Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

[FISHMANPET]

It's a pretty poor proxy for distance, as you can park on a single route and go for miles, whereas I transferred once to go about a mile to work today. And transfers made the network more flexible, because instead of only being able to take the 2 to get from my apartment to the U, I could also take the 22 and transfer at Washington Ave to any number of buses to get me to the east bank.

[Nick]

If you live close in, you're paying a too much for a short ride, and you don't get a seat because the bus is already full and running behind schedule from everybody else who got on earlier.

Good point.

[lordmoke]

The Megabus saga comes to a close. They will now operate out of Ramp C:
http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/228931181.html

[MNdible]

That seems like a reasonable solution -- pretty short walk from a good amount of transit service.

The article doesn't mention, and I'd be interested to know, if they are paying the city rent to use these facilities. Also, does anybody know if there are restrooms at this location?

[Tom H.]

Hmm... The first time I rode the Megabus in 2005, that's near where I got picked up (basically on the on-ramp to 394).

The bus was supposed to depart at 6am, so (being young and naive) I arrived 5:30am. Bus showed up at 7:30.

[Tcmetro]

The Megabus originally picked up at Ramp A. I wonder if this will stop at the Metro Transit stop at Ramp C? Or on one of the side streets?

[David Greene]

The Megabus originally picked up at Ramp A. I wonder if this will stop at the Metro Transit stop at Ramp C? Or on one of the side streets?

Probably in an alley.

[UptownSport]

Truly awesome transit project opens in Turkey!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24721779

Yeah for them!

Back home, however, Us 'flatlanders' would like to open a 'starter' streetcar line, and are urged to, or do take painful compromises to get (relatively) uncomplicated rail projects completed.

[mulad]

European-style trains may be allowed on mainline freight tracks as soon as 2015.

http://nextcity.org/theworks/entry/mode ... s-2015-fra

[FISHMANPET]

So glad that's happening, and so glad Smith got the scoop as well, I can't think of many people that have been as vocal as he has about FRA regs.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[mulad]

MnDOT's freight rail maps for the state have been updated. The wall map version includes much quite a bit more detail than the old one did, while the regular 8.5x11 version has roughly the same amount of detail as the old one (from 2009, I think).

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/ofrw/freightData.html

[mattaudio]

Cool. I have a few antique framed maps of MN from when our non-natural geography was defined by railroads rather than highways. I love maps! /fellowrailnerd

[PhilmerPhil]

Very nice story here, but also sad that this is what it has to come to to get a halfway decent bus stop...

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/231621391.html

[FISHMANPET]

Nice to see someone in the suburbs view a bus stop as an asset to be improved, rather than something to get rid of to keep "those people" out of the neighborhood.

[mattaudio]

Narrow sidewalks like that, without any barrier between pedestrians and speeding cars, should not be allowed in the future. I bet that's a Hennepin County PW design. But hey they can claim pro-forma adherence to providing a facility for pedestrians! Never mind nuance or context.

[mulad]

Another random thought -- is Transit for Livable Communities basically supposed to be our region's equivalent of a bus riders union or whatever? I haven't had much direct interaction with them. I'm thinking our area needs to have some representatives of the transit riders pushing for improvements (stop consolidation, improved signage, etc.).

[David Greene]

Another random thought -- is Transit for Livable Communities basically supposed to be our region's equivalent of a bus riders union or whatever? I haven't had much direct interaction with them. I'm thinking our area needs to have some representatives of the transit riders pushing for improvements (stop consolidation, improved signage, etc.).

They are definitely not a bus riders' union. Their scope is larger, focusing on non-automobile transportation options. They write policy briefs, lobby the legislature for funding and manage Minnesota's federal bike/walk grant.

AFAIK there is no organization dedicated to the details of transit like you're talking about.

[mattaudio]

TLC lobbied heavily for the Kenilworth alignment, if that helps you form an opinion.

[woofner]

I saw this morning that Metro Transit has taken twincitizen's suggestion to rename the southbound branches of route 4 to P & L (for Penn & Lyndale). Signs indicating this were at least one southbound 4 stop. I forgot to check the effective date, presumably at the December route adjustment. Nothing that I could find on the website about it yet.

[twincitizen]

Seriously? Even though I rarely ride the bus these days, that is spectacular! Now if they rename the Route 23 to Route 38 (38th St) I can die a happy man.