urbanMSP

Aren't the 60' buses for the C Line?

Aren't the 60' buses for the C Line?

Yes.

Even though the press release says the artics are for the A Line, I'm more than certain that they are for the C Line. MT already has ordered (and begun to receive) 40 foot Gilligs for the A Line.

NVM: see above two posts.

I'm disappointed with the shelters. They are more permanent in that they have a concrete base, but they actually provide less protection than the old shelters and they do not appear to be any larger. Seems like this was a large waste of money.

They seem to work fine for the light rail stations...

Which aren't really that warm on a cold day. I'd find myself waiting in the elevator lobbies at the Franklin and Lake Stations on days where temps fall below 25.

Sure. But then, the old-style shelters aren't great in below-freezing weather either.

I'm disappointed with the shelters. They are more permanent in that they have a concrete base, but they actually provide less protection than the old shelters and they do not appear to be any larger. Seems like this was a large waste of money.

The shelters aren't the only part of this project. The bump-outs, signal priority, and off-board payment can still make this project a huge improvement.

On a project with significant price inflation and additional operating expense foregoing more costly and difficult to maintain enclosed shelters was a good call. Personally I dress warm enough to keep warm when walking and standing under transit heat lamps.

One of my issues with normal shelters is the gap at the bottom that lets wind blow freely through them. This is one problem that is fixed in the new design. But I share the worry that the newer design doesn't wrap around enough to keep people warmer. I believe these new shelters are supposed to get radiant heaters like LRT stations and some busier bus stops have, and that should help a bit. Hopefully, the better lighting and signage will also have a positive psychological effect even if it doesn't actually let people be any warmer.

It also seems that the shelters don't protect the passengers from road splash. It also would've been nice to add a sturdy concrete bollard at the upstream part of each platform to protect the passengers in case of a car swerving up onto the platform. Snelling has speeds upwards of 40+ mph. Seems like that would been a relatively inexpensive investment which could save a life.

And and/ or an expensive bus shelter.

The stations along the faster part of Snelling are mostly set back from the main driving lanes -- Snelling north of Hoyt actually has bus-only shoulders!

On a project with significant price inflation and additional operating expense foregoing more costly and difficult to maintain enclosed shelters was a good call. Personally I dress warm enough to keep warm when walking and standing under transit heat lamps.

But using their standard shelters would be cheaper AND more protective. The rain in Minneapolis is horizontal -- anyone waiting at one of these shelters on the east side of Snelling in any kind of rain might as well be standing outside. I've gotten rained on at many of the LRT stations, and those (generally) have much more generous roof cover than these stations.

Well, yes. Whoever designs transit shelters apparently thinks that rain and snow always falls straight down. That's often not the case. Personally, I think we worry a bit too much about rain/snow, since that usually isn't coming down heavily enough to be a problem.

We're in winter now, but I often think shelters should be more focused on providing shade than protection from precipitation. The guard against rain and snow comes naturally from that, though.

The wind also blows much more regularly than we find anything falling from the sky, though of course there can be sweltering days in summer where the wind hardly blows at all.

I'd like to see someone design a shelter with some passive cooling elements, perhaps some vents that open up once the temperature reaches a certain point. There might also be ways to change roof panels transparent in the winter to help with heat. But of course, any moving elements are likely to get stuck and need repair, so the idea may only have limited value.

No idea how much it costs, but solid state, dynamically tinted glass is commercially available.

Vents are a good idea, though, as you say, moving parts need maintenance/are vulnerable to vandalism.

This is the size that I originally thought all the stop shelters would be. It looks like there are many different sized shelters along the line.

Saw an A Line bus heading north at Snelling and Selby this afternoon, then what I think was the same one turning around at the bus barn site and going back south. Route training? Speed tests?

It may have been related to Metro Transit showing off the bus and route to KARE11 yesterday:
http://www.kare11.com/news/new-metro-tr ... d/24316365