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Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: August 20th, 2018, 1:17 pm
by Bakken2016
I assume that the Orange Line from downtown to the 515 will be quicker to get to Southdale than taking the 6 from downtown and vice versa?
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: August 20th, 2018, 2:07 pm
by Tcmetro
Seems that the 6 via Xerxes is about 39 mins midday. 515 from Southdale to 35W is 7 mins and Orange Line from 66th to 7th would probably be 12-15 minutes, so even if the wait is 15 minutes, 515+Orange is faster.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 11th, 2018, 2:52 pm
by DanPatchToget
Survey results from the South Bloomington Transit Center station improvements-
https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/sites/def ... esults.pdf
There will be an open house for this station plan on October 1st-
https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/plan/98th ... -area-plan. I would attend, but I'll be on the train from Chicago to St. Paul when this is going on.
At what point was the timeline for this project setback two years? Didn't seem long ago they were projecting the first phase of the Orange Line to open in 2019, and second phase in 2021. Why even bother putting projections for opening when we seem to be way off. Remember when Southwest LRT was supposed to open in 2015? Good times.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 12th, 2018, 10:20 am
by sdho
Seems that the 6 via Xerxes is about 39 mins midday. 515 from Southdale to 35W is 7 mins and Orange Line from 66th to 7th would probably be 12-15 minutes, so even if the wait is 15 minutes, 515+Orange is faster.
Edina has been going on about a Southdale circulator for some time. Until we have proper rapid transit to Southdale, would be cool if that hopped over to 35W/66th St to provide regular access to Orange Line. (Would presumably be less than 7 minutes each way since it'd likely be non-stop between Xerxes and 35)
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 12th, 2018, 10:27 am
by Silophant
I believe the timeline was pushed back when the overall 35W construction project was pushed back. Doesn't really make sense to start running the fast buses when they won't be fast yet because they're going through a construction site.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 12th, 2018, 2:38 pm
by DanPatchToget
It may not have the speed yet, but it would still be nice to have frequent, all-day service along the corridor instead of what we have now.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 13th, 2018, 12:42 pm
by BoredAgain
It may not have the speed yet, but it would still be nice to have frequent, all-day service along the corridor instead of what we have now.
If they can't reach the planned speeds, then they would need more buses and more drivers to meet the original frequency. That might not be possible.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 13th, 2018, 12:56 pm
by DanPatchToget
It may not have the speed yet, but it would still be nice to have frequent, all-day service along the corridor instead of what we have now.
If they can't reach the planned speeds, then they would need more buses and more drivers to meet the original frequency. That might not be possible.
Aren't there spare buses that can be used in addition to the buses that would be ordered? I've seen regular buses used on the Red Line and the A Line during the State Fair. But yes driver shortage would be a problem, and I'm concerned it will still be a problem when the Orange Line begins operation.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 13th, 2018, 3:15 pm
by MSPtoMKE
It’s also possible that the Lake St. station and direct access ramps to downtown won’t be open until near the end of the I-35W project, both of which are pretty key parts of the line. Instead of opening the Orange Line before construction was finished, they decided to add weekend service to route 535 now, not in 2019. Seems like a reasonable decision to me. Opening the Orange Line to fanfare while it is still half-baked doesn’t seem like a good way to draw riders to it.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 13th, 2018, 4:31 pm
by DanPatchToget
It’s also possible that the Lake St. station and direct access ramps to downtown won’t be open until near the end of the I-35W project, both of which are pretty key parts of the line. Instead of opening the Orange Line before construction was finished, they decided to add weekend service to route 535 now, not in 2019. Seems like a reasonable decision to me. Opening the Orange Line to fanfare while it is still half-baked doesn’t seem like a good way to draw riders to it.
It’s nice that the 535 has weekend service, but it’s nowhere near the frequency of the what the Orange Line will be. Ditto for weekdays but to a lesser extent. And of course the 535 doesn’t go to Burnsville (yes I’m aware of the 465).
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 13th, 2018, 4:50 pm
by MSPtoMKE
Well, it is also every 15 minutes midday on weekdays, the same as planned Orange Line service. Yes, evening and weekend service is less than what will be offered, but it is still a significant improvement. Keep in mind that the I-35W bridge over the Minnesota River will start construction soon as well, further complicating extending service to Burnsville.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 14th, 2018, 2:01 am
by DanPatchToget
The 15 minute frequency is north of Knox Avenue Park & Ride, everywhere south is 30 minute frequency.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 14th, 2018, 1:13 pm
by sdho
Well, it is also every 15 minutes midday on weekdays, the same as planned Orange Line service.
OL is 15 minutes off-peak/weekends, 10 minutes during rush hour. 535 is every 15 at best (or every 30 in Bloomington as others have noted).
On a personal level, I'm about equidistant to 76th/Knox or 66th St Station and I find the Knox thing really disorienting. Some of them go to the cul-de-sac, some of them stop on 76th. I know it's not that hard to look up, but the unreliability of where it is going to be from time to time is kind of stressful.
But in general I agree it is bad to do a rollout now with so much road construction ongoing and transit advantage minimal if at all. Too expensive to staff, and would look like a big expensive failure to transit critics.
If they had the money, though, it would be nice to get the stations in even before the actual buses and service start. There are shelters for the 535, but the planned OL ones are much better.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 14th, 2018, 2:21 pm
by DanPatchToget
Well, it is also every 15 minutes midday on weekdays, the same as planned Orange Line service.
OL is 15 minutes off-peak/weekends, 10 minutes during rush hour. 535 is every 15 at best (or every 30 in Bloomington as others have noted).
On a personal level, I'm about equidistant to 76th/Knox or 66th St Station and I find the Knox thing really disorienting. Some of them go to the cul-de-sac, some of them stop on 76th. I know it's not that hard to look up, but the unreliability of where it is going to be from time to time is kind of stressful.
But in general I agree it is bad to do a rollout now with so much road construction ongoing and transit advantage minimal if at all. Too expensive to staff, and would look like a big expensive failure to transit critics.
If they had the money, though, it would be nice to get the stations in even before the actual buses and service start. There are shelters for the 535, but the planned OL ones are much better.
Speaking of the Knox Avenue stop, it would be nice if the 539 waited until after the 535 left so people who are connecting don't have to rush. I got off the 535 southbound to connect with the 539 to Normandale Village and just as I was approaching the bus on my bike it drove away even when I waved at the front door. I somehow managed to catch it at the Best Buy stop.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 25th, 2018, 3:55 pm
by twincitizen
Orange Line Project Update:
http://metroorangeline.cmail20.com/t/Vi ... 32AAFB68BF
Bloomington did some station area planning for 98th Street Station and will present proposed recommendations at an open house on Monday 10/1:
https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/plan/98th ... -area-plan
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 26th, 2018, 7:17 am
by Qhaberl
Why didn’t they make all of the Orange line stations inline station? How much time is going to be wasted exiting and re-entering the freeway?
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Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 26th, 2018, 8:21 am
by niaxilin
I posted that same comment about the 98th Street station. It didn't even make it into the comments summary, so they must not be able/willing to address it. This station is the worst, because the bus not only gets off the interstate, but the Southbound then takes a left (at a stoplight), another stoplight, a right, a right, a right, a left (stoplight), and finally a right, before getting back on again.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 26th, 2018, 8:50 am
by mattaudio
It's also ridiculous how all of the stations south of 46th Street will require the buses to leave the MnPASS lane, the interior lane with transit advantage, and cross numerous other lanes to access the station through right hand exits/entrances.
"LRT on rubber tires"
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 26th, 2018, 9:28 am
by HiawathaGuy
Why didn’t they make all of the Orange line stations inline station? How much time is going to be wasted exiting and re-entering the freeway?
Short answer, politics & money. Those can be done later, when there's actual money or will. Neither are very high at the moment - so this is better than nothing. But not ideal, of course.
Re: Orange Line (35W BRT) & Lake St Transit Access Project
Posted: September 26th, 2018, 10:31 am
by DanPatchToget
When the Orange Line starts operating will it continue to be referred to as 98th Street Station? Seems odd when it already has the name South Bloomington Transit Center.