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From Barb Thoman, Executive Director
This week Metro Transit, an agency of the Metropolitan Council, unveiled a draft plan for restructured bus service to coincide with the opening of Central Corridor light rail in 2014. This new and extended service is made possible by shifting resources that duplicate new light rail transit service. The Green Line, as it will be known, will run every ten minutes most of the day, seven days a week.
Buses 16, 87, 67, 50, and 63 would connect to the Green Line station at University and Raymond. The Green Line will replace route 50.
Metro Transit expects that nearly 40% of riders on the Green Line will come from connecting bus service. At Transit for Livable Communities, we know that for our transit system to serve the greatest number of people, it needs to offer frequent well-connected service and safe and convenient access by walking and by bicycle.
The proposed restructuring plan would greatly improve north/south bus service in areas of Saint Paul that currently have very limited service or no service at all. The plan also proposes to extend several existing routes to enable new connections between other bus routes or light rail.
When the Green Line opens, there will be N-S connecting bus routes one-mile apart in the area covered by changes in service, including Route 62 along Rice Street, Route 65 along Dale Street, Route 83 (new) along Lexington Parkway, and Route 84 along Snelling. The thicker the line on the map, the more frequent the service.
The proposed plans take into consideration comments and suggestions collected over the last several months at community meetings and via surveys and the Trusted Advocates program. Metro Transit will take comments and testimony about the draft plan through July 9. See below for meeting details. Here are some highlights of the proposed plan (PDF):
New and extended Service:
- A new bus route on Lexington Avenue, where no bus runs today, will plug a 2-mile gap between north-south bus routes. Currently, there are north-south routes on Dale and Snelling, but nothing in between.
- Route #87, from Highland to Rosedale, will run more frequently (every 20 minutes) and have weekend service for the first time.
- Route #84 along Snelling Avenue will run every 10 minutes. New “Rapid Bus” service on Snelling—faster, with higher amenities—may also be timed for the introduction of the new service plan.
- More frequent north-south service on Dale Street (route #65) and a connection south to Grand Avenue and route #63. Route #65 would terminate at Grand Avenue.
The 65 bus route will run more frequently when the Central Corridor LRT line opens in 2014.
Better connections:
- The Grand Avenue bus (route #63) would be extended north from the University of St. Thomas area to connect with the Raymond Avenue light rail station on the Green Line.
- The #67 Minnehaha Avenue bus would be extended west to the Franklin LRT station on the Hiawatha or Blue Line.
Redundant services eliminated or reduced:
- With Green Line light rail service running every 10 minutes, parallel service on the local route #16 will be reduced to every 20 minutes and terminate on the western end at Oak Street on the U of M campus.
- Route #50 will be eliminated, as it duplicates Green Line service along the Central Corridor.
- The #94 express bus route between the Minneapolis and Saint Paul downtown cores would be reduced to weekday morning and evening rush hours and the mid-point stop at Snelling Avenue will be eliminated.
- Route 144 express service from Highland Park to downtown Minneapolis will be eliminated.
A series of public meetings and hearings have been scheduled to take questions and testimony about the proposed changes in bus service, as follows:
Tuesday, June 19, 4-6:30 p.m. (presentation and testimony begin at 4:30pm)
Brian Coyle Center, Multipurpose Room
420 15th Ave S, Minneapolis
Served by Metro Transit Routes 22 and Hiawatha Line Cedar-Riverside Station
Thursday, June 21, 4-6:30 p.m. (presentation and testimony begin at 4:30pm)
Central Corridor Resource Center
1080 University Ave. W., St. Paul
Served by Metro Transit Routes 16 and 50
Saturday, June 23, 1-3 p.m. (presentation and testimony begin at 1:30pm)
Goodwill Easter Seals, Community Meeting Room
553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul
Served by Metro Transit Routes 16 and 67
Tuesday, June 26, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Public hearing--presentation and testimony begin at 11:30am)
Hennepin County Central Library, Doty Board Room
300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Served by multiple Metro Transit routes
Thursday, June 28, 4-6:30 p.m. (Public hearing--presentation and testimony begin at 4:30pm)
Rondo Community Outreach Library, Multipurpose Room
461 Dale Street North, St. Paul
Served by Metro Transit Routes 16 and 65
The Metropolitan Council also will receive comments on the service plan through 5pm, July 9, as follows:
- Written comments: Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert St, St. Paul 55101
- Fax comments to: 651-602-1464
- Send TTY comments to: 651-291-0904
- Email: [email protected]
- Record comments on Council’s Public Comment Line at 651-602-1500
From Barb Thoman, executive director
With the warmer weather, road construction signs are popping up around the metro and across the state. Construction of the Central Corridor light rail line also resumed this spring. These signs remind me of the big difference in the way roads and transit are paid for in Minnesota.
Funding for expansion of our region’s transit system pales in comparison to the amount available to expand our region’s highways—and the results are obvious on the ground. Our regional transit system is of modest size (especially when compared with competing regions, such as Denver, Toronto, Boston, and Seattle), while the Twin Cities’ regional highway system is one of the nation’s largest on a per capita basis.
New highway projects generally don’t require legislative vote but many transit projects, such as Southwest light rail, wait for legislative approval
Minnesota’s constitution dedicates gasoline taxes, license tab fees, and 60% of the motor vehicle sales tax to state and local roads and bridges, with 62% of this revenue going to MnDOT. An additional $500 million annually, on average, flows from the federal government to roads and bridges. (Local property taxes add roughly $1 billion each year for roads and bridges.)
MnDOT’s dedicated funding allows for a vast number of road projects: 316 in the 2011 construction season. In the Metro area, the projects include:
- needed pavement repair on I-94
- a welcome new bridge over I-35E at Maryland Avenue and work on replacement of the Layafette and Hastings bridges over the Mississippi River.
- expansion of the TH169/I-494 interchange, new interchanges in Savage and Arden Hills, and early work on a new St. Croix River crossing.
For a full list of 2012 metro area highway projects click here (pdf). Because Minnesota has significant dedicated funding for highway maintenance and expansion, the legislature did not have to vote to approve these projects or the funding for them.
State funding for transit is more precarious, affecting bus and rail
Funding for transit is much more precarious than funding for roads and bridges because transit relies to a significant degree on state general fund appropriations and General Obligation bonding – funding that needs to be allocated by the legislature each year. Last year, the legislature cut the two-year general fund allocation to metro transit by $51.8 million.
This year, despite the Governor’s support, the final bonding bill did not include $25 million to support construction of the Southwest light rail transit line. The bonding bill did include $2.5 million for “The Interchange,” a downtown Minneapolis transit hub and $6.4 million for transit facilities in greater Minnesota.
Statewide, transit receives 40% of the motor vehicle sales tax. In five metro area counties, a 1/4-cent sales tax generates about $95 million annually toward the cost of new light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit lines—such as the Central Corridor, Southwest light rail, and the Gateway and Bottineau corridors. As noted, last year the state legislature cut general fund money for bus service, so some of this regional tax revenue was diverted to fill in the gap, preventing a 30% cut in bus service, but slowing down progress on new transit development.
Making the case for transit
Transit for Livable Communities will continue making the case for expanded transportation options. There is still a lot of work to be done if the region wants to build more than one light rail project each decade and if we want a bus system that serves more of our residents.
Why is this important? Because people spend more on transportation (getting to work, school, and other appointments) than on any other household expense other than housing. Providing transportation options—bus, rail, bicycling, and walking—makes it possible to trim this expense and helps families make ends meet. There also are significant health and environmental benefits when a region has a greater reliance on transit, walking, and bicycling.
To show your support for Southwest LRT the next light rail line for the region, click here.
For a summary of transit funding in Minnesota, click here (pdf).
From Dave Van Hattum, Senior Policy Advocate
A critical component of the success of the Central Corridor light rail line will be how the bus connects to it, specifically providing some level of continued bus service in the corridor and expanding north/south bus connections to the corridor. Metro Transit recently began the Central Corridor Transit Service Study, with the goal of improved connections and reliability, and a simplified multi-modal system. Open houses on the study will take place in March.
Metro Transit estimates that 40% of Central Corridor riders will access the train via a bus trip. At Transit for Livable Communities, we support much more extensive implementation of new connecting bus service than will be possible with available dollars.
The sector study assumes that any funding of expanded north/south service will come from savings from reductions in current service, including elimination of route #50 (express service along University), and reductions in the frequency of route #16 (local service along University)and route #94 (express bus along I-94).
The #65 bus provides a north-south connecting service to the Central Corridor.
The Met Council’s Transportation Policy Plan calls for an expansion of our region’s transitways (LRT, commuter rail and bus rapid transit) and for an expansion of our region’s bus system. Due to funding constraints, bus expansion has been on hold for nearly a decade. Better bus connections to the Central Corridor light rail will further leverage this key public investment and expand benefits to residents along the corridor and in the sector area planning geography.
Continue reading "Marrying Bus and Rail on the Central Corridor" »
From Hilary Reeves, Communications Director
The proposed downtown Minneapolis multimodal transportation hub adjacent to Target Field—a.k.a. The Interchange—got a financing boost this past week with the announcement of $10 million in federal support through a TIGER grant from the US DOT. The goal is for the new facility to open when the Central Corridor Light Rail service begins in 2014, doubling the number of LRT trains arriving in downtown Minneapolis to 500 arrivals and departures per day. TLC wrote a letter supporting the project as part of the application for TIGER funding.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (speaking) and l-r behind her: Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin; Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh; Will Schroeer, Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce; Charlie Zelle, Minneapolis Area Chamber of Commerce
Senator Amy Klobuchar gathered with local leaders on Thursday, December 22, to indicate the importance of this transportation investment to making the Twin Cities a thriving economic center. She was joined by Sue Haigh from the Met Council, several county commissioners and representatives from local Chambers of Commerce and the Minnesota Twins. A good-sized crowd gathered in the waiting area for Northstar commuter trains—another mode that serves the proposed location for the Interchange.
What is the Interchange? The Minneapolis Interchange and Saint Paul’s Union Depot will both act as multimodal hubs for the region’s growing transit network. The Minneapolis location for the proposed Interchange already serves both the Hiawatha light rail line and NorthStar commuter trains. The Interchange would serve the Central Corridor trains when it opens in 2014 and the Southwest LRT line, scheduled to open in 2018. It would also provide connections to more than 1,900 bus operations as well as to bicycle routes to surrounding neighborhoods and trails. Vehicle parking (400 new spaces) would also be part of the project. The Minneapolis Interchange also could serve any future high speed rail connections between Minneapolis/Saint Paul and Chicago. The newly renovated Saint Paul Union Depot will accommodate Amtrak trains traveling between Seattle and Chicago starting next year. The Minneapolis Interchange is a project of the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA).For more information about The Interchange, visit the project web site.
Senator Klobuchar said, “There’s a direct correlation between this kind of investment and economic development.” Noting the competition for these funds at the federal level, she said, “If they don’t come here they will go to Chicago or Arizona. I want it right here.” She thanked Representatives McCollum and Ellison, Senator Franken and former Senator Coleman for their support for the project at the federal level.
Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh said that hubs like the Interchange and Union Depot help shorten transit time, making it more attractive for people to choose transit for commuting and other trips. She said that rather than building more parking ramps, Minneapolis could focus on other kinds of development.
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin said the Interchange plaza would direct the flow of passengers to the different travel options, for commuters and also fans coming to Target Field.
McLaughlin called the Interchange “a prudent risk to move the county and region forward” and make it more competitive. He noted that business allies strongly supported the project and the build out of the transit system. “We are not talking about individual lines, we are talking about a system,” he said, adding “we will live our lives differently and better with these investments.”
Will Schroeer from the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce and Charlie Zelle from the Minneapolis Area Chamber of Commerce both noted that the new hub would serve the people going to work using the Hiawatha and Central Corridor LRT lines. There are 280,000 jobs along the Central Corridor today, a number expected to rise to 374,000 by 2030. Zelle said, “Investments here are important for jobs at both ends of the Central Corridor LRT,” giving residents of Minneapolis and North Minneapolis access as well as opening the North Loop area for further development.
Minnesota Twins President David St. Peter said the Interchange would be “fulfillment of a vision our leaders had for a ballpark in the North Loop, with wonderful connections to transit.” He said fans will love accessing Target Field via the Northstar, Hiawatha, and the Central Corridor—hopefully for the All Star Game in 2014. He said, “These projects take vision, courage, and leadership.”
Funding for the Interchange project is not yet complete. According to a Star Tribune story, in addition to the $10 million from the TIGER grant, the Interchange project “was awarded $11 million by the Metropolitan Council. It also received $6.7 million from the county rail authority and $1.7 million from the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, which owns Target Field.” The Star Tribune reported the total project cost at $67.7 million. Commissioner McLaughlin said that there would be a proposal in coming weeks opening up options for public-private partnerships, including development rights, naming rights, and parking rights. The TIGER funding adds momentum to the project.
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From Dave Van Hattum, Policy and Advocacy Program Manager
The House and Senate Transportation bills both include substantial cuts to the state general fund contribution to metro area transit. The House bill completely eliminates the general fund contribution, a funding source transit has relied on for decades. A letter from new Met Council Chair Susan Haigh to House Committee Chair Mike Beard spelled out the severe level of transit service cuts and/or fare increases that could result if the House bill becomes law, including:
- 45% cut in regular route service
- 240 daily peak hour bus trips cut
- Reducing Metro Mobility operating hours
- 550 drivers and related staff laid off
Alternatively, to avoid service cuts and job loss, a system wide fare increase up to $4.00 per ride could be implemented to cover the proposed general fund cuts. This dramatic fare hike would result in an estimated 55% reduction in transit ridership.
TLC, along with a broad and growing coalition, will continue to advocate for keeping our transit system whole. Transit provides a critical service for all Minnesotans. It gets those without cars where they need to go, it reduces emissions, it saves families and employers money; and it substantially reduces traffic congestion and the need for expensive highway expansion.
At a recent press conference House Chairman Mike Beard attempted to defend the details of his proposed bill. Many of his comments contradict the facts. Here are some points he made and TLC’s response.
1) Claim: The Met Council numbers are wrong – the cuts would only be approximately 10% of service.
TLC response. Transit operations rely on three primary sources of revenue: rider fares, the motor vehicle sales tax (MVST), and state general funds. For Representative Beard’s assertions to be true, a large portion of the quarter-cent regional sales tax directed to constructing and operating rail and bus rapid transit would have to be redirected to fill the new operating deficit. And revenue from MVST would have to live up to projections – an outcome that has happened only one year in the past ten.
If the quarter-cent sales tax is redirected, there will be an indefinite pause in moving forward the Southwest, Bottineau, Gateway, Cedar Ave., Red Rock and Rush line transitway projects. In addition, progress on the Central Corridor could be jeopardized because the Federal Transit Administration wants to see a sound local financial plan and is wary of partnering with regions that cut their existing transit system.
As noted by the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC), the raid of the quarter cent sales tax sets a terrible precedent. All 87 Minnesota counties are against this. And all 27 cities around the state with an existing local option sales tax, put in place for specific local purposes, should fear that the legislature may act at any time to raid those taxes to offset state budget deficits. Five metro county boards voted in 2008 to direct the new sales tax to a very specific purpose – expanding the regional system of light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit. CTIB (Counties Transit Improvement Board) administers these funds.
2) Claim: Buses are preferred over trains because they are more efficient.
TLC response. Across the nation, light rail transit (LRT) has some of the lowest per rider operating costs – significantly lower than the cost of bus service. The cost per rider of operating Hiawatha LRT is 40% lower than the cost of regular bus service and the numbers are the same in Portland, Denver and other peer regions. This is the case because LRT is designed to serve high capacity corridors where one operator can carry hundreds of riders. Trains also attract more housing and commercial development, increasing the efficiency of the train line far into the future. If efficiency is the metric, we recommend that Rep. Beard review the inefficiency of adding highway lanes to move more people in private vehicles. Currently, transit on I-35W South eliminates the need for two additional highway lanes – a huge financial saving.
3) Claim: The high reserve funds maintained by many of the opt-out transit providers are the result of well-run transit service.
TLC response. Rep. Beard may be confused about what constitutes well run transit service. It’s not about the amount of reserves at the end of the year – it’s about providing lots of transit rides per dollar spent. In this regard, Metro Transit, not the suburban providers (opt-outs), rank the highest; and the region as a whole compare favorably with peers. The Legislative Auditor, in a recent report, also recommends that the opt-outs substantially reduce their reserve funds.
When private companies have a high reserve at the end of the year it can mean they’ve been quite profitable and presumably well run. This performance measure simply doesn’t apply to providing public services.
4) Claim: State owned roads will see a 5 to 6% increase in funding over the next biennium.
Why are cuts to highway expansion projects off the table, especially given that the Twin Cities has a smaller than average transit system and larger than average metro highway system? How can Minnesota justify slashing bus service, eliminating access to work, school, the doctor and other destinations, while continuing to grow the highway system?
State law allows the MVST dollars to be shared between transit and road projects. A small shift of MVST revenues from roads to transit might preclude a few new road expansion projects over the next two years, but would make a huge difference for those who rely on buses and trains– likely a growing number with gas prices heading toward $4.00 per gallon.
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From Dave Van Hattum, Policy and Advocacy Program Manager
A new Met Council, appointed by Governor Dayton, officially took office on March 9. Susan Haigh, the Council’s new Chair, has appropriately focused on three top priorities:
- transit investments,
- affordable housing, and
- economic development .
The 16 new Council members, who presented their vision for the region at public interviews, were nearly unanimous in articulating these same priorities.
This Council needs to hit the ground running and be a strong and highly visible voice for maintaining operating funding for our current transit system AND continuing progress on the build-out of a regional system of transitways. TLC and allies recently met with Regional Administrator Pat Born and will be coordinating outreach to new Council members at various venues.
Lona Schreiber, Jennifer Munt, and Gary Van Eyll, members of the new Metropolitan Council sworn in Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Chair Haigh emphasizes that coordinating land use, transit, and housing investments can contribute significantly to economic development and job creation. We could not agree more, but would add that insuring the current commitment to transit investment sets the stage for spurring new jobs, increased tax revenues, and a more competitive economy that benefits all Minnesotans. Transit puts people to work, gets people to work in an affordable manner, and returns $6 dollars for every dollar invested.
The Met Council plays a critical role in planning, funding, and operating our region’s transit system. As the federally required Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Council is responsible for long-term planning for the region’s transportation system. Metro Transit, which operates 90% of transit service in the region, is a division of the Met Council. And the Council can and should be a strong advocate for funding a 21-st century transit system. This involves securing funds to implement the vision in the long-range transportation plan (http://www.metrocouncil.org/planning/transportation/TPP/2010/TPPsummary.pdf) and working with the region’s Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) to allocate approximately $75 million per year in flexible federal funding for regional transportation initiatives.
We are encouraged by the transit and transportation knowledge, and community experience, of the new Council members. For example, Steve Elkins, the new Transportation Committee Chair and District 5 Council member, led efforts for innovative transit and land use planning while on Bloomington’ city council, chaired the I-494 Corridor Commission, and participated in the Minnesota Chapter of Transportation for America. New Council member Jennifer Munt is the Chair of TLC’s board and was public relations manager for the Hiawatha LRT planning and construction.
TLC looks forward to collaborating with (and nudging when necessary) all of the new members of the Met Council.
From Michelle Dibblee, Senior Organizer
The Central Corridor “Stops for Us” Campaign recently announced that it is the winner of a National Achievements in Environmental Justice Award for 2010. The award recognizes the work of the “Stops for Us” coalition that resulted in additional Central Corridor light rail stations at Hamline, Victoria, and Western. These stations serve a highly transit dependent area of St. Paul and fill in the mile-long gaps between stations at the eastern end of University Avenue.
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson made the announcement on December 15, 2010, at the first-ever White House Environmental Justice Forum. The Forum was convened to highlight the Obama administration’s commitment to environmental justice and sustainable communities. To read the full press release from the coalition, click here. For a list of coalition members, click here.
Transit for Livable Communities is proud to be part of this diverse coalition and sends kudos to all those who worked hard for these stations. We look forward to future victories supporting the communities and businesses along Central Corridor and other transitways.
Coalition Members:
Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Asian Economic Development Association
Aurora/Saint Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation
Community Stabilization Project
District Councils Collaborative of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Including: Como, D-10, North End/South Como, District 6, Thomas-Dale, D-7, Summit-University, D-8, Hamline-Midway, D-11, Saint Anthony Park, D-12, Union Park, D-13, Macalester-Groveland, D-14, Summit Hill, D-16, CapitolRiver Council, D-17, Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Assoc., Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Assoc., Southeast Como Improvement Assoc., University District Improvement Assoc., West Bank Community Coalition
Got Voice, Got Power!
Hmong Organizing Project, Take Action MN
Housing Preservation Project
ISAIAH
Jewish Community Action
JUST Equity
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Model Cities, Inc.
MICAH
Preserve and Benefit Historic Rondo Committee
Saint Paul NAACP
Saint Paul Urban League
Transit for Livable Communities
UFCW Local 789
University UNITED
University Avenue Business Association
From Hilary Reeves, Communications ManagerI recently visited Salt Lake City to join my husband at the end of a conference so we could add some hiking onto a drive back to Minnesota. One of the first things I noticed out the hotel window was a bicycle making its way up the street in front of the convention center. Later, walking through downtown (mostly pretty quiet on a Saturday), I saw the tracks for Trax, the light rail system here in Utah’s capital city. According to story in the Salt Lake Tribune that ran June 18, the day before I arrived, Utah just ordered 77 new train cars that will be used to “stock four future Trax lines to Draper, Salt Lake City International Airport, South Jordan’s Daybreak development, and West Valley City.” I have no idea where these neighborhoods are (except the airport), but it appears that Salt Lake is building FOUR more lines while the Twin Cities is just breaking ground on its second. In Minnesota, we have plans for 2 additional light rail lines (LRT)—the Southwest LRT and one to be determined-- between now and 2030. We are behind Salt Lake in both the extent of our transit network and the speed in building it. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the TRAX light rail system got going in 1999. The state’s transit web site, www.rideuta.com, shows a map of the FrontLines 2015 program, which will add 70 miles of commuter rail to the existing 64 mile rail network. The project also includes high-speed rail between Salt Lake City and Provo. It’s useful to note, too, that Utah is a Republican-leaning state and that the Chamber of Commerce in Salt Lake has been solidly behind transit network improvements. “When we’re done before 2015, we will have 140 miles of rail transit in this community,” said the head of the Utah Transit Authority in the Tribune. By comparison, in the Twin Cities, the Hiawatha LRT is 14 miles long and the Central Corridor will add 11 more miles when finished. The Northstar commuter rail is 40 miles long. So, by 2015, we will have 55 miles total. Minneapolis may be the #1 bike friendly city according to ‘Bicycling Magazine,’ but a quick trip to Salt Lake City shows we are way behind other cities in building a 21-st century transportation network. Oh, and the new LRT cars just ordered by Salt Lake City—they are equipped with a low-floor feature that makes them very easy for people with disabilities to use. That’s true of our rail cars in the Twin Cities as well. And, we are about to order 100 more cars. They will be used to make Hiawatha LRT trains three rather than two cars long and to stock the Central Corridor and Southwest LRT lines.
Street Cars in Salt Lake City (Photo: Hilary Reeves)
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