Search found 7752 matches

by mattaudio
February 13th, 2023, 9:51 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Dan Patch Intercity Regional Passenger Rail
Replies: 180
Views: 158626

Re: Dan Patch Intercity Regional Passenger Rail

I can't imagine Dan Patch as a branch of SWLRT. It *could* make sense as a regional rail link between existing lines at Northfield and Savage to the Iron Triangle near the West End to bring passenger trains to Downtown Minneapolis. Imagine passenger rail from the metro to Sioux Falls via Mankato/Wor...
by mattaudio
February 13th, 2023, 9:25 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Heritage lines, excursion trains, and other railroad attractions in MN
Replies: 16
Views: 7933

Re: Heritage lines, excursion trains, and other railroad attractions in MN

My son thanks you - we now have more places to go check out trains. Except he does not yet understand that I can't summon a train to show up just because we're near train tracks. Since we're plugging depots, historic rail spots, and railfan sites: - Depot Bar & Grill in Downtown Faribault. This ...
by mattaudio
January 31st, 2023, 2:16 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northern Lights Express
Replies: 510
Views: 497581

Re: Northern Lights Express

Will NLX use Amtrak Airo/Siemens Venture trainsets? From a service standpoint, how could the Northstar Bombardier Bi-Levels be integrated into a common regional rail service brand? Northstar's 6 trainsets are woefully underutilized and could probably support 4-6 trips per day to St. Cloud and Mankat...
by mattaudio
January 30th, 2023, 10:37 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Downtown Minneapolis LRT Tunnel Discussion
Replies: 49
Views: 21718

Re: Downtown Minneapolis LRT Tunnel Discussion

Back in the Minnescraper days, possibly before Target Field, I pined for a 6th Street tunnel. It would have leveraged the Target Field and Metrodome excavations for eastern and western portals. And, because it was already full unreality, I suggested a two-level tunnel akin to Market Street in SFO or...
by mattaudio
January 13th, 2023, 1:54 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - North, Northeast, and Southeast / University of Minnesota
Topic: University of Minnesota - News & General Topics
Replies: 615
Views: 1135107

Re: University of Minnesota - News & General Topics

Does that mean they'd close the existing east and west bank facilities minus the children's hospital? Or just close the east bank hospital?
by mattaudio
December 22nd, 2022, 9:29 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northern Lights Express
Replies: 510
Views: 497581

Re: Northern Lights Express

The bridge over the river is double-tracked, but there are tiny single-track choke points at the Target Field Station throat and the southern leg of the Mpls Jct wye. Somewhere in a thread long ago I suggested converting these to double crossovers so there are effectively two mains from Mpls Jct to ...
by mattaudio
December 22nd, 2022, 9:13 am
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion
Replies: 124
Views: 96483

Re: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion

My first reaction was wanting to see the Swedish Hospital building facing Elliot Park preserved, but that's only a small part of that superblock. Between demolition of the Parkside ramp, and hypothetical reconstruction or reconfiguration of those old MMC facilities between Swedish Hospital and the b...
by mattaudio
December 21st, 2022, 3:57 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion
Replies: 124
Views: 96483

Re: Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Clinic Expansion

So they plan to expand the parking ramp on their block facing Thrivent, then demo their parking ramp near Parkside Professional Bldg/North Central University where they will build a bed tower. While that may be a fine plan, I'm not sure what it has to do with either (a) shrinking their footprint or ...
by mattaudio
December 20th, 2022, 1:13 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northern Lights Express
Replies: 510
Views: 497581

Re: Northern Lights Express

Yes. There's been talk about a station at Foley Park & Ride serving Amtrak, NLX, and Northstar. While that would probably be fine, something in NE Mpls would be better. Now into full fantasy territory, sure seems like a station at the Minneapolis Junction wye (to allow direct service on NLX and ...
by mattaudio
December 19th, 2022, 9:14 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Northern Lights Express
Replies: 510
Views: 497581

Re: Northern Lights Express

It would also be easier to share trainsets between NLX and TCMC if there was one primary Amtrak station/terminal in the metro.
Instead, we'll have Empire Builder and additional Chicago services stopping at SPUD, NLX terminus at Target Field, and a servicing facility at Midway Station.
by mattaudio
December 19th, 2022, 9:08 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: MSP Airport / Metropolitan Airports Commission
Replies: 1359
Views: 346057

Re: MSP Airport

FBOs are terminals, just not commercial air service terminals- that may explain the naming question. Regarding filling in the lake, remember this plan which DID put a commercial terminal on the northwest corner? Funny but related, I can no longer find the source but I once read the reason Terminal 1...
by mattaudio
December 15th, 2022, 10:17 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: MSP Airport / Metropolitan Airports Commission
Replies: 1359
Views: 346057

Re: MSP Airport

Long Term Plan updates are nearing a final recommendation. Here's a presentation from a few months back: https://www.mspairport.com/sites/default/files/2022-08/ExperienceMSP_%233_FINAL.pdf Likely changes include: - Crossover taxiway between the north and south sides of T1 close to Hwy 5 across the a...
by mattaudio
November 18th, 2022, 4:44 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - South, Southwest, and Uptown
Topic: Chicago Avenue Corridor - Powderhorn & Nokomis Area
Replies: 57
Views: 29909

Re: Chicago Avenue Corridor - Powderhorn & Nokomis Area

5401 Chicago Ave
A new, four-story mixed-use building with 50 dwelling units and approximately 3,800 square feet of commercial space.
https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/download ... aff%20memo
2022-11-18 16_42_10-5401 Chicago Ave.png
by mattaudio
September 7th, 2022, 6:52 pm
Forum: Minneapolis - Downtown
Topic: Harmonia - 255 2nd Ave S - 25ish / 20ish / 10ish stories
Replies: 31
Views: 28615

Re: Downtown Minneapolis - News & General Topics

The cash vaults used to be down there. Like pallets of cash. They’re elsewhere in Minneapolis now.
by mattaudio
June 29th, 2022, 3:52 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project
Replies: 1121
Views: 242191

Re: Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project

Want to get between transit stations on opposite corners of the intersection? Good luck!

https://www.startribune.com/man-run-ove ... 600185591/
by mattaudio
June 29th, 2022, 3:10 pm
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project
Replies: 1121
Views: 242191

Re: Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project

That's a great idea. Too bad MVTA and Metro Transit have different stations. ReGiOnAl
by mattaudio
June 23rd, 2022, 10:05 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction (Douglas to Lake St)
Replies: 433
Views: 200585

Re: Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction (Douglas to Lake St)

Could the two lanes of southbound Hennepin be pick-up/ drop-off during events? Seems like there should be a way to make those lanes on Hennepin from Lake to Lagoon a little more dynamic. A median in the middle could have helped with drop-offs too if done right.
by mattaudio
June 22nd, 2022, 8:27 am
Forum: Greater Minnesota
Topic: Duluth - General Topics
Replies: 65
Views: 76788

Re: Duluth - General Topics

Hah, maybe they'll follow Mayo with plans to put a luxury hotel on top of a clinical tower (that's the most recent yet on-hold plan for adding another 10 stories to the Gonda tower)... always thought it would be weird to stay in a hotel like that for any non-medical reason. Agreed on the appeal of t...
by mattaudio
June 22nd, 2022, 8:19 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: Amtrak: Empire Builder and Borealis (TCMC)
Replies: 625
Views: 391236

Re: Amtrak Empire Builder and TCMC

put those woefully underutilized northstar trainsets to use
by mattaudio
June 15th, 2022, 5:30 am
Forum: Transportation
Topic: D Line - Chicago-Fremont/Emerson Rapid Bus
Replies: 225
Views: 75964

Re: D Line - Chicago-Fremont/Emerson Rapid Bus

The problem with eliminating the 133 is that it removes a good route from the Bloomington Avenue corridor between 46th and 54th, an area that is already transit-poor. Seriously, a major downgrade for the Cedar and Bloomington area of West Nokomis.

Extending the C Line down Cedar would fix this.