Still hope for a bold transportation bill this session!

By Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate

Taking action: This week at the Capitol, supporters called on legislators to fund transportation now.

In a surprise move a week ago, freshman senator Melisa Franzen offered an amendment on the Senate floor to the Omnibus Transportation Funding bill to provide new funding for roads and transit. That amendment passed and, soon after, the entire bill was adopted.  HF 1444 (previously SF 1173) includes a phased-in half-cent increase in the metro area sales tax for transit, and a phased-in increase of 5 cents in the state gas tax. The amended bill also includes a small percentage for bicycle and pedestrian connections, and increases transit funding for Greater Minnesota, meeting 70 percent of the need. Together, these investments will put Minnesota’s transportation system on the right path for the future. The question now is whether these elements make it into law this session.

TLC and the Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition have advocated all session for a funding bill that will greatly expand transit, and safe, accessible bicycling and walking connections. This past Wednesday, the coalition gathered outside the Governor’s office and marched to Speaker Thissen’s office. The walls of the Capitol echoed with voices calling, “Transportation Now!”       

This week, the Minnesota House and Senate have been conferencing the bold Senate bill with a “lights on” House Transportation funding bill that offers no increase in funding, but rather keeps status quo transportation budgets in place.  The Conference Committee is comprised of the following legislators.

Senate	House
Dibble	Hornstein
Champion	Bernardy
Carlson	Beard
Jensen	Erhardt
Kent	Sundin

There is still hope that end-of-session negotiations will get the job done on transportation. One possibility is that the half-cent sales tax will be packaged with $300 million in trunk highway bonds and as yet unnamed additional funding for roads. Another funding effort is a House bonding bill, championed by Rep. Alice Hausman, with funding for Southwest light rail and other key transit projects. 

All session, Governor Dayton has remained committed to his budget proposal, which includes a half-cent increase in the metro sales tax to significantly expand the metro area transit system. Let’s thank the Governor (click here or call 651-201-3400) and inspire him and legislative leaders to get the job done in the final few days.

The Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition will remain engaged in legislative action right up to the final bell—in this case, Monday, May 20.  We encourage other transit, bicycling, and walking advocates to do the same, and to keep the pressure on your elected officials through the weekend!  

Take action: send a quick message to your state legislators right now.

Photo Credit: Val Escher

Metro Red Line + MVTA = A Great Ride to the Zoo

By Hilary Reeves, Communications Director

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.

# # #

 

Streetcars in the City

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 19^th 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. & 9^th 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 46^th St. South to 41^st 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.  

These potential streetcar routes and many others are simultaneously being assessed as possible rapid bus corridors.

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 7^th/East 7^th 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.

 

This Spring: Influence Twin Cities Regional Development for the Next 30 Years

By Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate

 

 

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.

Upcoming Thrive MSP Roundtable Discussions:

• Tuesday, April 30, 6:30-8:30 PM, Eagan
• Saturday, May 4, 10 AM-Noon, Saint Paul
• Thursday, May 9, 6-8 PM, Shoreview
• Thursday, May 16, 6-8 PM, Minneapolis

Setting Goals for Land Use and Transit

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:

Top Ten Elements in Regional Plans: Our Peers Have Set a High Bar

Thrive MSP 2040 – Why and How to Create a Shared Vision

Taking Transit to Home, Work, and . . . the Park?

By Linden Weiswerda, The Trust for Public Land (guest blogger)

Editor’s Note: Our Twin Cities metro region is well known as a place where cityscape meets green space. Millions visit our robust regional park system each year. But did you know that most arrive by car? Some efforts are already underway to connect more residents and visitors to Twin Cities parks in other ways. For example, the Sierra Club North Star Chapter regularly leads outings to parks and natural areas via transit. Nice Ride MN bike sharing will begin serving expand service to Mississippi River Park and Recreation Area this summer. And next year, new bus service on Lexington Parkway will improve access to Saint Paul’s Como Park–one of our most visited regional parks. As our region’s population grows and the regional park system expands, will current transportation options ensure the parks are accessible to all? Here, guest blogger Linden Weiswerda with The Trust for Public Land makes the case for continuing to improve transit service to our regional parks.  

 

 
Minnehaha Regional Park, Minneapolis

 

Have you ever ridden a bus or light rail train to your nearest regional park? Chances are high that your answer is no. According to the last Regional Parks and Trails Survey (2008), less than 1 percent of people arrive at Twin Cities regional parks and trails via public transit. While the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region is filled with a diverse array of popular regional amenities that can be reached by multiple modes of transportation, our regional parks largely remain an untapped destination for the regional transit system.

The Twin Cities regional park system—which includes sites from the Chain of Lakes Park in Minneapolis to Big Marine Park Reserve in Washington County, and 49 other parks and park reserves—is an invaluable asset that helps keep our region thriving and acts as “the state parks of the metro area” (Metropolitan Council). As the largest and most natural public lands in our metro area, the regional parks provide a unique experience for visitors. In addition to protecting the most important and sensitive natural areas in the Twin Cities for current and future generations, they are central to creating healthy and enjoyable communities. And enjoy them we do, with over 44 million visits annually to the regional park system. Time after time, surveys cite that parks are one of the top reasons people find the Twin Cities region attractive and want to move here.

 

Crosby Farm Regional Park, Saint Paul

 

However, the 2008 Regional Parks Survey also found that almost 60 percent of visitors to the parks arrive by “auto, truck, RV, or van.” Meanwhile, as Transportation for America reports, 40 percent of Minnesotans are without a driver’s license, exceeding the national average of 32 percent. If large numbers of residents in the region cannot get to the regional parks and trails to enjoy them except by car, how can this significant segment of our population benefit from the regional parks? Combine this with decreasing rates of car ownership, particularly among younger and older demographic groups, and the regional park system could actually become less accessible over time—unless our region does more to improve transit service to these destinations.

The current Twin Cities transit system provides limited means for travelling to regional parks, in part because peak service times are tied to the typical work commute. Transit services run most frequently during rush hours on weekdays. However, park use generally peaks for special events, in the evenings, and mostly on weekends.

 

 

Baker Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District

 

Livable communities are active seven days a week and throughout the day as well. For comparison, think about a movie theater and office building that share a parking lot. During the week office employees fill the lot, and in the evenings and on weekends moviegoers take the same spaces. As a result of this shared use, the parking area needed to meet demand has a reduced development footprint, smaller amounts of pavement and stormwater runoff, and generally has created a more efficient community that is utilized more of the time. Increasing connections among the regional transit and regional parks and trails systems could similarly benefit both systems, picking up more transit riders in off-peak times and making regional parks more accessible to more people at more times.

In building an efficient transit system, one with more housing options and other development near stops and stations and with higher rider capacity, we should also be sure that our transit system connects as many regional attractions as possible, perhaps by both siting new parks near transit lines and by extending bus service to parks in current off-peak travel times. Our regional park system is also growing: current plans are to add more than 15,000 park acres and 700 miles of trails by 2030. By taking advantage of that growth, we can ensure that people can ride the bus or train, bike, or drive to their choice of regional parks.

If you’d like to explore a fun tool for seeing which regional parks (or other regional amenities) you can reach via transit in a certain amount of time, check out Mapnificent. Mapnificent is an online tool (still in an early phase of development) that shows you the area you can reach via public transportation from any point in a given amount of time. (A sample map for regional park destinations is pictured below).

 

 
Mapnificent generated this map of regional parks (red) that can be reached by transit from downtown Saint Paul (orange) in 30 minutes or less. (Note: Mapnificent does not work in Internet Explorer, but will work with other major web browsers.)

 

For a map to all the regional parks and a list of the activities available, visit the Regional Parks page of the Metropolitan Council, which links to the local park agencies who manage the regional parks and trails as well as their local park systems.

 

All featured images provided courtesy of The Trust for Public Land.

 

Transit Vision Bill Introduced

Statewide Poll and Transit for a Stronger Economy Coalition
Support Investments in Transit, Bicycling, Walking, and ADA Compliance

St. Paul, Minn. (Feb. 28, 2013)—A bill introduced today calls for increased funding for transit in the metro and greater Minnesota. The bill (HF 1044 and SF 927), authored by Senator Bobby Joe Champion and Representative Melissa Hortman, calls for an additional $300 million per year in the metro and $32 million in Greater Minnesota to meet demand for transit and for safe, accessible connections for people walking, bicycling, or using wheelchairs.

Co-authors of the bill in the Senate include Senators Scott Dibble (DFL,  61), Chuck Wiger (DFL, 43), John Pederson (R, 14) , and Chris A. Eaton (DFL, 40). Co-authors in the House include Representatives Frank Hornstein (DFL, 61A),  Zachary Dorholt (DFL, 14B),  Sandra Masin (DFL 51A), Leon Lillie (DFL, 43B),  Raymond Dehn (DFL, 59B), Paul Rosenthal (DFL, 49B), Jason Metsa (DFL, 06B), Ron Erhardt (DFL, 49A).

“We need a transit system that allows all our region’s residents to thrive,” said Senator Bobby Joe Champion, chief author of the bill in the Senate. “This bill would dramatically increase access to jobs for low income people and make it more affordable to get to work. Transportation is the second largest household expense. It costs more than health care or education. Existing transit riders need better transit options and our region needs this to compete.”

Representative Melissa Hortman, chief author of the bill in the House, said, "Across the state, people want more options and support investment in public transportation. And they want bicycling and walking to be part of that investment. This bill is an opportunity to solve problems for Minnesotans, creating a more competitive, healthier state. "

Poll: statewide support for investments in transit, bicycling, and walking.

A statewide poll conducted in January by the bipartisan team of Fairbanks, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R) shows public transportation is broadly supported and that a majority favor including bicycle and pedestrian projects in transportation funding proposals.

• More than 90% surveyed agree that public transportation is a good investment for the state.
• Over two-thirds (67 69%) of those surveyed favor including bicycle and pedestrian funding in transportation proposals.
• A majority support paying more in taxes to expand and improve public transportation.
• The top reasons for supporting transit focus on creating jobs, reducing traffic congestion, and making sure transit options are available to all.

Transit for a Stronger Economy Coalition

Transit for a Stronger Economy includes more than 40 organizations from across the state and unites unions, developers, people with disabilities, low-income and underserved communities, and active transportation, health, and environmental interests to promote funding for transit expansion this legislative session. The coalition’s vision for the Twin Cities metro region includes expanding transit, including bus and rail, and funding bicycle and walking projects, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The coalition also calls for meeting transit demand in Greater Minnesota.

“This coalition recognizes the great need to provide safe, accessible connections to transit. Transit, bicycling, and walking add much-needed activity to the daily commute, making our communities healthier,” said Rachel Callanan of the American Heart Association.

"We must make smart investments in transit to create good jobs and address climate change," said David Foster, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance. "We're proud to support this effort to sustain and improve transit options in our state."

Developer Colleen Carey of The Cornerstone Group has worked on new projects all over the metro area. “Transit is a win for all of us,” she said. “It is good for the environment, good for our health, creates new jobs, improves the long-term economic competitiveness of our region AND supports the needs of our lower income households at the same time.  We can't afford NOT to invest in transit.  The Cornerstone Group strongly supports the vision of the Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition.”

There will be hearings on the bill in House and Senate in March. For more about the Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition,, including a list of members, visit www.transit4mn.org.

Updated 3-18-13.

# # #

Transportation and Climate Change: Building out the Transit System for a Greener Future

By Whitney Lawrence, Member Engagement/Senior Organizer

“The most significant opportunity to reduce carbon emissions . . . is transportation—which in turn depends on community design.”  —Peter Calthorpe

Last week, TLC members and allies gathered in Minneapolis to take a closer look at the connection between transportation and climate change. Over 50 people attended the event, which also featured presentations from Jim Erkel of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Joshua Houdek of the Sierra Club. Thanks to all who could join us!

The US Environmental Protection Agency affirms that "the more greenhouse gases we emit, the larger future climate changes will be." As discussed at our recent event, current Minnesota law specifies aggressive goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using 2005 as a baseline, the goals call for decreases in GHG emissions by the following:

• 15% by 2015,
• 30% by 2025, and
• 80% by 2050.

How do we get there? We will never meet the emissions standards outlined above if we do not seriously address our transportation system. Transportation accounts for 24% of Minnesota’s total CO2 output, making it the second largest contributor to our state’s GHG emissions.   

 

This is consistent with patterns for the U.S. at large. The EPA reports that, with a 27% share, transportation is also the second largest end-use contributor to GHG emissions nationally.  Of this pollution, 62% comes from cars & light trucks (SUVs, pickups, minivans).

 

 

Understanding how and why transportation contributes to our GHG emissions is crucial to addressing the problem. First, it is important to understand that transportation is a derived demand. Put simply, people are not driving or riding the bus for fun—they are doing it because they need to get from point A to point B. 

The options we have for getting from point A to point B have a significant impact on transportation patterns and GHG emissions. The average Twin Cities commuter puts approximately 2.6 tons of GHG emissions into the atmosphere every year by driving alone to work. And, an estimated 78% of workers who drive to work drive alone. In the coming decades, cleaner fuels and more fuel efficient vehicles will help. However, reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled is the single most important thing we can do to lower GHG emissions from transportation in Minnesota.

With this in mind, it is crucial that the state and region fund the build-out of public transit and well-connected networks for bicycling and walking so more people have the option to leave the car at home or live without one. Transit emits a fraction of the pollution of driving alone, and getting around by bike or on foot produces zero emissions. Unfortunately, only 25% of metro households and 10% of metro jobs are conveniently served by our current transit systems. It’s one of many reasons why TLC and the Transit for a Stronger Economy coalition are spearheading a movement to accelerate the build out of the regional transit system. (Learn more and get involved at www.transit4mn.org.) 

Transportation and land use go hand in hand. Residents who live in more compact, mixed-use areas use transit at a rate that is 2-5 times greater than the rest of the region, which reduces the number of car trips they take by up to 50%.  And less driving means less GHG pollution.

The Minneapolis/Saint Paul area is one of least compact metro regions in the nation. Our land use policies and transportation investments have traditionally encouraged people to live far from where they work: the average Twin Cities commuter travels 13 miles and crosses county lines at least once reach to their job. This means they often have to drive, which significantly increases CO2 output. As shown on the featured map, people living near the core of the Twin Cities metro region—where there is higher density and greater access to transit—have a smaller carbon footprint. Land use policies that encourage transit-oriented development and communities designed for bicycling and walking will be key to helping Minnesota achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals.

What else will help Minnesota put the brakes on climate change? Try leaving the car at home for one extra trip each week and make that trip by walking, sharing a ride, bicycling, or taking the bus or train. We encourage you to drive differently and to drive less whenever possible. More tips and inspiration for doing exactly that:
 

Sincere thanks to Jim Erkel at Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy for contributing graphics and information for this article.

The Funding Gap for Transit, Bicycling, and Walking

By Jennifer Harmening Thiede, Transit for Livable Communities

Ridership on the Twin Cities transit system has grown to record levels, and our buses and trains operate very efficiently. Continuing a decade-long upward trend, passengers boarded transit nearly 94 million times last year in the metro. And as the Metropolitan Council reports, “local bus service continues to be the workhorse of the region’s transit system.” But too many Twin Cities residents still lack convenient access to transit. And many current transit riders need more frequent, faster service and additional routes. Projected demographic changes will only intensify future demand for transportation options.

Transit use and demand also are growing in Greater Minnesota, where fewer families have access to transit, and two counties have no transit service at all. In many cities in Greater Minnesota, evening and weekend service is extremely limited if it exists at all.

There are well-developed plans for expanding transit options, but in the region and statewide, these plans lack funding. The map below is based on the Metropolitan Council’s long-range plans for transit in the Twin Cities region. Note that the only lines that have secure funding are shaded in blue.

 

Map Updated 02-20-13
 

TLC and the broad-based campaign Transit for a Stronger Economy support meeting this demand and better serving Minnesota’s working families, students, and seniors by building out the regional transit system in the next 15 years, not 40, and expanding transit in Greater Minnesota. Expanded light rail, bus rapid transit and regular bus service, along with improved access for pedestrians and people using wheelchairs and bicycles, will create 30,000 full-time jobs, help keep our air clean, and make daily commute for millions of Minnesotans faster, cheaper, and more fair.

Where we stand today:

• No funding to expand and upgrade the bus system.
• Recurring fights to maintain the bus service we have
• Uncertainty about Southwest light rail and no funding for additional light rail in other areas of the metro
• Hugely inadequate funding for safe walking or bicycling connections
• Increasing costs as transit projects are delayed

Building a better system:

The Minnesota legislature can and should solve these problems and ensure a stronger Minnesota economy by providing funding to build out and operate a transit system including, bus, rail and safe connections by walking and bicycling and for people with disabilities. The Governor’s recent budget proposal sent a clear signal that transit is essential to building a stronger economy. His plan is a tremendous start, but does not quite meet what we need for Minnesota to thrive. See our full response to the Governor’s budget here.

How to show your support:

It is a pivotal year. If you support more options for transit, bicycling, and walking in the Twin Cities metro region and expanding transit service in Greater Minnesota, please get involved!

• Contact your legislators in person, by phone, online—tell them you’re willing to pay more taxes to fund the vision for transit, bicycling, and walking
• Join us for upcoming phone banking events and days of action at the Capitol; contact Whitney Lawrence for more information: whitneyl@tlcminnesota.org or 651-789-1406
• Learn more about the Transit for a Stronger Economy campaign and pass it on: www.transit4mn.org
• Join the conversation and spread the word on Twitter with #transit4mn
• See our calendar at www.tlcminnesota.org for upcoming town hall meetings in your district

 

2012: A Big Year for Bus Rapid Transit in US Cities

By Aaron Isaacs, TLC member 

Recent TLC blogs have reported on a number of local highlights for transit in 2012. (Not to miss: Dave Van Hattum’s “Twin Cities Transitways Update.”) In this new guest post, Aaron Isaacs recaps a very full year nationally for bus rapid transit (BRT) and notes advances in streetcars, light rail, and commuter rail. 

Bus Rapid Transit services were launched or expanded in Chicago and several other cities across the US in 2012. Photo credit: Chicago Transit Authority.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

After a long gestation, bus rapid transit is finally taking off.  Many transit systems are adding bus rapid transit as a higher speed, limited stop service in traditional local bus corridors, incorporating typical light rail improvements such as full-fledged stations with real-time departure displays, off-board fare collection, and distinctive, high-amenity buses. Traffic signal priority is common and a key feature of this service.  Bus rapid transit typically operates in dedicated on-street bus lanes, although there is usually some mileage in mixed traffic. 

BRT advocates have pushed for BRT on exclusive rights-of-way, such as along abandoned railroads. But when that type of corridor has been available, light rail usually has been the mode of choice.

For the Twin Cities, the launch of a new Cedar Avenue BRT line will begin service in 2013, but 2012 saw several new BRT openings across the country:  

In Chicago, the Jeffery Jump, a limited stop service, uses a new on-street bus lane on the southeast side of the city, supplementing local service. 

The Las Vegas Sahara Avenue Corridor, a 12-mile BRT line, is part of a “Complete Streets” reconstruction, with wide sidewalks, landscaping in the median, dedicated bus lanes in certain areas of the corridor, and street trees. It operates with double-deck buses and raised station platforms that minimize the first step into the low-floor buses. 

Monterey, California, has implemented the 6.75-mile JAZZ BRT. In addition to the usual amenities, each bus shelter has a pair of video cameras to deter crime. At each stop a bar code can be scanned with a smart phone and it will link the person to a live recording of a performance from that year’s Monterey Jazz Festival.

Stockton, California, of all places, has opened its third BRT route, the 6.3-mile Joaquin Hammer Lane Corridor, with off-board fare collection and signal priority. They report a tripling of ridership compared to the local buses that preceded the BRT.

San Antonio’s new Primo BRT has CNG-powered buses, free Wi-Fi, and LRT-style bike racks inside the bus. An innovation to consider adopting here is the rear facing, self-restraint wheelchair spot. The passenger in the wheelchair backs up against a bulkhead and doesn’t need to be belted in by the driver--quite a time saver.

New BRT vehicles in San Antonio are designed to make boarding easier and faster for passengers, including those using wheelchairs and boarding with bikes. Photo Credit: Via Primo

 

Streetcars

Modern streetcar pioneer Portland, Oregon, doubled its mileage with the opening of the 3.3-mile Eastside Loop. Following Portland’s lead, there has been a wave of streetcar studies and construction starts across the nation, and some of those will open in 2013.

Celebrating Portland's streetcar expansion, November 2012. Portland's streetcar vehicles are made in the U.S. Photo credit: Portland Streetcar, Inc.

 

Light Rail

Established light rail systems keep expanding. In Dallas, the Blue Line Extension (4.5 miles) and the Orange Line Phase 1 (5.4 miles) bring their system to 58 miles.

With the Blue Line Extension in 2012, Dallas added 4.5 miles of LRT service to the city's growing transit system. Photo credit: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Los Angeles opened the 6.5-mile Phase I of its Expo Line LRT, bringing the system mileage to 60. Ironically, it uses the right of way of one of the former Pacific Electric “Red Car” interurban lines, which was run out of business by auto competition in the 1950s.

Sacramento and Pittsburgh each added one-mile extensions to their existing LRT systems.

 

Heavy and Commuter Rail

Miami’s heavy rail metro finally reached the International Airport, increasing the system to 22 miles. 

Both the West Coast and the East Coast saw an expansion of commuter rail lines in 2012. Seattle’s Sounder rehabbed a run-down branch line to extend service to Lakewood, Washington. On the opposite coast, Boston’s MBTA made a further extension beyond Providence, Rhode Island, down the high-speed Northeast Corridor to Wickford. Although known for Amtrak service, six local transit authorities run commuter trains over most of the Northeast Corridor.

 

Transit is a GO in Governor’s budget

Barb Thoman, Executive Director

Update:

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.