The Gold Line bus project hit the gas Friday — with plans for up to 900 units of bus-related housing and improved chances for getting federal funding.

The Federal Transit Administration announced that it was moving the Gold Line proposal into the New Starts program, which will make federal funding more likely in the future. That funding will be crucial, paying for about half of the $420 million project.

The same day, plans for the Gold Line’s first large-scale mixed-use projects were unveiled, clustered around a proposed bus station in Oakdale. Plans call for 55 acres of homes, businesses and offices near a new Helmo Avenue bridge over Interstate 94.

“The Gold Line is definitely the catalyst for these,” said Oakdale Community Development Director Bob Streetar.

The nine-mile Gold Line route would wind through Woodbury, Oakdale and Maplewood, ending at St. Paul’s Union Station. Buses would make stops as often as every 10 minutes at 11 stations.

Construction of the line is expected to begin in 2022, and it should open in 2024. It would be the state’s first bus line operating buses on their own private roadways. Related Articles The COVID-19 vaccine got political this week. Here’s a look at the facts.

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The proposal depends on getting about half the money from the federal government — a prospect that became more likely Friday. By being placed in the New Starts program, the Gold Line is eligible for federal revenue that will match local spending.

The move was applauded by Minnesota officials, according to a news release.

“This announcement is great news for the east metro region and for our state. The Gold Line will improve transit choices for over a half-million Minnesotans,” said Gov. Mark Dayton. “It will connect workers with good jobs, encourage business expansions and reduce commuter congestion.”

Washington County commissioner Stan Karwoski said the line would attract new businesses.

“All you have to do is look at the current competition for the Amazon headquarters to see that large employers want to locate near modern, efficient transit systems,” said Karwoski, the chairman of the Gateway Corridor Commission, which coordinates Gold Line development.

Even though the project won’t be running for six years, it has already attracted nearby development.

Scannell Properties of Indianapolis has purchased 30 acres in the Oaks Business Park for $2.9 million, according to Managing Director Tim Elam.

The land is next to a planned Gold Line bus stop, east of Helmo Avenue near Interstate 94. The parcel is believed to be the largest undeveloped plot along the Gold Line route.

Scannell plans to build about 600 apartment units, according to Elam. “We have the potential to start putting a building there this fall,” he said.

He said that Gold Line stop is a plus for the project. “That was very influential in determining the site,” Elam said.

But Scannell will build on the property regardless. The company has five plans for the site, one of them assuming that the Gold Line is built as planned. “With or without the bus line, we are going to build residential there,” said Elam.

Next to the Scannell property, west of Helmo Avenue, is a 25-acre parcel that would be home to up to 300 new units. That plot is in the existing Crossroads business center.

Oakdale’s Streetar said that in addition to housing, the two projects would have about 170,000 square feet of retail and office space, which is more than twice as big as a typical Cub Foods store.

Streetar gives credit to the Gold Line for getting the projects moving. Related Articles Minneapolis and St. Paul to add 70 electric car charging stations with $6.7M grant

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For more than a decade, he said, the sites remained vacant. “We met with (property owners) a year ago, and said, ‘Let’s work together,’ ” Streetar said.

Inspired by prospects for the Gold Line, they shifted plans away from an all-commercial project to mixed-use areas with housing and businesses.

“Out of all the possible uses, multi-family is what rose to the top,” Streetar said.

The Oakdale City Council is scheduled to consider plans for the projects at its meeting Tuesday.