Vision for transit: We’ve made considerable progress

Shortly after the current members of the Metropolitan Council first took office, we adopted long-range plans that called for expanding our current bus system and developing a network of bus and rail “transitways.”

Our goal: to double transit ridership by 2030, slow the growth of traffic congestion and improve mobility for everyone.

We are making considerable progress toward achieving our vision:

• In September, we completed the first phase of bus rapid transit (BRT) improvements on I-35W and Cedar Avenue, which included opening new transit facilities in Lakeville and inaugurating transit service to that fast-growing community.
• On Nov. 16, we will begin passenger service on the region’s first commuter rail line in the Northstar Corridor between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, where it will connect with the Hiawatha light-rail transit (LRT) line near the new Twins ballpark.
• And by year’s end, we hope to obtain federal approval to begin final design of our second LRT line in the Central Corridor between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. Our goal: to start construction by the middle of next year.

By 2014, when the Central Corridor line is completed, we will have 115 miles of bus and rail transitways offering a fast, safe, convenient alternative to driving alone in rush hour traffic.

In addition, we have nearly doubled the number of park-and-ride spaces available to transit users, increasing the total to about 26,000 spaces. We also have expanded our network of bus-only shoulder lanes by nearly 50% to 290 miles, allowing transit riders to bypass rush-hour congestion and get to their destinations more quickly.

Progress will not end here. Our 2030 Transportation Policy Plan calls for further improvements to our bus system, and it identifies nine more corridors for further study as LRT, BRT or commuter rail lines.

Such transit investments will provide improved access to employment, educational and economic opportunities, contribute to a cleaner environment and enhance our region’s quality of life.

Peter Bell

October 2009