Twin Cities Future Transit Map

[Nathan]

What do you guys think about this official map that is currently hanging at the Target Field station? How do you like the relative scale of things? It is highly abstract.

Notice, for example, that the downtown area is placed at 90 degree angle rather than 45 degree angle. SW LRT line appears to be of the same length as the DT -- MOA stretch of the Blue Line.


photo credit: Mike Hicks

I like the abstraction, that kind of simplicity is what makes the transit look easy and clear to people who aren't experienced, and looks like a serious transit map to people who are in cities with more intricate systems.

[mattaudio]

I wish the downtown area was at 45 degree angles, and that there was some sort of downtown inset.

[Visualizer]

I think the Metrotransit map succeeds at showing more information coupled with enhanced readability, albeit at the expense of scale and proportion. In my case, I tried to retain greater geographical accuracy, and show an idea of distance. The major drawback here is that some areas may appear crammed with information (ex: DT Minneapolis) and thus may require having additional insets showing them in more detail. In addition, relatively long lines such as Red and Northstar will not be shown on the map in their entirety. We need to work around those limitations in order to achieve a balance between accuracy and usability.

All right. Here's a preliminary plan with the aBRT lines shown in grey. For the aBRT routes the plan is to show only Terminal and Main Hub stations, since regular stops lie outside the scale of the map. The only items missing now are the Northstar and Red Rock commuter lines, as well as the HSR connections (I will be adding those last).

The next step will be adjusting route placement, particularly those of aBRT lines. This is something I want you guys to look at closely and see what still needs to be moved/added.

Orange Line: How's the station placement?

Red Line: Will it terminate at MOA or will it continue on to the 28th St. Station (as per current Metro plan)?

West Broadway aBRT:, Central Ave aBRT: How's the alignment?

I-394W BRT: What's the current status of this line? I got nothing.


Comments and suggestions are, as always, welcome.

Download FULL MAP (1600px, 200 kb)

[Visualizer]

I wish the downtown area was at 45 degree angles, and that there was some sort of downtown inset.

From an aesthetic viewpoint, I like the simplicity of straight angle. I hate the usability issues that arise with it as soon as you start adding aBRT / streetcar routes into the mix. It starts to look very crammed.

I can test the setup with our map, but I don't know. What does everyone think?

[Viktor Vaughn]

Love the map! What a great project.

The North/South portion of 494 is labeled 394.

[Visualizer]

Love the map! What a great project.

The North/South portion of 494 is labeled 394.

Nice catch.

[Visualizer]

[align=center]---- COPIED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE ----[/align]


I think the Metrotransit map succeeds at showing more information coupled with enhanced readability, albeit at the expense of scale and proportion. In my case, I tried to retain greater geographical accuracy, and show an idea of distance. The major drawback here is that some areas may appear crammed with information (ex: DT Minneapolis) and thus may require having additional insets showing them in more detail. In addition, relatively long lines such as Red and Northstar will not be shown on the map in their entirety. We need to work around those limitations in order to achieve a balance between accuracy and usability.

All right. Here's a preliminary plan with the aBRT lines shown in grey. For the aBRT routes the plan is to show only Terminal and Main Hub stations, since regular stops lie outside the scale of the map. The only items missing now are the Northstar and Red Rock commuter lines, as well as the HSR connections (I will be adding those last).

The next step will be adjusting route placement, particularly those of aBRT lines. This is something I want you guys to look at closely and see what still needs to be moved/added.

Orange Line: How's the station placement?

Red Line: Will it terminate at MOA or will it continue on to the 28th St. Station (as per current Metro plan)?

West Broadway aBRT:, Central Ave aBRT: How's the alignment?

I-394W BRT: What's the current status of this line? I got nothing.


Comments and suggestions are, as always, welcome.

Download FULL MAP (1600px, 200 kb)


...

[twincitizen]

Green Line (Central Corridor) is missing several stations.

Orange Line 82nd St should be changed to American Blvd. Strike the stations at Diamond Lake and 38th, as they are not planned or in the distant future, respectively.

The Central Ave NE and E-7th Rapid Bus lines should be modified to terminate at Columbia Heights Transit Center and Maplewood Mall, respectively.

Unfortunately, 394 BRT is not a thing. It's just the regular Route 675. I wish they would market that service as station to station BRT and add it to the METRO or Rapid Bus system. It's already pretty popular, but the marketing boost and planned station amenities of the aformentioned systems would be welcome.

[Visualizer]

aBRT and Metro systems highlighted

[Visualizer]

Green Line (Central Corridor) is missing several stations.

Orange Line 82nd St should be changed to American Blvd. Strike the stations at Diamond Lake and 38th, as they are not planned or in the distant future, respectively.

The Central Ave NE and E-7th Rapid Bus lines should be modified to terminate at Columbia Heights Transit Center and Maplewood Mall, respectively.

Unfortunately, 394 BRT is not a thing. It's just the Route 675. I wish they would market that service as station to station BRT and add it to the METRO or Rapid Bus system, marketing-wise. It's already pretty popular, but the marketing boost and planned station amenities of the aformentioned systems would be appropriate.

Which stations is the Central missing?

394 BRT -- if not the Metro, what is it being marketed as then?

[twincitizen]

I made some edits to this post, so you may want to re-read to catch everything.

Here: http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportat ... rridor.asp
You have an old map.
3 infill stations were added at Hamline, Victoria, Western Aves
Several name changes have occurred:
29th Ave>>>Prospect Park
Rice St>>>Capitol/Rice St.
Capitol East>>>Robert St.
4&Cedar>>>Central Station

Regarding 394 BRT, it's better to think of the HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes as a bus facility that is served by both station-to-station AND express bus services. It's actually not unlike the 35W south corridor, the difference being that they have chosen to re-brand current Route 535 as the Orange Line once the Lake Street Station is online (~2018). As far as I know, there are no plans to rebrand the Route 675 any different than it is now.

So for the sake of your map, you could add the 394 corridor as a gray line, like the other highway lines, but label it 394 HOT corridor or something. Perhaps a slightly darker shade of gray? Any suggestions on how to handle this anyone?

P.S. Your draft map contains a stray white dot just south of Golden Valley Station on the Blue Line.

[mulad]

29th Avenue station in Minneapolis has also been renamed Prospect Park.

I've mostly been trying to figure out how to include the Hi-Frequency network in this somehow, but that's difficult since they largely overlap the rapid bus/streetcar corridors.

[MNdible]

Royalston station also appears to be missing from the Green Line.

[twincitizen]

21st Ave should be 21st Street (SW Green Line)

[David Greene]

Southwest LRT station should be 21st St., not 21st Ave.

[David Greene]

Which stations is the Central missing?

Hamline, Victoria, Western.

You know, the ones the neighborhoods fought for so they wouldn't be left behind.

[Tcmetro]

Awesome map, Visualiser! The MT map is very clunky feeling, IMO.

For A-BRT, Penn and Emerson Av N have been added, basically following the 5 and 19 routes to Brooklyn Center.

[David Greene]

Awesome map, Visualiser!

Indeed! I don't want to get hung up on all the fixes.

To me, aBRT is a joke. It shouldn't be called BRT, nor should the Red Line. It's not BRT. It's enhanced bus service, which is great, but it's not BRT.

I suppose that once people are disappointed with "BRT," they'll see more of the advantages that rail has. Obviously we can't put rail everywhere but some of the aBRT lines could be streetcars.

[Visualizer]

For A-BRT, Penn and Emerson Av N have been added, basically following the 5 and 19 routes to Brooklyn Center.

Thanks. Do you have a source for this?

[Visualizer]

I've mostly been trying to figure out how to include the Hi-Frequency network in this somehow, but that's difficult since they largely overlap the rapid bus/streetcar corridors.

Cool. I was just thinking about making hi-frequency map the other day. We should dwell on it a little more...