Recognizing Transit’s Safety Benefits

By Barb Thoman, Executive Director

 

 

 

Most people know that public transit provides mobility, reduces pollution, and saves riders money. What we don't often hear about are the significant safety benefits that transit provides.  It’s time that transit agencies and groups like ours start making the case for shifting trips from driving to transit as a strategy to reduce fatalities and injuries on the road.  

 

Travel by public transit has about one-tenth the rate of traffic injury and death of automobile travel according to data in "Safer Than You Think! Revising the Transit Safety Narrative," a recent paper by Todd Littman, director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute (VTPI) in British Columbia.

 

 

Littman’s analysis of FHWA and APTA data indicates “transit tends to have lower crash rates than automobile travel, even taking into account risks to other road users.” Source: VTPI

 

In his paper, Littman discusses some of the reasons people overestimate the risks associated with riding public transit and underestimate the risk of driving or riding as a passenger in a private vehicle. The reasons include:

 

• Most drivers forget about the risk that they or other drivers pose when they speed, drive while impaired, or are distracted. 
• People who don’t ride transit may not think about the protection afforded by a large very visible vehicle operated by a professional driver.
• Crashes involving public transit gain media attention, while car crashes are so common they are covered less often and then only locally.

 

Littman references other interesting research. He notes that regions with higher transit ridership and transit-friendly public policies—including Denver, Los Angeles, and Seattle—had lower traffic fatality and injury rates compared to auto-oriented cities with meager transit options (his examples: Cleveland, Dallas, Milwaukee). It appears that the same policies that increase transit ridership—lower traffic speeds, better connected road networks, higher development density, a good walking environment—also reduce vehicle trips, trip distance, and speeds, and contribute to improved traffic safety.  

 

 

Littman’s research suggests “pro-transit policies can significantly reduce traffic fatality rates even in newer, automobile-oriented cities.” Source: VTPI

 

Littman’s paper also debunks some misconceptions about public transit and crime. The incidence of violent crime on transit vehicles and at transit stations is very low. For property crime, the rate of theft from private cars far exceeds the rate of theft at transit stops, stations, and park and rides. 

 

Littman notes that transit agencies don’t often promote the safety benefit of transit use. In a review of the web pages of 20 major transit agencies, Littman notes that their messages typically emphasize perceived risks by focusing on personal safety and security, responsible behavior, reporting crime, transit policing, and terrorism. Metro Transit’s safety and security page falls in this category.

 

On the websites that I briefly reviewed, Tri-Met in Portland was unusual in having a positive statement about the safety of riding transit. It reads:

 

Security fact: Most crimes reported on bus, MAX and WES are minor incidents and property crimes, such as vandalism. There are about three reported incidents a day, which is about one in every 100,000 trips.  

 

Nevertheless, Tri-Met—like other agencies—forgets to talk about the safety of riding transit as compared to travel by private car.  

 

Littman is right. It’s time for a new transit safety narrative. 

 

Twin Cities Region Sees Dramatic Increase in Transit Ridership

 

By Barb Thoman, Executive Director

 

Credit: Transit for Livable Communities

 

Transit ridership in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region rose dramatically in 2014, up 3.5 percent over 2013. Metro Transit, our region’s largest transit provider, saw an increase of nearly 4 percent, as did the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority in the south metro. While transit ridership has been rising steadily for years, this more dramatic jump was due in large measure to the success of the METRO Green Line light rail, which opened in June, in combination with improved connecting bus service.

 

In our region overall, riders took 97.7 million trips on buses and trains in 2014, an increase of 3.4 million trips over 2013!  In addition to Metro Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, the regional system includes suburban providers Maple Grove Transit, Plymouth Metrolink, and SouthWest Transit. The University of Minnesota also operates the Campus Connector bus service between their Minneapolis and Saint Paul campuses. Ridership totals also include Metro Mobility and Metropolitan Council contracted service.

 

Credit: Minnesota Valley Transit Authority

 

Bus ridership continues to account for the majority of transit trips throughout the region—about four of every five trips in 2014.  Bus service in Saint Paul and Minneapolis was restructured significantly last year to improve connections to the Green Line. Metro Transit also undertook a major planning and public outreach effect to identify expanded service that could be implemented if investment in transit is increased. Approval of the final Service Improvement Plan is expected in March.

 

Light rail carried nearly 19 percent of Metro Transit’s customers last year. End-to-end travel times on the Green Line continue to improve and real-time arrival signage is now operating—a welcome feature for riders who now can see when the next train is due. The transformative power of the Green Line is made evident by robust ridership numbers as well as the continued pace of redevelopment along the line’s 11-mile route.

 

 
Credit: Transit for Livable Communities

 

The ten-year-old METRO Blue Line provided 9.5 million trips in 2014. Earlier this month, it also received a glowing endorsement from Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director/CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC).  Speaking before the Metropolitan Council, Hamiel highlighted the importance of the Blue Line to the 2,000 daily riders who work at the airport, many of whom are recent immigrants and take the early trains to their jobs. Hamiel also noted the advantages of Blue Line service to travelers. He said that the Twin Cities is one of the nation’s few regions where a transit trip to downtown is faster (and a lot cheaper), than a taxi ride—a reason you see many people in business attire with roller bags on the train. In addition, he said the MAC is seeing more people booking longer layovers so they can hop the train to the Mall of America for a little shopping between flights.

 

As new Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck affirmed in a recent statement, “Investment in public transit pays off in ridership. . . . The more we invest in transit, the more convenient and reliable the service becomes and the more people use it.” Duininck also emphasized that a metro-area sales tax increase would “expedite the build-out of this region’s 21st century transit system and would be a smart investment in area residents, the economy, our workforce, and the environment.”

 

Transformative Transit Projects Move Forward this Fall

 

By Dave Van Hattum, Advocacy Director

 Updated: 11/04/14

Photo credit: Allison Osberg

 

The Twin Cities metro area continues to make important incremental progress toward building a regional system of transitways and strengthening the bus system. Many transformative projects are moving forward—though our region still needs a significant increase in dedicated funding to meet growing demand for transit service and bike/ped connections, and to implement new projects on a reasonable timeline.

Here is a quick rundown of what’s new with transit plans and projects in the Twin Cities this fall:

 

Light Rail

Green Line Extension (Southwest LRT). After receiving municipal consent from Hennepin County and all cities along the proposed light rail line, this project is moving forward with Phase II environmental testing to determine (and plan for remediation of) any contaminated soils or water near planned project construction sites. There is also extensive work to gather property and title information leading up to acquiring approximately 150 private-properties along the route. Most of these are partial acquisitions, and very few are residential. (Project staff confirm that all of the residential acquisitions are partial and do not involve taking single-family homes.) To-date, $705 million of the $1.65 billion budget is committed from three sources: Counties Transit Improvement Board ($496 million), Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority ($165 million), and the State ($44 million). Though not yet secure, the remaining funds are expected to come primarily from the Federal Transit Administration (half of the $1.65 billion) as well as from the State. Engineering will begin next year, and service is scheduled to open in 2019.

 

Blue Line Extension (Bottineau LRT). There were two recent milestones for the Blue Line Extension: In late August, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved moving this 13-mile line into the Project Development phase. Then, in late September, the Metropolitan Council chose Kimley-Horn and Associates to engineer the line—from Project Development through construction. Ultimately, the Blue Line Extension is expected to open in 2021.

An open house on November 12 is the next major opportunity for the public to be involved. The event will focus on:

1. Planning efforts underway around the proposed line’s four southernmost stations (in North Minneapolis and Golden Valley).
2. Ideas for bike, pedestrian and transit connections and development that will help neighborhoods near the stations thrive.
3. A related planning initiative for arterial bus rapid transit on Penn Avenue.

Get involved: Attend the open house on Wednesday, November 12, 5:30-8 p.m., at University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (2001 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis).

Future Transit Corridors

Riverview Corridor. A Pre-Project Development (PPD) Study of the Riverview Corridor (between downtown Saint Paul and the MSP Airport) will be completed by December 2015. This study will determine the preferred mode (light rail, bus rapid transit, streetcar, or some combination), as well as the alignment and number of transit stations for this corridor. As is typical with a PPD study, lots of data will be crunched, including ridership projections and capital costs for different options.  There also will be opportunities for stakeholder and public input, including the upcoming open house on Nov. 6. Transit improvements for this corridor are expected by 2024.

 

Get involved: To learn more and show your support for transit improvements in Saint Paul, attend the upcoming open house on Thursday, November 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Nova Classical Academy (1455 Victoria Way, Saint Paul).

 

Credit: Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority

 

Rush Line Corridor. A PPD Study of the Rush Line Corridor, which travels north from the Saint Paul Union Depot to Forest Lake, is also underway. This study is expected to determine a preferred mode and alignment by summer 2015. Last month, Rush Line planners held a walking tour for residents to gather feedback on the Bruce Vento Trail section (between Larpenteur and Arlington Aves.) and on the East Larpenteur Avenue section of the corridor.

 

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Gateway BRT. With Washington County’s approval earlier this month, all communities along the corridor officially have signed off on the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for Gateway. The approved LPA, a significant step forward for this transitway, calls for highway BRT in dedicated lanes and a preferred alignment between downtown Saint Paul and Woodbury on Hudson Road (along I-94). Gateway also achieved an important milestone when it was included in the Met. Council’s draft Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) this fall. The Project Development phase will start soon.

 

Orange Line BRT.  The Orange Line will serve riders along I-35W South from downtown Minneapolis to Burnsville. In order to make application to the FTA Small Starts program, the Orange Line recently received a commitment of $2 million from the Met. Council and $6 million from the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) to complete Project Development and Engineering activities. Another $2 million from the State will go toward the critical transit station at I-35W and Lake Street. The Orange Line is scheduled to open in 2019.

 

Design illustrations of the Lake Street Station transit bridge and transit plaza being planned in Minneapolis. Credit: Metro Transit

 

 

Red Line BRT. The Met. Council has applied to CTIB for nearly $10 million for a new Cedar Grove Transit Station. The new station, in the center of Highway 77, will reduce travel time for bus passengers by 10 minutes on a typical Red Line BRT trip. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2015.

 

Local and Express Bus

Bus Shelters. Metro Transit recently secured a $3.26 million federal grant to build and enhance up to 140 bus passenger shelters on 19 major bus routes. This work represents an important steeping-stone toward advancing regional transit equity goals.

Metro Transit Service Improvement Plan (SIP). This draft plan to dramatically expand bus service in the metro area was released on October 22. The SIP specifies the proposed new local bus, express bus, and arterial bus rapid transit service that Metro Transit will prioritize when new funding becomes available. The 122 projects it identifies would result in a 29 percent increase in service by 2030, with a majority happening in the next six years. We are thrilled to see planning for this level of growth in the bus system. Learn more in our SIP blog.

Get involved: Metro Transit will host and accept comments at several public meetings Nov. 5-18. We strongly encourage you to attend and to weigh in!  See the meeting schedule.

 

Modern Streetcar 

Saint Paul. The Saint Paul City Council approved the Saint Paul Streetcar Feasibility Study over the summer, but has put additional analysis of a streetcar starter line on hold until Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority completes the Riverview Corridor Study.  

Minneapolis. This fall—for the first time—the Met. Council included streetcars in its draft Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) for the metro region. The draft TPP specifically states that if the City of Minneapolis identifies capital funding for the Nicollet-Central Streetcar project, it can be added to the list of regional transit expansion projects and a policy discussion will ensue to specify the source of operating funding. Environmental and design work on this Minneapolis starter line is now underway. An alternatives analysis study is also in progress for streetcar on West Broadway in Minneapolis.

 

 

Nicollet-Central Modern Streetcar LPA. Credit: City of Minneapolis.

 

*This post has been updated to further clarify that the Gateway BRT alignment runs parallel to 1-94, but not on the highway itself.

Metro Transit Plans for a Better Bus System: Support (and Funding) Needed

 

By Barb Thoman, Executive Director

 

Photo credit: Val Escher 

 

A welcome plan to dramatically expand bus service in the metropolitan area was released on October 22 by the Metropolitan Council. The draft Service Improvement Plan, or SIP, identifies the proposed new local bus, express bus, and arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) service that Metro Transit will prioritize when new funding becomes available. The final plan will guide bus service improvements and expansion through 2030.

 

The SIP identifies 122 projects that would result in a 29 percent increase in service by 2030, with a majority happening in the next six years. We are thrilled to see planning for this level of growth in the bus system. While there have been specific plans for growth in transitways and bus rapid transit, there has not been a concrete plan for growth in regular route or express bus service. Expanded bus service would improve affordable access to jobs, school, and opportunity. It would improve service for current riders, while also helping to attract new riders.  

 

Before the plan is finalized and adopted, Metro Transit will host public informational meetings and accept comments through the end of November. Comments will be accepted at all the meetings. (See the schedule below.)

 

Three primary criteria—productivity, social equity, and system connectivity—were used to evaluate and select the slate of new service proposed in the plan. Productivity, or ridership potential, was weighted at 50 percent. Social equity and system connectivity were each weighted at 25 percent. The SIP estimates ridership growth would be 16 million annually after full implementation. The estimated ridership growth from the new proposed arterial BRT lines is an additional 13 million.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Strong express and local bus service is critical to connecting residents to economic and recreational opportunities. The draft Service Improvement Plan provides a strong vision that builds on our existing network and will make our region better-connected than ever.”

Metro Transit’s General Manager Brian Lamb in an agency press release

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

The public investment needed for the service identified in the SIP is approximately $56 million per year. The estimated public investment need to operate new proposed arterial BRT lines is an additional $19 million. (The planned arterial BRT line on Saint Paul’s Snelling Avenue will be the first in the region.)

 

Credit: Metro Transit 

 

The cost estimates do not include other improvements that are a priority for Metro Transit, including more and improved bus shelters/lighting, passenger information, buses, or facilities. Those costs will also need to be included in a funding package for transit improvements (something we are working to secure at the State Capitol in 2015).

While we are enthusiastic about the prospect of significantly improving bus service over the next 15 years, it is important to note that Metro Transit’s SIP currently is not funded! In that regard, legislative action is needed to turn this plan into service on the street. Implementation of the SIP is one of many transit and bike/ped improvements that could be funded with a multimodal transportation funding bill next session. TLC’s top priority during the upcoming legislative session will be continuing to advocate for this funding with our Move MN coalition partners.

 

In the meantime, we strongly encourage our readers to attend the upcoming meetings and to weigh in on the service proposed in the SIP. TLC has been advocating for development of this plan and for new bus service for as long as the organization has been in existence!

 

Public Meetings:

• Wednesday, Nov. 5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. , Hennepin County Central Library, Minneapolis

—served by multiple downtown routes, METRO Blue Line, METRO Green Line

 

• Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 to 3:30 p.m., North Community YMCA, Minneapolis

—served by route 14

 

• Thursday, Nov. 13, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Hennepin County Southdale Library, Edina

—served by routes 6, 538

 

• Saturday, Nov. 15, 1 to 3:30 p.m., Conway Recreation Center, Saint Paul

—served by routes 74, 80, 219

 

• Monday, Nov. 17, 6 to 7:30 p.m. , Anoka County Northtown Central Library, Blaine

 

• Tuesday, Nov. 18, 11:30 to 1 p.m., Metropolitan Council Chambers, Saint Paul

—served by multiple downtown bus routes, METRO Green Line

 

Can’t make an event? You can still submit your comments through November 30:

• By mail: Metro Transit Service Development, Attn: SIP, 560 Sixth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411
• By email: [email protected]
• By phone: 651-602-1500 (leave a message)

 

The SIP contact at Metro Transit is Cyndi Harper, Manager of Route Planning, [email protected].

 

 

TLC Supports Met. Council’s Proposed Shift to More Travel Options & Growth in Walkable Communities

 

By Barb Thoman, Executive Director

Post updated: 10/1/14.

 

 

Photo Credit: Metro Transit.

 

The Metropolitan Council’s draft 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (draft TPP), wisely calls for greatly expanding transit, bicycling, and walking options across the region and focusing on more compact, pedestrian-friendly development patterns. The draft TPP, an update of the plan developed in 2009, is out for public comment through Wednesday, October 1, at 5 p.m. TLC urges our members to send comment letters or e-mails to the Met. Council, offering their support for this proposed shift (see our sample comment letter at the bottom of this post). The Council is hearing pretty significant push back from proponents of the spread out, auto-focused, and costly development patterns of the last 50 years.

Demand for travel in the region is undergoing historic change. Young people are driving less and the Baby Boomer generation is starting to retire, both leading to fewer driving trips during peak periods. Ridership on transit is growing even as households in the region make fewer daily trips. Rates of bicycling are up, evidenced from data in the Met. Council’s Travel Behavior Inventory and from TLC’s 2013 Bike/Walk Count Report. The Council’s proposed approach in the draft TPP responds to these trends.

At more than 300 pages, the draft TPP is a long document. Here, we boil it down into thoughts on major topics. If you don’t have a day (!) to read the full plan, we suggest focusing on pages 67-125, which includes Vision and Strategies. Here goes:

• Land use – There is good language in this section (pages 126-148) that calls on cities and counties to prioritize walkable development, better connected streets, a mix of uses, development along transit, and more. This makes good economic and environmental sense and promotes equitable development and access for everyone. In coming years, cities in the metro will be required to update their comprehensive plans to be consistent with the TPPand other Met. Council plans. TLC believes that cities that want to access the funding streams available through the Met. Council (federal transportation, Livable Communities, and others) should be required to plan, zone, and invest in ways consistent with Met. Council plans. The region can no longer afford to subsidize expensive low-density development on farmland and open space at the edge of the region.
  
  
• Bicycle and pedestrian system – For ten years TLC has been calling for the identification of a regional bike system (pages 261-273) and it’s included in this plan! We applaud the statement on page 272 that “any new state transportation funding package should include additional funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure…”This is a foundation of the Move MN platform. We would like to see more attention to pedestrian access with a focus on major transit corridors, concentrated areas of poverty, access to schools, and access for seniors.
  
  
• Transit – The draft TPP acknowledges the transitway projects that can be completed with the current ¼-cent metro sales tax for transit (Southwest, Bottineau, Gateway, plus Orange Line bus rapid transit (BRT) on 35W). We have concerns about the region’s ability to also maintain existing transit infrastructure, including bus garages and already aging Blue Line rail stations. We also have concerns about counting on larger federal grant awards and expecting state motor-vehicle sales tax revenues for transit to remain steady, given the trend toward less driving.
  
  The increased revenue scenario is on par with what Seattle, Denver, and other peer cities are doing as they continue a rapid build-out of bus and rail across their regions. Additional revenue is essential for: bus system expansion (this requires more than the 1 percent per year proposed on page 234), construction of all arterial BRT lines, building a regional system of transitways in a timely fashion, and a better customer experience (via bus stop safety, comfort, access, and more information). We support the existing Transit Market Area approach to getting the most from regional transit investments by focusing those investments on areas with higher population and employment densities and demand for transit service. We were happy to see the transit chapter acknowledge the state legislative goal to increase the percentage of trips taken on transit—a goal TLC successfully worked on years ago. 

 

Transit Market Areas. Source: Metropolitan Council (PDF).

• Highway system– The draft TPP notes that the Twin Cities region has the eighth largest roadway system in the country and wisely proposes more attention to maintenance and preservation. We would spend even more on maintenance, plus increase the investment percentage for safety projects—including Complete Streets and treatments compliant with the Americans for Disabilities Act—on state, county, and local roads. In addition, we would carefully review the list of 50 proposed “spot capacity expansion” projects to ensure that these projects won’t just move congestion down the road. We support the proposal to add back the bus shoulder lane on I-94 between Minneapolis and Saint Paul (page 183).

Dave Van Hattum, TLC’s Advocacy Director, continues to call for all Met. Council and MnDOT plans—including this one—to have clear and measurable outcomes.

Don’t miss this opportunity to show your support for a new direction at the Council. Comments on the draft TPP are due Wednesday, October 1, at 5 p.m. Submit your comments by e-mail to [email protected].

 

SAMPLE COMMENT LETTER:

 

Subject: Comment on draft Transportation Policy Plan

 

I'm emailing to express my support for the direction the Met. Council has taken in the draft Transportation Policy Plan. 

 

I was very happy to see the call for greatly expanding transit, bicycling, and walking options across the region, as well as a focus on more compact, pedestrian-friendly development patterns. This makes good economic and environmental sense. 

 

Please continue to work on clear and measurable outcomes, but most importantly: Please don't buckle to the proponents of the status quo who want to continue the inequitable and costly policies of the last 50 years. The shift you have proposed will do much more to ensure we have a thriving metro region going forward, with better quality of life and access to opportunity.

 

Thank you.

 

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

 

 

Envisioning the Future of Franklin Avenue

 

By Jennifer Harmening Thiede, Communications & Member Engagement Manager

 

 

Last month, Transit for Livable Communities connected with hundreds of community members at Open Streets Minneapolis on Franklin Avenue E. The conversations we had at the event, which stretched from Portland to 28^th Avenue, were a highlight of our summer.

Anyone who lives, works, and/or travels on Franklin knows what a diverse corridor it is. There are so many incredible businesses, organizations, and residents along this street. But, Franklin is also home to challenging traffic congestion, inadequate sidewalks, limited transit amenities, and the most dangerous intersection for bicyclists in Minneapolis. (From 2009 to 2013, 21 bike crashes occurred at the Franklin and Minnehaha/Cedar intersection, and the corridor as a whole has earned a reputation as a “danger zone” for people on bikes.)

In this context, we decided to use Open Streets as an opportunity to ask people about their vision for a better Franklin Avenue. What would make this part of the city more livable and more vibrant? What would make it easier and safer for people of all ages and abilities to get around? The idea grew out of a conversation with our allies at Hope Community, and the responses we got were amazing. Check it out!

 

 

The community voices captured in this video echo, and bring life to, the key recommendation from last fall’s BWTC-funded report on Franklin Avenue: that “the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County place the highest priority on improving multimodal safety within the corridor.” While we can still dig deeper into the specifics of a potential solution, the call for a more transit-, bike-, and pedestrian-friendly Franklin Avenue is clear. What can you do about it?

• Share this video! Here is a direct link.
• Sign the latest Move MN petition. A win for this campaign will bring more dedicated, sustainable funding for walking, bicycling, and transit to communities throughout Minnesota.
• Support the Bikeways for Everyone campaign’s efforts to improve bike facilities on Franklin Avenue and elsewhere in Minneapolis.

Thank you to everyone who shared their vision with us at Franklin Avenue Open Streets! And thanks to TLC’s videographer, Allison Osberg, for helping us carry that vision forward.

 

Transit Fares in the Twin Cities

By Barb Thoman, Executive Director, and Michael Petesch, Nonmotorized Transportation Research and Evaluation Specialist

Photo: Metro Transit 

 

Transit for Livable Communities has just updated a policy brief on transit passenger fares from peer regions across the country, and we found that there’s good news and bad news about transit fares in the Twin Cities.

 

Fares & Service

 

In years past, when state-allocated revenues to transit declined, Twin Cities transit fares were increased several times until they were higher than many other places. The good news today, though, is that our transit fares have not risen since 2008. During the same period, fares in many other regions have increased, making transit fares in the Twin Cities metro about average compared to our peers.

 

Nevertheless, while many regions have fares comparable to the Twin Cities, those regions also have more extensive systems, meaning transit fares in those regions buy access to more frequent service on more routes.

 

Passes & Programs

 

In the Twin Cities, the cost of a monthly transit pass ranges from $59 to ride local service off-peak, $85 for local service during peak hours, or $113.50 for peak express service. This makes our average monthly pass slightly more expensive than in peer regions, and more than many residents who are looking for work or in low-wage jobs can afford. Metro Transit and many regional businesses and schools have done an admirable job in providing lower fares for their employees and students through the Metropass, UPass, College Pass, and Student Pass programs, but not everyone is eligible for those programs.

 

In fact, suburban riders tend to get some of the largest fare discounts, not to mention free parking at park-and-ride lots, while riders of urban bus routes tend to have smaller fare discounts and fewer transit amenities such as heated shelters. There is a real opportunity to address this equity imbalance. This might mean charging for parking at park-and-rides (something TLC supports) or it might mean creating new fare discount programs for low-income riders.

 

Transfers

 

When it comes to transfers, our region offers a unique benefit. A transit rider here is allowed unlimited free transfers for 2 hours and 30 minutes and the transfer is good for round-trip travel. Many regions charge for transfers or limit the time period for a transfer to only two hours. Only one-third of regions allow a transfer to be used for round-trip travel. Metro Transit’s 2.5-hour transfer with round-trip travel was instituted in 1998. The idea came from Brian Lamb, the agency’s current general manager.

 

The percentage of transit operating costs paid by riders in the Twin Cities
metro is slightly above the average in peer regions. Photo: TLC.

 

Farebox Recovery

 

This year, TLC also added information on farebox recovery rates to our analysis. Farebox recovery is the percentage of the transit budget that is covered by passenger fares. The most current data from the Federal Transit Administration show that transit fares in the Twin Cities region cover 29 percent of transit expenses—somewhat more than the average of 25 percent for the 20 peer regions. The lowest farebox recovery ratio was in Dallas at 10 percent and the highest was in Washington DC at 46 percent.

 

Farebox recovery is a useful data point in comparing routes and metro-wide transit systems. At the same time, it is critical to note that the public investment in transit provides huge benefits for individuals, organizations, businesses, and entire communities. It is also important to recognize that the full costs of roads and parking are not paid directly by drivers. The cost of local roads and parking are heavily subsidized by property taxes.

 

Moving Forward

 

While transit fares in this region are comparable with those in other regions, the bad news is that for many residents, including many that are most reliant on transit to get around, the cost of the fare is still a barrier to riding buses and trains and limits the access to opportunity that transit can provide. TLC believes that lower fares for riders in need, and more equitable fares, would make transit service more attractive and would increase access to opportunity for many people in the region with low incomes.

 

At the same time, we know that without more funding for transit operations, other parts of the transit budget would likely be cut to lower fares. That is why TLC believes the region needs more funding for the transit system overall. And that’s why we are a leader in the Move MN campaign. Additional funding is needed not only to expand local and express bus service, and build more light rail and bus rapid transit lines, but also to keep fares affordable, to provide fare discounts for low-income riders, to provide better customer amenities, and to create bicycle and pedestrian connections to transit in neighborhoods across the region.

 

Notes:  Transit fare data is from agency web sites. Farebox recovery ratios are from 2012.

 

 

Where we want to live—now and in the future

By Hilary Reeves, Communications Director

Editor’s Note: This piece by TLC’s Hilary Reeves originally ran in the Southwest Journal on May 28 as part of her regular “Spokes & Soles” column. 

What makes a good neighborhood? A recent survey shows walkability on the minds of many.

Every couple of years the National Association of Realtors conducts a National Community Preference Survey. The most recent, in fall of last year, indicates that people most likely to be in the housing market want to live in communities where it’s possible to walk or drive to shopping, restaurants, the library, and school. For those who plan to move in the next three years, the walkable neighborhood was preferred by an 18 point margin (57 to 39 percent).

 

The number one feature that people said there was too little of in their neighborhoods was “safe routes for riding bikes to work and shopping.” The next biggest needs were for more “public transportation within an easy walk,” “housing for people with low incomes,” and “shops or restaurants within an easy walk” of home.

 

Many are willing to give up a large yard to gain walkability. Asked to pick between a house with a large yard where “you have to drive to get to schools, stores, and restaurants” and a small yard in a walkable neighborhood, the latter won out, 55 to 40 percent.

 

People still overwhelmingly want to live in detached, single-family homes (76 percent) and not in condos or apartments. But, the preference for a house drops to 57 percent when the apartment or condo brings more walkability and a shorter commute.

 

A March 2014 blog about the survey on Planners Web asks, “Do your development regulations and transportation plans allow for single-family homes on small lots, in a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and community facilities?” The blog notes that this is what “consumers increasingly want, but in many communities this option is hard to find.”

 

It may be fair to ask, however, if building primarily for single-family homes is best for walkability and for the changing demographics of the Twin Cities.

 

According to Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City, communities where walking is most possible (and driving least necessary) come with densities of “ten to twenty units per acre,” which basically means a mix of “apartments, row houses, and yes, some free-standing single family homes.”

 

Planning and zoning for these densities would also foster some other things that the Realtors survey said people want: more bike routes and more affordable housing.

 

Speck (Walkable City) points out that in the 1950s (when the US started building interstate highways and people starting moving to suburbs), Vancouver began advocating for high rises, with requirements for transit and green space. Now, walking and bicycling are 30 percent of all trips in that city.

 

In Minneapolis, biking and walking together account for about 10 percent of all trips, according to the American Community Survey, part of the US Census. The percentage of people commuting by bicycle in Minneapolis increased from 1.9 percent to 4.1 percent in recent years, according to a report, Modes Less Traveled—Bicycling and Walking to Work in the United States: 2008–2012.

 

These are the same years that Minneapolis saw a big expansion of bike routes and programs (such as Nice Ride Minnesota bike-sharing and community bike centers, such as SPOKES in the Seward neighborhood) funded in part through the $28 million Bike Walk Twin Cities federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program. The pilot program was the inspiration of Jim Oberstar, a long-time Minnesota representative in the US Congress. Oberstar, who died recently, was a transportation visionary.

 

The same kind of match-up of spending, community priority, and political leadership could help prepare the Twin Cities for changing demographics. According to the Metropolitan Council, by 2040 the population of people over age 65 will rise by 58 percent or nearly half-a-million. A bunch of seniors likely will have less preference for yards and more openness to mixed use condos and apartments. This same kind of development also fosters more affordable options.

 

Development of this sort would also meet one of the other preferences in the Realtors survey, for more diverse communities. A majority (53 percent) now favor “living in a community with a mix of people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds” (up 11 points since 2011). More people want to live in communities with various income levels” (48 percent in 2013 versus 42 percent in 2011). And 66 percent (up from 60 percent) now want to live in a community with people at all stages of life. 

 

 

Move MN Session Recap & Call to Action

By Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate

 

At the State Capitol earlier this month, TLC and Move MN supporters delivered nearly 1400 letters pushing legislators for more than a band-aid approach to transportation funding.

 

“The future of transportation in Minnesota and the funding for it have to be among the 2015 legislative session’s top priorities.” (Governor Mark Dayton, April 30, 2014)

 

For Transit for Livable Communities, our members, and our allies in the Move MN coalition—who worked together this past legislative session to make transportation investment a priority—this statement from Governor Dayton is a measure of success, but it is also a rallying cry for the year ahead.

 

Growing the Movement

Over the last half year, the Move MN coalition grew to over 180 organizations, businesses, and associations and gathered support from more than 20 cities, 500 townships, and 80 counties. Transportation interests vary widely by geography, by mode, by sector. Nevertheless, Move MN coalition members successfully united around one comprehensive legislative proposal, guided by the key principle of investing in all modes statewide.

Move MN united a broad and diverse coalition of groups from around the state. Picture here (L to R), coalition members from AFSCME, Fresh Energy, the American Heart Association, and TLC rally together in the Capitol Rotunda.

 

Moving Legislation Forward

The transportation bills passed by the House and Senate Transportation Committees (HF 2395 and SF 2107) aligned closely with our Move MN proposal, and included funding for transit, roads and bridges, and bicycling and walking throughout the state. The ¾-cent sales tax for metro-area transit, included in the bills, would fund the transit vision TLC has advanced for over a decade. The bills also included the first dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian connections in Minnesota. Passing these bills out of both committees was a definitive step forward; similar legislation did not make it through the House committee in 2013.

 
House and Senate Transportation Committee Chairs, Sen. Scott Dibble (L) and Rep. Frank Hornstein (R), were strong champions at the legislature this year. Both of their committees successfully passed bills that would fund transit, bicycling, walking, roads, and bridges statewide.

 

Pushing Back

Transit for Livable Communities, our members, and Move MN coalition partners pushed hard to keep up momentum for this essential legislation this session. And when the legislature responded by directing only a small amount of money to transportation while sidelining a comprehensive package, we pushed back.

 

After a successful outreach campaign this spring, state senators and representatives across the state received nearly 1400 letters about Move MN from constituents calling for more than a band-aid solution to fix Minnesota’s transportation system. These letters—along with thousands of Move MN postcards and petition signatures, dozens of letters to the editor, weekly phone banks, and numerous stakeholder meetings, rallies, and press conferences throughout the 2014 session—sent the resounding message that Minnesotans need and expect sustainable, long-term funding to address inadequate transit and bike/pedestrian connections, deficient bridges, and aging roads.

 

 
No More Band-Aids for Transportation: Thanks to all who wrote their legislators and delivered letters at the Capitol in May--and to all who took action and volunteered their time on the Move MN campaign this session!

 

While the political winds ultimately prevented a transportation bill from getting to the finish line at the Capitol this year, we have built a strong foundation of support and have positioned transportation funding as the unfinished business of the session.

 

As Senate Transportation Committee Chair Scott Dibble affirmed last week, “Everyone associated with Move MN should be extremely pleased with how far we’ve come in building both the policy and political case for passing a substantial, comprehensive leap forward for transportation in Minnesota.”

Gearing Up

 

Minnesota's transportation problems aren't going to disappear, so neither is our call for a real solution. If we want to see success in the coming year, coalition partners and TLC members will need to expand efforts leading up to the next legislative session and also ensure that transportation is a top issue on the campaign trail this fall.

 

To that end, TLC and Move MN are gearing up for a busy summer. We’re headed to fairs, festivals, bike rides, transit stops, and project openings around the state. And we’re calling on you to help educate and engage the public about transportation needs in your area and to build a broader, stronger movement for legislative action in 2015. Together we can make sure every state legislator knows investment in transportation is both urgent and inevitable. Thanks for standing with us as the fight continues!

Volunteers needed: TLC and the Sierra Club will be talking up Move MN at the Green Line grand opening on Saturday, June 14. We’d love your help! Sign up to volunteer.

 

Special thanks to Cailin Rogers, campaign organizer, for her work with TLC and Move MN during the 2014 session!

 

Transportation Options Call for Volunteers

By Allison Osberg, MN Greencorps Member (TLC)

 

 

Transit for Livable Communities is embarking on a new, expanded Transportation Options program that addresses equity and empowerment in the realm of transportation—and you can be a part of this innovative program.

For the past year, we’ve been leading workshops for social service organizations interested in empowering the families they serve to address the high cost of getting around. The cost of transportation can be one of the highest expenses for working families, sometimes even more than housing.

 

This year, the Transportation Options program will be adding a new element of direct assistance to individuals. Volunteers within the Transportation Options program will become consultants who work one-on-one with the participants and clients at participating social service organizations.

 

We are looking to recruit transportation-savvy individuals interested in sharing their knowledge and experience in getting around without depending solely on a car. TLC will match each volunteer Transportation Options Consultant to a family or individual interested in trying multimodal transportation options in order to achieve greater economic self-sufficiency.

 

Consultants are essential in welcoming those families and individuals into the world of Transportation Options. They will serve as a key resource for navigating transit, bicycling, car sharing, and bike sharing systems and for developing a personalized route and routine. This is a great way to help other community members embrace greener, healthier, and more economical modes of transportation—and to benefit from mutual sharing and learning.

 

Transit for Livable Communities will provide training on program specifics and get volunteers up to speed on all transportation modes. We’ll also discuss healthy relationships and boundaries, cultural awareness, and proper safety. A needs-based stipend is available to eligible volunteers.

 

We are looking for volunteer consultants who:

 

• Understand the importance of transportation on an individual level
• Are confident and knowledgeable in their transportation options
• Understand the Twin Cities Metro Transit system
• Understand bicycles, their basic maintenance, how to ride them in traffic and in all seasons
• Understand how to use car sharing and bike sharing systems
• Are, or want to be, connected to their community and transportation resources
• Have a desire to learn from a neighbor and fellow commuter
• Can empathize with transportation as a difficulty and challenge (financially, physically, mentally)
• Are culturally competent and respectful to individuals of all backgrounds
• Will be in the Twin Cities for the next 6-9 months
• Show enthusiasm and excitement for the program

 

In addition, being a League Certified Instructor (LCI) of bicycle safety, multi-lingual, or having experience with low-income individuals is a big plus.

If you are interested, have questions, or want to apply to volunteer, contact Allison Osberg at [email protected] or 651-789-1403.