urbanMSP

Meandering back to the topic of the blue line:

I agree with what many others have said on the site. I would actually be OK with illuminating one of the two Southloop stations.

It feels like they’re trying to make the Bloomington central station area into a bedroom community. The only people there are the people who live there. It really is a shame.






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Bill Lindeke put it well a few years ago: Density Without Mixed-Use Baffles Me.

This basically applies to the South Loop. Back in the early 00's, if you would've known how trends in urban development would go, you would never have planned the LRT as they did, with three stations in an area that at best needed one. But back then, it probably seemed realistic that the South Loop-American Blvd area would become a "retrofitting the suburbs" quasi-urban zone that could be mildly redeemed by transit. Similar ideas are still at play all over the place, for example with the Silver Line extension for the DC Metro. But the urban landscape is not so easily transformed, which is why South Loop boosters are looking towards a moonshot like the World's Fair to try to get money and political capital into the area.

I'm not sure it makes a ton of sense to remove or close a station or two now. Since the South Loop is at the far end of the line, the extra station(s) aren't an aggravation to too many people. The best thing that could be done would be to take the L and continue to develop the South Loop area, just make sure it's done well, forcing developers to include retail spaces even if they might take years to lease, and redesigning the roads down there with paint and curbs to make it less of a wasteland.

Would've been a good place for the Vikings training center that ended up in Eagan.

Alright who else is going to be like me and instead of being passive aggressive tell people they can't smoke on the train when they start smoking? I've only seen it twice (one of those times being today), and I'm already sick of it. We're going to lose riders if people continue to smoke on the train and no one tells them to stop.

How are there not smoke detectors on the trains? Or if there are, they clearly aren’t sensitive enough. You’d think a loud, ongoing alarm would be a solid deterrent (and alert Metro Transit to the smoker’s location). Even if the smoker was undeterred by an alarm, the other passengers would be much more likely to speak up and or throw them off the train

I never seen anybody smoke on a train before.. on the station platform yes, still wrong there too but I don't say anything since I just go to the other side of the station anyways.. but if I was stuck with somebody smoking on the train i'd probably take a picture and send it to Metro Transit with a long winded angry message. I wouldn't confront them directly to many wackjobs out there that ride the train who arent all there.. Maybe there is some tech where ya can text MT. and they can send a MT officer to the train if there is one near by? Either way those cameras in the trains should be able to catch it too shouldn't they?

Maybe there is some tech where ya can text MT. and they can send a MT officer to the train if there is one near by?

https://www.metrotransit.org/textforsafety

There is! never used it so I don't know how it works but its there.

I've used it a few times, you connect with someone in the dispatch center I think, they seem to be in direct communication with officer dispatch based on the few times I've used it.

MnDOT looking to upgrade the signals at Blue Line and 35th St: https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... d-TIP.aspx

Don't say much about what "upgrade" means. Better sensors/timing?

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With signal upgrades, Twin Cities Blue Line LRT provides more consistent travel times

Metro Transit replaced outdated equipment at 10 intersections in Bloomington with new technology that improves communication between traffic lights for motor vehicles and the system that controls trains. The technology can detect when a train is approaching an intersection and give it a longer green light to keep trains rolling, said Metro Transit engineer and project manager Ryan Heath.

(whispers) Now maybe they could close two stations in Bloomington and make it go even faster.

(whispers) Now maybe they could close two stations in Bloomington and make it go even faster.

Either closing Bloomington Central or replacing Bloomington Central and 28th with a new station midway between the two would be enough. Longer term have a straighter and quicker alignment to the MoA.

Metro Transit is piloting metal panels at Franklin Ave Station instead of glass. It seems there has been a lot of damage issues over the years with glass, so they are trying something new. Definitely let Customer Relations know your feedback. I personally think they look neat, and if this helps saves maintenance costs I’m all for it!


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I like it. At least they haven’t used the opportunity to remove the benches for the angled leaning beams.

Metro Transit is piloting metal panels at Franklin Ave Station instead of glass. It seems there has been a lot of damage issues over the years with glass, so they are trying something new. Definitely let Customer Relations know your feedback. I personally think they look neat, and if this helps saves maintenance costs I’m all for it!


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It’s ok, I’d say it look better with larger holes for more visibility. In an artistic design that doesn’t simulate bars obviously. Plus cover it with plexiglass during the winter to help retain heat.

This design should have been used at all sheltered bus stops years ago. With more visibility given our shelters are backwards cause of our excessive snow.

Would that block the wind at all? Doesn't seem to offer a lot of visibility for the trade-off.

My buddy lives about two blocks away from the Franklin Blue Line station, just to the east of Minnehaha. He gave up using LRT there a few months ago because the crossing at Franklin and Cedar is so hostile to pedestrians from aggressive drivers. The area was already pretty scary with all the shootings and crime. It's pretty disappointing that that station remains sort of an island surrounded by stroads and highway infrastructure nearly 20 years after the Blue Line began.

My buddy lives about two blocks away from the Franklin Blue Line station, just to the east of Minnehaha. He gave up using LRT there a few months ago because the crossing at Franklin and Cedar is so hostile to pedestrians from aggressive drivers. The area was already pretty scary with all the shootings and crime. It's pretty disappointing that that station remains sort of an island surrounded by stroads and highway infrastructure nearly 20 years after the Blue Line began.

It is much better then it used to be when it was a 5 way intersection with Minnehaha.

Metro Transit is piloting metal panels at Franklin Ave Station instead of glass. It seems there has been a lot of damage issues over the years with glass, so they are trying something new. Definitely let Customer Relations know your feedback. I personally think they look neat, and if this helps saves maintenance costs I’m all for it!


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Looks nice, but I wonder how warm it will be in the winter (i.e., does it block the wind enough)?

The area was already pretty scary with all the shootings and crime.