Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

[Tcmetro]

Metro Transit March 16th, 2024 service changes:

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... y-march-16

• C/D/5 - updated schedules for new detour on Osseo Rd.
• 6/17/114 - Rerouted to Emerson between 26/28th and Lake/Lagoon for Hennepin Construction.
• 21 - AM short trips between France and 27th Ave discontinued.
• 23/612 - Thru-run through Uptown due to transit center closure. Improved service on 23; More trips end at 38th St Blue Line or 42nd Ave/42nd St instead of continuing to the Vets Home. 23 to continue running through George Floyd Sq on 38th St later in the spring.
• 63/70/294/351/363 - Rerouted due to Kellogg Closure.
• 61/64/70/275/294/351 - Smith Ramp no longer a public stop; buses drop off on 5th and pick up on 6th.
• 83 - Extended to Rosedale and no longer stops at Roseville Target; uses Lexington instead of I-35E on south end of route.
• School trip changes on 6, 22, 61, 74.
• Minor changes on 75, 80, 219, 323.

[J. Mc]

Metro Transit March 16th, 2024 service changes:

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... y-march-16

• 83 - Extended to Rosedale and no longer stops at Roseville Target; uses Lexington instead of I-35E on south end of route.

Considering the main reason the 83 was traveling down I-35E instead of staying on Lexington was the residents along Lexington didn't want buses full of 'those people' on their street, it'll be interesting to see how many stops are added along that section. I'm sure the TransDev drivers will be happy not to have to make that sketchy merge southbound from W. 7th/Lexington NS over to the left turn lane for Montreal anymore!

[DanPatchToget]

Metro Transit March 16th, 2024 service changes:

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... y-march-16

• 83 - Extended to Rosedale and no longer stops at Roseville Target; uses Lexington instead of I-35E on south end of route.

Considering the main reason the 83 was traveling down I-35E instead of staying on Lexington was the residents along Lexington didn't want buses full of 'those people' on their street, it'll be interesting to see how many stops are added along that section. I'm sure the TransDev drivers will be happy not to have to make that sketchy merge southbound from W. 7th/Lexington NS over to the left turn lane for Montreal anymore!

I just assumed Route 83 was routed on 35E because there were constraints with the streets that would make it difficult operating buses through there, but if it was NIMBYism (or I guess in this case NIMFYism) then that's an absolute shame.

[Tcmetro]

Yeah, the 83 was rerouted to 35E due to complaints from the residents of Lexington south of Randolph. With the new extension of Lexington Pkwy the route on 35E is probably harder to justify.

[Vagueperson]

Anyone know where I can find more info on the rerouting of the #64: "Routing will temporarily change to 7th St. due to 6th St. construction."
The PDF map they give doesn't show where the stops will be or give any details on timing.

[Bakken2016]

Anyone know where I can find more info on the rerouting of the #64: "Routing will temporarily change to 7th St. due to 6th St. construction."
The PDF map they give doesn't show where the stops will be or give any details on timing.

It was a last minute change, let me see if we can get stops posted on the website.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bakken2016]

Anyone know where I can find more info on the rerouting of the #64: "Routing will temporarily change to 7th St. due to 6th St. construction."
The PDF map they give doesn't show where the stops will be or give any details on timing.

It was a last minute change, let me see if we can get stops posted on the website.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Update: If you plan a trip, the data has been updated to show where the bus stops are. But basically 7th St just past Wall, nearside Robert, nearside Cedar, nearside St Peter, and nearside Old 6th St.

[Vagueperson]

thanks!

[Bakken2016]

thanks!

Another update: We have put out rider alerts for each downtown St Paul route, so those will list the stops as well.

[twincitizen]

Moved Uber/Lyft discussion to its own thread: viewtopic.php?t=4239

[Silophant]

Metro Transit is presenting an update on the LRT train size plans to the Met Council. Looks like 2-car service will start on weekends (unless there's a Twins or United home game) April 13th, extending to 7 days a week (except event days) with the June service change. Then, with the August service change, they'll go to 12 minute frequency across the majority of the service day, continuing with two cars except on event days.

[HuskyGrad]

Metro Transit is presenting an update on the LRT train size plans to the Met Council. Looks like 2-car service will start on weekends (unless there's a Twins or United home game) April 13th, extending to 7 days a week (except event days) with the June service change. Then, with the August service change, they'll go to 12 minute frequency across the majority of the service day, continuing with two cars except on event days.

If I recall correctly, they used to run 3-car trains during weekday peaks, then cut a car during midday service.

[angrysuburbanite]

https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation ... eport.aspx

2023 Regional Park & Ride Report is now out. Some modest increase in usage, but still way, way below 2019 levels.

Top 5 by usage is pretty much the same as 2022 I think:
1. Burnsville - 404
2. Maple Grove - 340
3. Apple Valley - 333
4. SouthWest Station - 235
5. I-35W & 95th Avenue - 212

The top 5 by % of parking spaces utilized is also an interesting one to look at:
1. Mound (Rte. 645) - 98% (49/50)
2. Como & Eustis (Rts. 3 & 30) - 95% (36/38)
3. I-35W & 98th Street (Orange Line) - 55% (108/195)
4. Becker Municipal Lot (Northstar Link) - 50% (10/20)
5. Maple Grove Transit Station (Rts. 781, 784, 789) - 37% (340/924, notably down from 416 in 2022)

[DanPatchToget]

Not long ago the park & ride at 35W & 98th Street Station (or as I prefer to call it by its original name South Bloomington Transit Center) was bursting at the seams except maybe Fridays. 10 years ago I said they should build a parking ramp there, and thank goodness nobody listened. Too bad the parking ramps at Southwest Station and Apple Valley Transit Station were still expanded, and there's still some fixation on building massive park & rides with planned/under construction transitways (except the aBRT routes). There's a place for park & ride facilities along transitways in suburban areas, but it would be nice to start small like 30th Avenue Park & Ride on the Blue Line originally was and just leave enough space to expand if/when there's the demand instead of immediately building a multi-million dollar park & ride that on good days will only reach 25% usage.

Here's the park & ride usage at Northstar Line stations, for anyone curious:
Fridley Station: 8/421 (2%)
Coon Rapids/Riverdale Station: 45/455 (10%)
Anoka Station: 24/525 (5%)
Ramsey Station: 73/360 (20%)
Elk River Station: 72/754 (10%)
Big Lake Station: 49/518 (9%)

Considering it's a parking ramp, why does the park & ride in Mound only show a capacity of 50? Are only 50 spaces in the parking ramp reserved for park & riders?

Also kind of surprised the park & ride on Knox Avenue by the Best Buy HQ is closed permanently. It seemed pretty well used pre-COVID and now has the Orange Line (even though now you'd have to walk a few minutes to reach the station).

[Bakken2016]

Not long ago the park & ride at 35W & 98th Street Station (or as I prefer to call it by its original name South Bloomington Transit Center) was bursting at the seams except maybe Fridays. 10 years ago I said they should build a parking ramp there, and thank goodness nobody listened. Too bad the parking ramps at Southwest Station and Apple Valley Transit Station were still expanded, and there's still some fixation on building massive park & rides with planned/under construction transitways (except the aBRT routes). There's a place for park & ride facilities along transitways in suburban areas, but it would be nice to start small like 30th Avenue Park & Ride on the Blue Line originally was and just leave enough space to expand if/when there's the demand instead of immediately building a multi-million dollar park & ride that on good days will only reach 25% usage.

Here's the park & ride usage at Northstar Line stations, for anyone curious:
Fridley Station: 8/421 (2%)
Coon Rapids/Riverdale Station: 45/455 (10%)
Anoka Station: 24/525 (5%)
Ramsey Station: 73/360 (20%)
Elk River Station: 72/754 (10%)
Big Lake Station: 49/518 (9%)

Considering it's a parking ramp, why does the park & ride in Mound only show a capacity of 50? Are only 50 spaces in the parking ramp reserved for park & riders?

Also kind of surprised the park & ride on Knox Avenue by the Best Buy HQ is closed permanently. It seemed pretty well used pre-COVID and now has the Orange Line (even though now you'd have to walk a few minutes to reach the station).

The Knox Ave Park & Ride closed due to the expansion of 494.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DanPatchToget]

From what I can see on MnDOT's website about the 494 project, nothing will be abutting the Best Buy HQ, so I don't see why the park & ride has to be closed for the freeway expansion. I can see it being closed because they're using the parking lot for construction equipment staging, but it would've been nice to keep a small parcel of the parking lot open for park & riders.

[Tom H.]

Fridley Station: 8/421 (2%)

I just took 6d6 psychic damage from reading that.

[mattaudio]

From what I can see on MnDOT's website about the 494 project, nothing will be abutting the Best Buy HQ, so I don't see why the park & ride has to be closed for the freeway expansion. I can see it being closed because they're using the parking lot for construction equipment staging, but it would've been nice to keep a small parcel of the parking lot open for park & riders.

My guess is they intend to use it as a staging area for future phases of the interchange reconstruction (current phase is 1 of 3?) and it doesn't make sense to build a P&R which they might need to close or remove for future construction staging.

[Tcmetro]

IIRC they are braiding the 35W to 494 flyover ramp with the Penn Ave ramp, which would require a larger ROW. I believe they've value engineered the plans though, so that may no longer be the case.

[mattaudio]

Odd enough, the giant extra bays under the sides of the Penn and Lyndale SPUI bridges - which MnDOT made Richfield pay for when those two interchanges were rebuilt in advance of a 494/35W rebuild - are not going to be used per the latest long-term design.