service that offers nine daily roundtrips to downtown Minneapolis. Promotional efforts include direct mail to nearby homes and ads in community papers.
“Like all Minnesotans, we were deeply affected by this tragedy. We hope this donation will help address some of the long-term transportation impacts that resulted from the bridge collapse by offering additional transportation options for commuters,” said Diane Schmidt, director of northern tier public affairs for Flint Hills Resources.
At the current rate of $250 per ton, the Flint Hills contribution to the park-and-ride project is valued at $25,000.
Flint Hills Resources is a leading producer of fuels, petrochemicals and other related products. The company, which is based in Wichita, Kan., owns and operates refineries and chemical plants in Alaska, Minnesota, Texas, Illinois and Michigan. The company also owns a system of refined products and asphalt terminals that serve Texas and the Midwest.
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. It runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, manages regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The Council is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
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(Editors: For information call Bob Gibbons, director of customer services, 612-349-7509. robert.gibbons@metc.state.mn.us or John Hofland, Flint Hills manager of communications, at 651-438-1331, john.hofland@fhr.com)
