urbanMSP

Here's a photo update for the Met Council meeting next week.

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... E-PPT.aspx

Update being given to the Met Council full meeting next week. Short-term: Central, Como-Maryland, Johnson-Lyndale, Rice-Robert Mid-term: Grand, Nicollet, West Broadway-Cedar Long-term: 63rd-Zane, Lowry, Randolph-E 7th F Line decision in March/April 2021. https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetings/Com...

I suppose I should have said that they should maintain a 38th St stop on Park/Portland or whatever detour route they're going to use. Or have a temporary stop at 38th/Chicago if the intersection reopens before the D Line starts service.

Interesting but terrible idea. If the city is intent on keeping the intersection closed, they need to maintain the stop at 38th St.

Ridership and cost/revenue statistics have been provided for route types at the agency level for some time now, typically bundled in Met Council annual reports. I believe route level data is now also available for the opt-outs in a regional report that is published annually as well. The politics bet...

I've used the 535 bus off and on from it's origin in the Central-South restructure in 2004 to 2014. I've used it from downtown, and later from South Bloomington when I lived in the south suburbs and attended Normandale. The 535 was born as a "pre-BRT" with 15 min frequencies from downtown to 76th, a...

The 7 inclusion is headscratching to me as well. I think they could be considering a restructuring with the 515. I guess we'll see in a couple months.

Bing Maps has some imagery for the Twin Cities that looks slightly more recent than what Google Earth has and is in noticeably better quality.

The connecting bus study is being revisited, after being postponed earlier this year. Meetings and public hearings likely to be scheduled in February (up for approval at Monday's Transportation Committee meeting). The scope of the bus study has been significantly reduced. It is more specific to deve...

From what I understand, the Red Line has been using the local transit center on Nicols during the pandemic. The 140th and 147th street stops were closed for four months and I believe all the other indoor MVTA stations are closed to the public.

Bus changes happening on Dec 5th. - Red Line to be operated by Metro Transit leading to some minor time and boarding changes. - Rt. 7 extended to the trailhead at Wirth Park, replacing the temporary terminal on Plymouth before the bridge. - Rt. 67 extended from Franklin Blue Line to Aldi at 14th Ave...

The original arterial BRT study that was done in 2012 said the 54 bus would see only a two minute improvement. Pretty much from going to all door boarding. The stops would be a lot nicer too, I suppose. I'm not sure that the light rail will be materially faster than the bus, but it will allow St Pau...

I think the boarded up stores doesn't really tell a good story about what's happening in Uptown. Here in Chicago, Michigan Ave was boarded up for months, and it was surreal to see lines of tourists (another issue in its own right) waiting to get into stores you couldn't even see into. As I understan...

It feels that the retail developments on Hennepin and Lake and the last redevelopment of Calhoun Square were aimed at trying to imitate and compete with 50th and France. Which is quite difficult given that even though that area is a lot less dense is more uniformly wealthy. Additionally, the City of...

There are a few zoom meetings next week about the future of Hwy 47/65 (University/Central Aves) from Minneapolis to Hwy 10/Northtown area.

Project website:
https://www.universitycentralvision.com

The biggest issue with the lettered lines is the lack of dedicated lanes to ensure reliability. They are more like better local bus routes, with fewer stops and off board payment as well as getting rid of the insane amount of route variations that Metro Transit has. The Orange line will mostly use t...

Indianapolis also ordered BYD buses for their new BRT line. I believe some of the issues have been resolved, but a future order has been cancelled. Palmdale/Lancaster CA is pretty much an all BYD fleet at this point (that is where BYD buses are manufactured in the US), and Seattle and Toronto are te...

Looks like the next we will hear about the next lines will be Dec 16th at the TAB meeting.

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... pdate.aspx

Discussion underway about the future of the Northstar line.

https://m.startribune.com/transit-offic ... lmob=y&c=n

OPUS was originally built on the philosophy of having separate road and ped networks, like Greenbelt Maryland and Milton Keynes UK. It seems a lot of the office buildings are aging and there is redevelopment pressure (as seen by other residential projects that have gone up). I hope the city can refo...