When the Metro Red Line opens on June 22, it will be the
region’s first station-to-station Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. It will travel on
bus-only shoulder lanes along Cedar Avenue, with stations at Apple Valley
Transit Station, 147th Street, 140th Street, Cedar Grove station in Eagan, and
the Mall of America, where connections can be made to the Blue Line (aka the
Hiawatha light rail line). Unlike commuter bus service, the Red Line BRT will run
frequently all day, every day—so frequently you won’t need a schedule, says the
Metropolitan Council. The operating hours will be from 5 a.m. to midnight,
Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday and Sunday.
Metro Red Line buses will serve each station with level boarding, real-time signs, and other transit advantages, much like service on the light
rail (LRT). Credit: Metropolitan Council.
When the Red Line opens June 22, some MVTA bus routes will change to
feed to and from the Line. Commuter bus service will not change. Credit:
Metropolitan Council.
With the expansion of the transit network in the south
metro, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) will adjust bus schedules
to feed into the Red Line and back. While commuter buses from the MVTA will not
change, the combination of bus, BRT, and LRT will make it easier to get to key
destinations by transit.
One MVTA route adjustment will give families an affordable
way to get to the Minnesota Zoo. Starting June 22, take the Red Line to the
Cedar Grove Station (ask for a transfer) and catch the MVTA bus for a 15 minute
ride to the Zoo, with hourly service every day of the week, from morning to
early evening. Kids under 5 years old travel for free (the limit is three free
kids per one adult). The off-peak fare is $1.75 per adult or child over age 5. And,
use your transfer to get discounted admission to the Zoo. Given that regular
Zoo admission is $12.00-$16.00 and parking for cars is $6.00, the Red Line-MVTA
combo could be a money-saving option!
If you’ve got tickets to one of the summer concerts at Minnesota
Zoo’s Weesner Family Amphitheater this summer, MVTA also is offering special express
bus service (route 475) from the University of Minnesota through downtown
Minneapolis to the Cedar Grove Transit station, arriving at the Zoo by 7:00 p.m.
for 7:30 concerts. Buses will leave the Zoo at 10:30 p.m. The fare is $5.00
round trip, paid as riders board the bus to the Zoo. The Zoo concert
series runs through the end of August. For more information about the special
route, click here.
Thanks to Robin Selvig
at MVTA for her help with details about changing service.
By Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy
Advocate, and Teresa Roark, TLC Intern
Energy around a streetcar revival has been steadily building
in the Twin Cities—and with good reason. The modern streetcar is far more than
an ode to the dominant transportation mode preceding today’s ubiquitous car
culture. Streetcars provide a valuable transit option uniquely suited to dense
urban settings and with strong opportunities for new commercial and residential
development. But are streetcars likely to make a major comeback here in
Minnesota?
Streetcars (referred to as trolleys outside North America)
have been part of the U.S. transit system since the late 19th
century. By the 1920s, they were commonplace, even spawning the term “streetcar
suburb” for their notable influence on development patterns and commuting
habits.
As local authors John Diers and Aaron Isaacs describe in Twin Cities by Trolley, many older Minnesotans
fondly recall riding the 520-mile streetcar network that once stretched from
Stillwater to Lake Minnetonka, with dense grids of track serving Minneapolis and
Saint Paul.
Passengers boarding a streetcar at Hennepin Ave. & 9th St.
in Minneapolis, part of the extensive network that once served the Twin Cities
metro area.
After declining in the 1940s and 50s for a variety of
reasons, including growing suburban development and the emergence of rubber
tired buses, streetcars are reappearing in more and more cities across the
country—not only as a way of moving people from one place to another, but as
part of a comprehensive development plan.
Peer Cities Embrace
Modern Streetcars
Today, modern streetcars operate in Charlotte, NC, Portland,
OR, and the Seattle-Tacoma metro area.. New streetcar service will launch in
Dallas and Washington, DC, later this year, and is under construction or procurement
in Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City. Historic streetcars still operate
in Boston, Memphis, New Orleans (replica), Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
Passengers about to
board a modern streetcar in Portland, OR.
These streetcars operate in urban cores and make frequent
stops. They are smaller and less expensive than light rail vehicles, but larger
and more expensive than buses. Popular models can accommodate 41 seated
passengers and 100 standing passengers. They can either operate with autos on
existing streets or, like LRT, on their own rights of way.
STREETCARS
Key Differences from Light
Rail Transit (LRT)
Key Differences from Buses
Less capacity (see graphic below)
More capacity (see graphic below)
Can operate in mixed traffic
Higher visibility
Shorter routes, more frequent stops
Often spurs more development
Less construction Impact
Electric powered
Less expensive
$30 to $60 million/mile vs. $100 million/mile for
LRT
More expensive
$30 to $60 million/mile vs. $5 million/mile
for arterial BRT
*Sources for cost estimates: Streetcars
101, City of Saint Paul website; LRT based on cost of Hiawatha, Central, and
Southwest LRT cost, Metro Transit Arterial BRT Study.
Credit: City of
Minneapolis
Streetcars, with their high visibility and fixed routes,
encourage economic development and mixed-use land development. For example,
since streetcar service began in 1996 in the historic South End of Charlotte, NC,
property values have increased from $20 million to $360 million. The streetcar
is now considered “the spine of the district.”
Portland, OR, first began operating Central City Streetcar
in 2001. Since then, there has been $3.5 billion in development within two
blocks of this streetcar line (over 50 percent of total downtown development).
Much of this development has been mixed residential and commercial, with
residential properties averaging just 0.6 parking spaces per unit. Not long
after opening a streetcar line, Portland birthed United Streetcar, the only manufacturer
of modern streetcars in the U.S.
It is easy to see why
many American cities are choosing to invest in streetcars, but will the Twin
Cities join them?
Studies are underway to evaluate streetcar feasibility and determine
the best routes for streetcars in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
In Minneapolis, an Alternatives Analysis (AA) has narrowed
the most feasible routes to a single starter line. From downtown, the line
would travel south on Nicollet Ave. to Lake St. and northeast on East Hennepin and Central Ave. We imagine this starter line will have strong potential for
future development and would attract visitors and downtown workers to a wide
variety of restaurants, shops, and other attractions. The AA will also examine a
longer route—from 46th St. South to 41st St. North—that
may follow a successful starter line.
Other promising routes include a streetcar along the Midtown
Greenway connecting the Hiawatha LRT and the future Southwest LRT (a project
being studied by Metro Transit) and a streetcar along West Broadway serving
North Minneapolis. Particularly given that the proposed Bottineau LRT route
skirts North Minneapolis, a new streetcar on West Broadway could bring welcome reinvestment
potential to that area of the city along with more frequent transit service.
Saint Paul is also studying
streetcars. By the end of 2013 when the City’s streetcar feasibility study
concludes, it will have identified one to two priority corridors for
implementation. Over a dozen corridors are currently being examined, including
Snelling Ave., Payne Ave., Lexington Pkwy., West 7th/East 7th
St., Rice St., Ford Pkwy., Robert St., Grand Ave., and several others. Evaluation
criteria include ridership potential, development potential, and transit-supportive
land uses.
Streetcar Funding
Both Saint Paul and Minneapolis still
need to identify a funding source for any future streetcar lines. Streetcars
are not currently identified in the Metropolitan Council’s Transportation
Policy Plan, nor eligible for funding through the Counties Transit Improvement
Board (1/4-cent metro area sales tax for transit), or by Metro Transit, which
has had very limited resources to increase bus service over the past decade.
Given the potential of streetcars, however, a variety of new
funding sources are being explored. These include: 1) allowing streetcar
construction and operation as one use of an increase in the metro area sales
tax (HF
1444), 2) value capture legislation (HF
617), which would allow Minneapolis to secure a portion of capital costs by
borrowing against future property tax increases in locations served by a
streetcar, and 3) federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s
Small Starts program.
Want to get involved and learn more? Weigh in on bringing
streetcars back to Saint
Paul. Stay informed about ongoing Minneapolis streetcar planning efforts
and upcoming opportunities to participate: Nicollet-Central
or Midtown Corridor.
Find more on Portland’s streetcar system and
development-oriented transit here.
The Metropolitan Council’s new regional development plan, Thrive
MSP 2040, will set the framework for how the Twin Cities metro area will grow
over the next 30 years. It will
influence the footprint of the developed area, including how much land will be converted
from farmland and open space to housing and employment sites. It will set
targets for affordable housing and establish goals for parks and water quality.
And Thrive MSP will also influence our region’s future mix of transportation options:
Will we invest in more highway lanes and new interchanges? Or will our region
shift investments to additional public transit, bike routes, and sidewalks along
with the repair of existing roads?
You Have the
Power to Influence this Plan
This spring, the Metropolitan Council is seeking input on the plan.
We strongly encourage you to tell the Council what investments matter most to you,
and what kind of community you want to live in going forward. Your ideas
matter! Share
them online, or participate at an upcoming
Thrive MSP Roundtable Discussion near you.These roundtables will focus on four issue areas: 1) Regionally significant
economic places, 2) land use and transit, 3) affordable housing priority,
location and need, and 4) water supply and a thriving region.
With regard
to land use and transit,here are three key points to keep an eye on when
you comment on Thrive MSP:
** Affordability =
Opportunity. Thrive MSP should make sure the entire
region has convenient access to transit and safe, accessible bicycling and
walking options.
The Thrive MSP Transportation Goal should include the word
“affordably.” Today’s transportation system works pretty well for people who
can afford to drive a car, largely connecting motorists with destinations
safely and reliably. But it nearly requires owning a car—a huge cost to
families in the region. For young adults, the elderly, people with a
disability, or others without the means for car ownership, this burden limits
opportunity and makes home ownership, educational advancement, and personal
health harder to achieve. We can advance
Thrive MSP’s equity principle by prioritizing affordable transportation options.
For example, materials for the Thrive MSP Roundtable discussions ask, “How
could transit investment decisions enhance access to opportunity for low-income
and people of color. . . . ?” We think the best way to enhance access to opportunity
is to increase investment in transit, bicycling, and walking – affordable options.
** Connect the Dots to Climate
Change.Thrive MSP should help
achieve Minnesota’s goal to reduce climate change by setting and measuring
goals for the percent of trips by transit, bicycling, and walking in our
region.
If our region is to dramatically reduce emissions that contribute
to climate change, Thrive MSP needs to include a specific goal (as is already
in state statute) for the share of trips made by public transit, bicycling, and
walking that will help to achieve the state climate goals. To make progress
toward those goals, the Met Council needs to explicitly advocate for the
funding and policy change necessary to expand the availability of these
transportation options. Transit emits a
fraction of the pollution of driving alone, and bicycling and walking are
emissions free.
**
Transit-Supportive Land Use.Thrive MSP should encourage most new
development inside the I-494/I-694
beltway and along transitways or near high-frequency
transit.
As Thrive MSP Roundtable materials state, “Over the last 60 years, our rapidly expanding region built a network of
highways and grew outward around them. This new development provided jobs,
homes, schools, and recreation for the region’s residents. However, this
development pattern is not sustainable.”
We agree with the Metropolitan Council. Planning for the majority of
new growth (housing and employment sites) to occur where there is current
infrastructure (roads, utilities, schools, etc.) in place, along major bus
corridors and transitways, and inside the I-494/694 beltway where density
levels are favorable for providing efficient transit makes good economic and
environmental sense.
These
materials also ask, “How could local land-use decisions improve the future
viability of transit?” The Council can do this by ensuring that
Thrive MSP is more specific, with clear goals, identified growth areas, and by channeling
incentive funding into investments that help to achieve the plan’s goals.
Stay
Informed, Get Involved
The Metropolitan Council will be working on Thrive MSP through the
end of 2013, with adoption planned for February 2014. Because this plan will
provide a strategic vision for the Twin Cities for decades to come, we
encourage you to get involved, online
or in person, throughout the process.
For more on this topic, don’t miss our other recent blogs in the
Thrive MSP series:
Transit for Livable Communities is calling on legislators
and the Governor to find a way to get a strong transportation bill passed this
session. This week comprehensive transportation bills are moving through House
and Senate committees. Transportation laws are usually statewide. In the metro,
we have an historic opportunity to build out the regional transit system (bus
and rail, bicycling and safe, accessible walking) in fifteen years, not
whenever. We know this has statewide impact, but also that there are
transportation needs in the metro and greater Minnesota for roads, bridges, and transit.
There are corridors of commerce, safety and congestion issues, and farmers who
need to get to market on bridges in good repair.
So we are saying to the legislature—find a way to get this
done. This session!
This region needs an additional ½-cent for transit in the
metro to get residents to work affordably and on time. This state needs to
address critical infrastructure needs. If we don’t act this session, we send a
signal to everyone that Minnesota is sitting on its hands, ready to watch other
regions get ahead of us, have our children move there to work and raise
families, have corporations decide this state isn’t serious.
Just as with education reform, we’re looking at the toddler
today and saying we need a transit system that reaches across the metro by the
time that child is ready to go to college. It’s about affordability, it’s about
attracting and retaining jobs, it’s about access to jobs (in the core and in
the suburbs), it’s about seniors aging in place. We also know it’s about
creating healthy, livable communities—with less pollution and more active
lifestyles.
Statewide, we need to address key corridors of commerce and
ensure safety of our roads and bridges. We also have a huge unmet need for
transit across the state.
We all depend on our infrastructure every day to get us
where we’re going. The legislature needs to act this session to make sure we
have funding for all our transportation needs. This is not a time to sit back
and wait.
What can you do?
1)
Help us pack the Rotunda for a Transportation
Rally at the Capitol. Wednesday, April 17, 10:00-11:00 am. Stay longer if you
can to meet with your legislator. Info
/ RSVP here.
2)
Visit http://www.transit4mn.org/p/get-involved.html
for links to use to call your legislator. Make sure your elected
representatives know you support increased revenue for transit, roads and
bridges this session.
The Metropolitan Council recently took public comment on an
amendment to add 58 transportation projects totaling $159 million in federal funding to its
project list known as the “TIP.” These projects were selected by the Met
Council’s Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) in 2012. The applications were
first submitted back in 2011.
Here is a sample of four of 58 projects being funded—one
from each of the four categories and the amount of federal funding to be
awarded:
$6 $7 million widening of TH116 in Anoka County
from two lanes to four lanes in the cities of Andover and Ham Lake (Surface
Transportation Program category)
$1 million for an extension of the Point Douglas
Regional Trail in Washington County (Transportation Enhancement category)
$6.4 million for improved bus service on
Snelling Avenue in Saint Paul (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Category)
$1.6 million for replacement of a Hennepin
County bridge on TH46 over Godfrey Parkway in Minneapolis (Bridge Improvement
and Replacement Category)
Click
here for the full list of projects by category.
As a fairly new member of the Transportation Advisory Board,
let me attempt to decode how this process works.
Every couple of years, the Twin Cities region decides how to
spend a good chunk of federal transportation funds—approximately $160 million
to $180 million. The Twin Cities Transportation
Advisory Board (TAB) is tasked with running a process to make these funding
decisions. TAB, an extension of the Metropolitan Council, is comprised
of 33 members including elected officials.
The federal funding allocated by TAB is a relatively small amount
compared to larger sums of state and federal transportation funding that MnDOT,
and to a lesser extent, the Met Council and regional transit agencies,
allocate. However, the variety of transportation projects that can be funded
with this money is less constrained (i.e. no state constitutional limits
restricting funds for “highway purposes only”), and could have a greater amount
of public input.
The Transportation Advisory Board (with assistance from a
Technical Advisory Committee) creates funding categories and develops detailed
scoring criteria to select what it believes is the best slate of projects proposed
by local units of government and other public agencies. The Regional Solicitation process gives all
cities and counties in the region an opportunity to submit projects for TAB’s consideration.
When approved, the Metropolitan Council will add this new roster
of 58 projects to its running list—the Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) document. These projects are planned for
implementation over the next few years. The
TIP includes a listing of all road, bridge, transit, and non-motorized
projects in the region funded with federal money.
Advocates should take note that local decision-making about
how to spend much of this federal money has great flexibility, particularly in the
category called the Surface Transportation Program (STP).
Unfortunately, the TIP amendment is the end of a lengthy
project selection process and, as such, is not the best
opportunity to shape outcomes. So where does the greatest opportunity for
public impact lie?
The key shapers of outcomes are: 1) how the regional solicitation
is designed, 2) the TAB policies that put certain projects in certain
categories, and 3) the scoring criteria and selection of projects by the TAB/Met
Council.
Given recent changes in federal law, the Met Council has
recognized the need to re-assess, from the ground up, the categories, selection
process, and scoring criteria for this flexible federal funding. The Council is
also developing a new long-range regional plan (Thrive MSP), which will inform
the Council’s Transportation Policy Plan, which then informs how money, including
this federal funding, gets spent.
Bottom line: As we’ve reported previously, how Twin Cities
residents get around is changing greatly, with less car travel and far more
transit, bicycling, and walking (partly made possible by more compact,
mixed-use development and improving transportation options). The biggest
opportunity for change will come in the future when there is an opportunity to
influence the criteria and policies that drive the type of projects that can be
submitted and how they are scored. Stay tuned for future communications about opportunities
to help shape how our region grows and how it invests federal, state, and local
resources.
Update:
The Governor’s State of the State address last night focused on providing
leadership to solve problems for Minnesota and end the chronic deficits we have
faced over the last several years. Transit for Livable Communities, a member of
the Invest in Minnesota coalition, believes that increased revenue must be part
of the solution to provide for a future that works for the residents of this state.
The Governor last night spoke of delivering jobs and support for business to
provide those jobs. More transit does this. He spoke about delivering efficient
services, maintaining a healthy environment, and efforts to keep seniors in
their homes and to make college more affordable. More transit helps do this.
Minnesotans by a vast majority support increased investment in transit—as a way
to reduce traffic, create jobs, and help make budgets balance for working
families, students, and seniors.
The Governor’s plan would broaden the sales tax and specifically fund transit
expansion through an increase in the sales tax. While it does not go the whole
distance, the Governor’s budget would put in place a stable base of funding for
metro area transit —bus and rail.
In the case of transit, there are clear indications that investing more will
have a high return on investment for the state.
As noted in our response to the Governor’s budget (see below), our coalition plan would do more.
The Governor has funded his vision. To those who criticize elements of his
plan, remember that to embrace the vision for better transit in Minnesota
without embracing the funding needed is false, empty leadership. Doing nothing
also is not an option. It is time to act. We need transit for a stronger economy.
Original Response to Governor Dayton's Budget Proposal:
Governor Dayton’s budget proposal today sends a clear signal
that transit is essential to building a stronger economy. It includes a mix of
cuts and new revenue, including for transit. The overall plan takes two major
steps forward.
Firstly, the Governor’s budget recognizes that building out
the regional transit system—bus and rail—will create jobs, attract top
employers, and make it more affordable to get to work and school. The build out
of the regional system will create 30,000 jobs, according to the Itasca Project
report (pdf). The experience of the Central Corridor shows that subcontractors and
workers come from all over the state.
Secondly, the Governor’s attention to the overall budget
structure hopefully will mean that we can count on steady and expanding transit
service, rather than funding battles that have resulted in whittling away of bus
service. A stable funding platform eliminates uncertainty for everyone—for businesses
and for individual families planning their budgets.
The Governor’s budget includes broadening the base of the
sales tax and adding a new ¼ cent sales tax in the metro. These funds would:
expand bus service by 1% each year—the first
increase to basic bus service in a decade, and
fund the Southwest LRT, Bottineau LRT, Gateway
LRT or BRT, I-35W South BRT, up to 12 Rapid Bus or streetcar corridors, and up
to 5 additional highway BRT lines.
This is a huge step forward in recognizing that we must
increase access to transit for Minnesota families, seniors, and students. We
know that transportation is the second largest household expense (after
housing) and more people are turning to transit as gas prices remain high. We
also know that more people are bicycling and walking for transportation.
We do have some concerns in these areas. As we dig deeper
into the governor’s budget and continue working at the legislature, TLC and the
Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition will be looking to make sure:
that greater Minnesota transit service is not
left behind. Transit use is growing in Greater Minnesota and makes a huge
difference to seniors, people with disabilities, and to residents in cities
like Duluth, Saint Cloud, and Rochester, and
that cities and counties have funds for
providing sidewalks, safer crossings, bike routes, and access for people with
disabilities.
The Governor’s budget sends a very strong signal about the
importance of transit. It’s a great floor for the session ahead, but it’s not
quite the whole structure we need for Minnesota to thrive.
Do you want to be riding the Southwest Light Rail line by
2018? Let everyone hear you say, YES!
There are three public hearings in November (see details
below) about the Southwest LRT Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The
DEIS is part of the process to receive federal funds for the line—up to 50% of
project costs.
These hearings are very important because they will set the
tone for the Southwest LRT conversation at the state capitol this coming
legislative session. The state is being asked to pay 10% of the cost of the
line. TLC encourages everyone who supports this new line to attend one of the
public hearings. We would like a resounding turn out in support of the
line—because it is a smart investment for our region and state.
The DEIS shows that the benefits of the Southwest LRT substantially
outweigh the impacts while moving us toward a 21-st century transit SYSTEM. The
Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA—alignment LRT 3A) is the most cost effective
per rider and fits with the land use and economic development plans of the
communities along the line. Some residents in St. Louis Park are concerned
about the proposed freight rail re-route, but we are confident the County and
partners can appropriately mitigate the impacts.
Map of Locally
Preferred Alternative (LPA) alignment for Southwest light rail
Here are answers, based on the DEIS, to four common
questions about Southwest LRT:
1. Is Light Rail the best alternative?
Yes. The Southwest corridor is growing (population and
employment) but (quoting the DEIS) there is “limited additional traffic
capacity on existing streets and highways resulting in increased travel time,
delays, and air pollution.” The DEIS studied options including doing nothing
(the No Build Alternative), Enhanced Bus Service, and several different Light
Rail alignments.
Of the options, building an LRT line is the most expensive,
but also has the greatest potential to address the needs of the region. In
contrast, the Enhanced Bus Service option “would only marginally improve the
existing conditions.” Neither enhanced bus service nor doing nothing is
consistent with local and regional comprehensive plans and “would not improve
mobility, provide a cost-effective, efficient travel option, or support
economic development or an economically competitive freight rail system.”
2. Will low-income and minority communities
be adversely affected?
The DEIS finds that construction of the line will not
disproportionately affect low-income or minority communities and that there
will be positive effects in terms of increased transit service—improved frequency,
capacity, and reliablity means accessing more job centers more easily. The line
should also help air quality for all residents by shifting trips from
automobile to transit, resulting in about 5,700 fewer auto trips per day on the
highway system.
Low-income residents make up 8.1% of the population of the
corridor within a half-mile of the proposed line, while 26.3% of the population
is minority. In the whole Southwest LRT study area, there are more
renter-occupied housing units (52,667) than owner-occupied units (40,872).
Whether this will change—and whether affordable housing options will be
maintained—is a question for the planning areas along the line. The DEIS d
lists exactly what plans are in effect for different segments of the line (See
table 3.1-2 Summary of Local and Regional Comprehensive Plans in Chapter 3 of
the DEIS, available on the Southwest Transitway web site.)
3. Will the Cedar Lake Bike Trail be
affected?
Long-term impact on bike trails is not anticipated, though
there will be temporary trail re-routesas part of construction. When finished,
fencing or other measures would separate bicycles and pedestrians from the LRT
line. Trail users may have to travel slightly longer distances than today
because of fencing and the consolidation of access points.
The DEIS notes that station areas will be designed to
provide access by walking and bicycling and include amenities such as bicycle
lockers, bicycle racks, and covered seating areas. Most stations would have new
sidewalks and trails, would employ ADA-compliant design standards, and would
place special emphasis on creating neighborhood connectivity.
4. What is happening with station-area
planning?
Station area planning is underway for many stations,
including Mitchell Road, Southwest Station, Eden Prairie Town Center, Golden
Triangle, City West, Opus, Shady Oak, Downtown Hopkins, Blake Road, Louisiana
Avenue, Wooddale Avenue, and Beltline Boulevard. Chapter 5 of the DEIS
indicates which planning community is in charge of station-area planning. Most current
activity is happening in Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins, and St. Louis Park.
(For more, see Table 5.2-1 Planning Segments and Stations, in Chapter 5 of the
DEIS, available on the Southwest Transitway web site.)
The DEIS notes that building a light rail line brings big
opportunities regarding “land use intensification” and better transit access.
Better access should spark both business and residential development.
Actual station-area planning is up to the local units of
government. TLC commented last year on
the Metropolitan Council’s draft guidelines for transitway development. Two
points bear repeating:
Transit
Oriented Development. The Met Council should set and enforce explicit TOD
goals, including greater specificity about tools and collaborative strategies
to achieve these goals, explicit procedures for advancing affordable housing,
and annual reporting on TOD outcomes.
Parking.
How parking is designed at transitway stations is critical to building
ridership and sparking adjacent development. An LRT station is not foremost a
park-n-ride, it is an opportunity to create vibrant, connected neighborhoods
where people want to live and can easily get around on foot or by bike as well
as by car. Parking needs to be designed to anticipate increasing density in
land use.
A land use map from the Hopkins
Station Plan (full plan available here)
Public Hearings Schedule:
Tuesday,
November 13th Hennepin
County Government Center 300 South
6th Street, Minneapolis A-2400 MAP 4:00 to 5:00
PM public open house (Public Service Level) 4:30 PM
Formal Public Hearing
Wednesday,
November 14th *Strong turnout from
opposition expected at this meeting!* St. Louis
Park City Hall 5005
Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis Park MAP 5:00 to 6:00
PM public open house 6:00 PM
Formal Public Hearing
Thursday,
November 29th Eden Prairie
City Hall 8080
Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie MAP 5:00 to 6:00
PM public open house 6:00 PM
Formal Public Hearing
Through December 11, 2012, comments also will be accepted
via the online comment form on the Southwest Transitway website, via
email (swcorridor@co.hennepin.mn.us), or by mail to: Hennepin County, Housing,
Community Works & Transit, Attn: Southwest Transitway, 701 Fourth Ave S,
Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55415.
After the comment period closes on December 11, 2012, the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Metropolitan Council will consider
all comments and provide responses to substantive comments in the Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The next two big “gets” for this project
will be securing funding for the 10% state share of the cost of the line and
then securing approval from the FTA to enter Preliminary Engineering. After
Preliminary Engineering, comes the Full Funding Agreement from the FTA, which
is a signal that construction can begin—hopefully in 2014 for a 2018 opening.
Editor’s Note: This blog is part of a series exploring Thrive MSP 2040,
the long-range regional plan being crafted by the Metropolitan Council. Because
Thrive MSP will provide a strategic vision for the Twin Cities for years to
come, we encourage you to stay informed about Thrive MSP throughout the
planning process. Even better: be involved! Tell the Met Council what investments
matter most to you, and what kind of community you really want to live in. Share
your ideas online. Here, Dave Van
Hattum explores the connection between Thrive MSP and your transportation and
housing options, decodes the planning process ahead, and shares primary principals
guiding the Met Council.
So why does a regional and local land use plan like Thrive MSP matter?
Think of THRIVE as Transportation and Housing, Regional Investments for Everyone. By encouraging more compact development, a mix of uses,
open space protection and strong connections between future development
(housing and commercial) and transportation systems, regional and local land
use plans can play a significant role in creating more affordable
transportation and housing options for all Twin Cities households.
Housing and transportation are the
two greatest costs for most households—and represent an even larger financial
burden for low income families. When households can live with fewer cars, have
more housing choices, and more practical options for getting around by transit,
biking, and walking, costs can be substantially reduced. And the savings can be
redirected to mortgage payments, education, health care costs, etc. Ultimately,
it’s about investing in choice, affordability, sustainability, and economic
opportunity.
How will the Met Council and Thrive MSP actually influence development
and transportation choices in the region?
In a nutshell, Thrive MSP 2040
will forecast population and housing growth levels, allocate that growth to
different parts of the region, and provide the foundation for the Met Council’s
system plans for Transportation, Aviation, Parks and Open Space, and Water
Resources. These regional systems plans, in turn, set expectations for local
comprehensive land use plans in every city and county in the seven-county metro
area. It is critical that the new regional plan allocates growth based on a sustainable
vision that recognizes changing demographics, housing size, and transportation
costs.
The Met Council plays a
substantial role in the extent of transportation choices across the region. The
Council operates Metro Transit, collaborates with suburban transit providers, andallocates
a substantial pot of federal transportation funding to local and regional projects.
While less directly involved in
housing, the Council is undertaking a regional housing plan with major
implications for the provision of affordable housing in the seven-county
region.
What process can you expect and how can you voice your opinion?
Thrive MSP 2040 is moving forward
with two key interdependent processes: One, the creation of key principles and
goals by Met Council members; and two, a series of public listening
sessions in cities throughout the region. Identifying principles is a great first step
as it will provide basic elements of the emerging regional plan for the public
to react to. The listening sessions and a corresponding online forum are then providing
the first of several opportunities for the public to shape the vision,
principles, goals, and objectives of the Thrive MSP 2040 plan. Expect more opportunities to weigh in as
the plan takes shape over the next two years.
Six key principles and why they need your input
At a recent working session, Met Council
members recommended six provisional principles to guide all their work. Interestingly,
these principles are easily grouped under the three e’s (economy, environment,
and equity) of sustainability, along with a principle guiding the process of
creating and successfully implementing Thrive MSP 2040.
Economy
Principle 1: Prosperity,
Vitality, Livability
Principle 2: Economic
Opportunity
Equity
Principle 3: Equity
Environment
Principle 4: Stewardship
Principle 5: Sense
of Community, Sense of Region
Public Process
Principle 6: Partnerships/Collaboration
To get to a true regional vision, community
members and local governments need to bring greater definition to these broad
principles. For example, what does equity mean to your city, to you? What will
greater prosperity, vitality, and livability look like in communities and
families across the Twin Cities? Which transportation investments will lead us in
that direction? This conversation is already underway, and with significant
implications for the future. Join in now with your own sense of what our region
needs to thrive!
Transit advocates were stunned when DEED rankings were
announced for projects seeking $47.5 million in state bonding money. DEED staff
had a lot of projects to score. Their criteria were project readiness, job
creation, investment & leverage, regional impact, and other public
benefits.
We feel the SWLRT project deserved bonding support from the
full legislature last session—and deserved a higher score from DEED. The future
of one of the state’s major employment areas and the residents who live and
work there should be a top priority. Governor Dayton has been vocal in support
of SWLRT. But, he can’t do it alone. It’s up to citizens and the business
community to hold elected leaders accountable.
Here is how we would score this project.
PROJECT READINESS
SWLRT is in preliminary engineering, with construction
scheduled to start in 2014—if the funding package comes together. $94 million
is needed for preliminary engineering, of which $47 million is committed. If
this project stalls because of the lack of state support, each year of delay
adds $40 million to the total project budget. DEED gave SWLRT 7 of possible 25
points for readiness.
JOB CREATION
Creating 150 engineering, outreach, and management jobs
right away, 3500 construction jobs when hard construction beings in 2014, and
175 LRT operations jobs, the SWLRT will have a similar workforce to the Central
Corridor Light Rail project (CCLRT). The $252 million CCLRT payroll benefits
communities statewide. DEED gave SWLRT only 5 out of 25 points.
INVESTMENT & LEVERAGE
The state’s contribution to SWLRT (10% of total project
costs) will leverage $1.125 billion in other funds (local and federal). This is
a 9 to 1 return on investment. DEED gave this project 5 out of 25 possible
points.
REGIONAL IMPACT
Currently, the southwest light rail corridor is a major job
center, with more than 200,000 jobs located there. With light rail investments,
that number is expected to grow to 270,000 jobs. The Chambers of Commerce and
employers in the corridor support light rail investments as the best way to
deal with current and future transportation needs. DEED gave SWLRT a score of 5
out of 20 possible points.
OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS
It’s not clear what “other benefits” might have been part of
DEED’s scoring, which gave SWLRT 2 out of a possible 5 points. Here are other
benefits of transit investments for individuals and the region:
Economic development. Corporate site selectors
rate a region’s transit system as one of the key elements in deciding where to locate.
Cities such as Dallas, Denver, Sacramento, Salt Lake, and San Francisco are way
ahead of the Twin Cities in transit investments. Without state support for
SWLRT, our region and state will fall farther behind. This is not good for
current residents or future generations.
Family cost of transportation. Transportation is
the second largest household expense—greater than education or health care—and
it costs more in lower income families. And the ways that people get around are
changing: for the last six years,
despite population growth, Minnesotans are driving less. At the same time,
demand for transit is at record levels and rates of bicycling and walking also
are rising dramatically. Bringing more of the metro region in convenient range
of transit means families can save money. The SWLRT line will connect right to
the new Central Corridor line, meaning that residents across the metro could
take a train to work or school (from Saint Paul to Eden Prairie with all stops
in between). But, not if it’s not built.
Air pollution. Automotive tail pipe emissions
play a big role in creating ozone and adding to fine particulate pollution. The
Twin Cities is at risk of falling out of compliance with EPA air quality
standards. If this happens, the economic cost to the region will be huge. Ask
someone living in Los Angeles, which has been out of attainment for decades.
Did you know that the Twin Cities metro has more highway lane miles per capita
than Los Angeles? And did you know that LA and the southern California
community has recently responded with an incredibly forward-looking plan for
transit, bicycling, and walking?
Gas prices. They are still high, adding to the
overall cost of transportation. If more Minnesotans had transit options, such
as SWLRT, they could possibly get by with one fewer car or without a car—saving
up to $8,000 per year (the average annual cost of owning and operating a car,
according to AAA).
More fun. A light rail
connection from the downtowns to the southwest corridor would make it easier
for everyone to access entertainment, restaurants, and sports events. SWLRT
trains would run every 15 minutes (faster in rush hour) for most of every day.
As we heard at a community meeting in Hopkins in July, it would be great for
those who want to socialize after work without worrying about the drive home.
SWLRT is
a very important strategic investment for Minnesota. Polls taken last fall show
that Minnesotans agree. We need SWLRT now!
By Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate, & Bill Neuendorf, Director of Policy and Advocacy
The Met Council has recently begun a two-year process to update its long-range development plan for the Twin Cities region. Known as Thrive MSP 2040, the over-arching regional plan creates the foundation for four system plans – Transportation, Aviation, Water Resources, and Parks. If done well, this plan will provide a persuasive, strategic vision for the region, including greatly expanded, more affordable and sustainable transportation choices.
Thrive MSP on Metropolitan Council web site
Other regions similar to the Twin Cities have recently completed long-range regional plans or regional transportation plans. While each is unique to the region and its people, the plans emerging from our peers in Atlanta, Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle share a number of key themes. Here are ten themes consistently advanced by our peer cities.
1) An inspiring, non-bureaucratic, name for the plan. Regional planning documents are now being written for the general public not just government agencies. Their names are meant to inspire action rather than be cataloged on a shelf. Salt Lake City’s plan is called “Wasatch Choice” while San Francisco’s transportation/land use plan is entitled “Change in Motion”.
2) Well defined metrics of success. Measures of progress are identified in advance and in plain English. The use of quantifiable goals increases understanding, transparency and accountability
3) Explicit attention to equity considerations. It is not good enough to assume that equitable opportunities will magically happen for people of all incomes and ethnic backgrounds. Specific steps are identified so that public investments benefit all people. One of the leading regions is San Francisco, whose plans call for equitable mobility and access “for all Bay Area residents and visitors, regardless of race, age, income or disability”.
Regional Plans for San Francisco, Salt Lake, Denver, and Atlanta
4) Future development targeted in well-defined centers. Places like Denver and Seattle identify strategic centers and corridors as higher priorities for investment and redevelopment.
5) New road pricing strategies. Innovative road pricing strategies, such as rush-hour tolls on congested highways, can promote consistent travel times, encourage transit and carpooling, and achieve the highest people-moving results from all transportation investments.
6) Reprioritization of new public investment. After decades focused on highways, regions such as San Francisco and Denver now place greater emphasis on transit and bicycling infrastructure.
7) Cross-silo innovation. Results-oriented plans realize that comprehensive outcomes can best be achieved by breaking the mold of traditional governmental departments and agencies. In San Francisco, multi-jurisdictional programs are grounded in the Three E’s of Sustainability: economy, environment, and equity. The identification of broad contextual goals supports policy makers in taking actions that deviate from outdated programs that may no longer deliver the most effective results.
8) Making the business case. To promote implementation of the plan, peer regions have embraced input from the community and business-sector from the earliest stages. Sincere collaboration between public and private sectors has resulted in more holistic buy-in. Salt Lake City is a particularly strong example.
9) Technical assistance to local government. Educational materials, best-practice guides, and other types of technical assistance are frequently provided to local municipalities. These materials and programs simplify and promote the implementation of regional policies at the local level.
10) New public involvement strategies. In San Francisco, for example, they are not merely holding formal public hearings. They are also seeking direct input via on-the-street interviews and collecting ideas in non-traditional places.
Much can be learned from the bold strategies incorporated elsewhere in the U.S. Meaningful public involvement will be necessary so that policy makers include the best options to make the Twin Cities an even better place to live and do business in the years ahead.
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