State action propels progress on UPA projects

Transit improvements on I-35W, Cedar Avenue shift into high gear

By the end of 2009, commuters using transit to get into and out of downtown Minneapolis via I-35W and Cedar Avenue will get to their destinations faster and have more options than today. They’ll be able to:

Board bus rapid transit (BRT) from one of several new and existing park-and-ride lots along Cedar Avenue in Dakota County.
Hop on an express bus from three new park-and-ride lots in the I-35W corridor.
Experience quicker boarding, disembarking and passage through downtown Minneapolis with the advent of an additional bus lane on both Marquette and Second avenues.

Aerial photo of the 95th St. Park and Ride in Blaine

Another 500 parking spaces will be created with the construction of a new parking structure on land adjacent to the current 95th St. park-and-ride lot in Blaine along I-35W.

In addition, motorists willing to pay the price will be able to drive in a dynamically priced, high-occupancy-toll (HOT) lane on I-35W from Burnsville to 46th Street in Minneapolis. The HOT lane will shift onto a dynamically priced shoulder lane north into downtown during congested periods. Carpools and buses will use the HOT lanes free of charge.

Work on these improvements and other projects is now accelerating. In mid-May, the Minnesota Legislature approved authorizing legislation and $50 million in state funds to match a $133 million federal Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) grant awarded to the region in August 2007.

“This is an exciting project that will give transit in this region a big boost, at a time when demand for transit is growing rapidly,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell. “It is a major victory for our region to have secured these funds.”

Partial illustration of placement of shoulder lane; link to compete image

A new dynamically priced shoulder lane will be open on northbound I-35W between 42nd St. and downtown Minneapolis during congested periods. See full illustration.

Improving the speed, capacity and appeal of transit

The Twin Cities metropolitan area was one of only five regions nationwide to win competitive funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s UPA program. The “urban partners” agree to use aggressive congestion reduction strategies under the umbrella of four “Ts” — tolling, transit, telecommuting and technology.

Of the $133 million federal grant, about $86 million is allocated to transit projects. Craig Lamothe, facilities planning manager for Metro Transit, said the projects are designed to:

Improve the speed and reliability of transit
Enhance the appeal and convenience of transit
Increase the capacity of transit

The federal grant requires a 20% local match, which will bring total spending on the transit projects to $107 million, Lamothe said. Each of 13 projects is being implemented by one or two of several partner agencies, including Metro Transit, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), the City of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), Dakota County and the University of Minnesota.

Lamothe convenes a group of project managers from the partner agencies to keep each other updated and coordinate activities as needed. Most of the projects were being planned before the UPA grant was awarded, but the federal funds make completion possible at a much earlier date.

“Once the Legislature acted, we switched quickly from planning to implementation and we’re moving forward on a rapid, aggressive schedule,” Lamothe said. Under the terms of the grant, most transit projects must be completed by September 2009, with the exception of improvements in downtown Minneapolis, which must be completed by the end of 2009.

See a summary of the transit projects funded under the UPA umbrella.