Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

[twincitizen]

Poorly written blurb about arterial BRT: http://www.startribune.com/local/185377622.html

My comment ripping Dakota County Commissioners for blocking the use of the word "Rapid" was not accepted!

Not so much transit, but MinnPost on gas taxes being the "new" third rail of politics: http://www.minnpost.com/community-voice ... lic-policy

I feel like if the public could be convinced that gas taxes are strictly used for roads, and the lack of gas tax increases are directly causing property tax increases or other cuts, a gas tax increase could be feasible (not popular, just politically feasible). Of course, we'd still need that sales tax increase to pay for transit...

[mulad]

Just a note that there's a Passenger Rail Forum meeting today at 10:00 in Room 5 of the State Office Building for people who are interested in that. I also have conference call info, so PM me if anyone wants that.

[twincitizen]

More on new rules: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/home-f ... ion-policy

Pigs can fly...as long as you call them "fees": http://www.governing.com/news/state/gov ... s-tax.html

[mulad]

Some 2012 ridership stats from Metro Transit. Articles from the Strib and St. Cloud Times have a few more details.

Overall ridership was up by 165,044, to make 2012's total 81,053,506 (2011 was 80,888,462 according to that math). That's 0.2%.

Hiawatha (Blue Line) ridership is up and set a new record at 10,498,236 (97,372 over 2011 -- a 0.9% increase). That surprised me a lot considering that it was out of service for several weekends due to CCLRT (Green Line) construction at the link-up between the Metrodome and Cedar-Riverside, plus other downtime for maintenance elsewhere.

Urban local routes fell by 117k (-0.2%) to 58,734,867, though express routes were up 88k to 9.5 million (0.9%), and suburban locals were up 100k to 1.7 million (6.4%).

Northstar fell from 703,400 to 700,726, though flagging weekend ridership to Twins and Vikings games has been driving the decline -- weekday ridership is up 4%. The fare reduction in August had apparently driven weekday ridership up over the mid-year numbers by 6% in September and 20% in December (helped by the opening of the station in Ramsey, though I suspect there's some seasonality to that too).

[mulad]

Actually, Drew Kerr put together a nice table of numbers on the brand-spanking-new Finance & Commerce transit blog

[twincitizen]

He also put together a great list of transity people/things to follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drewbkerr/status/286515948595318784

If you like following transit/urban planning news and you aren't on Twitter yet, you're really missing out. I say that as someone who held out on Twitter until like a year ago. You don't have to "tweet" every time you take a big dump, if that's what's stopping you. That's completely optional.

[woofner]

Urban local routes fell by 117k (-0.2%) to 58,734,867, though express routes were up 88k to 9.5 million (0.9%), and suburban locals were up 100k to 1.7 million (6.4%).

This massive improvement in suburban local ridership is interesting. Did it really jump that much or is it just a change how certain routes are categorized? What is the historical pattern? Does anyone know where to find that data? I typically get data from the NTD, which doesn't break out suburban locals.

[mattaudio]

I wonder how much money was spent in building new "free" parking at park and rides last year, compared with this increased ridership.

[mulad]

Urban local routes fell by 117k (-0.2%) to 58,734,867, though express routes were up 88k to 9.5 million (0.9%), and suburban locals were up 100k to 1.7 million (6.4%).

This massive improvement in suburban local ridership is interesting. Did it really jump that much or is it just a change how certain routes are categorized? What is the historical pattern? Does anyone know where to find that data? I typically get data from the NTD, which doesn't break out suburban locals.

You pretty took the words right out of my mouth -- I was wondering about a recategorization when I wrote that post, but decided against mentioning it. I am pretty suspicious, since the urban local loss is so close to the suburban local gain.

[twincitizen]

Metro Chambers of Commerce pleading to the legislature for more transit funding: http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1008 ... t-buildup-

This can only be seen as a good thing.

[nordeast homer]

Metro Chambers of Commerce pleading to the legislature for more transit funding: http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1008 ... t-buildup-

This can only be seen as a good thing.

As a taxpayer who has already seen his taxes jump, I beg to differ. Where is the money coming from? We just hiked the gas tax a couple of years ago to deal with roads and transit issues and they've already squandered that money away. Until this state can figure out how to be more fiscally responsible I don't want to give them another red cent.
Do I want better transit options, yes; but the current state and federal governments seem to think there is a bottomless pit of money out there and there is not! Figure out what to cut, then use those funds.

[mulad]

Eh, I wouldn't necessarily say that the gas tax has been squandered away -- it was too low to begin with and wasn't increased enough (though the federal gas tax is also probably too low). We are restricted somewhat in Minnesota since the fuel excise tax is constitutionally required to be fed back into road projects (though I think Mn/DOT has occasionally been of the opinion that things like BRT can be paid for with fuel taxes since busways and bus lanes are roads too).

When talking about the federal government, we really do have a bottomless pit of money available -- it's just appropriate to create money (and destroy it, though that rarely/never happens) at an appropriate rate so that it gets absorbed into the economy. It's okay to print money as long as there is something to spend it on -- if there isn't enough economic activity going on, then inflation can take over because money seems to just be sitting around. Our extremely low interest rates are a strong indication that the government isn't spending enough.

The states are different though -- Is Minnesota one of the states that requires a balanced budget? I think so, but I forget... Anyway, it's more important for states to worry accounting, just since they don't really have the power to print money like the feds do. (I'm thinking that a state bank like the Bank of North Dakota might provide ways of getting around that, but that one in particular was set up for different reasons.)

It is important to spend the money on appropriate things, of course. There will always be some waste, and some projects will simply be unpopular even if they're good for the general economy. Obviously, I tend to think that transit projects are a good idea, since they tend to promote development along long-neglected corridors within cities, while highway projects tend to be built out in the suburbs/exurbs. We've spent a century building out the road network, and it's more or less complete at this point, so the vast bulk of road/highway spending should really be put into maintenance these days rather than expansion. In contrast, the bus/rail transit networks in both the metro area and statewide have been shrinking for almost as long, and the funding there should be funneled mostly into expanding/rebuilding -- maintenance funds need to be there, but that shouldn't be the focus.

[Viktor Vaughn]

Yes, Minnesota, and nearly every other state, constitutionally requires a balanced budget. However, this requirement has been repeatedly flouted through magical accounting and budget tricks such as the school 'shift', tobacco bonds, and structural deficits pushed off into the next bienium.

[mplsjaromir]

I grow tired of drivers who think they pay for all the infrastructure they use through their taxes and fees. Transit riders accept that their fares do not pay the entire operation, non-transit riders would never let them forget that anyway.

Also if people are willing to lend money to the federal government at negative interest rates, why not spend it and build useful stuff like bridges and trains?

Drivers don't pay their full share!

[woofner]

According to the study cited in the story mplsjaromir linked to, in Minnesota only 23.6% of road spending is covered by "Fuel Taxes, Tolls, & Other User Taxes & Fees." For "All Transportation Spending covered by User Taxes & Fees" the percentage rises to 29.9% Metro Transit is required by law to pay for 30% or so of its operations with fares. SO WE HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD FOR USER FEE RECOVERY FOR TRANSIT THAN WE HAVE FOR ROADS. Please repeat this at church on Sunday.

[UptownSport]

I agree with Homer- And, fair warning, Some of this really gets under my skin ...
WE are paying a tax for the domes already, adding more to a sales tax may overwhelm people or business.
Working at a car dealer is a good job, and they've all moved out of both cities.

I love to mention Sonia Pitt, the state agency I worked for was full of 'em- did next to nothing but collected $100,000 salary. They all protected each other, so it was more or less a big money grab,

[VAStationDude]

Local option sales taxes don't apply to the mvst, pal. The business community is the biggest force behind transit expansion in Minneapolis. I don't believe Chamber of Commerce has taken a position on the proposed sales tax increase, however. Cities like Dallas and Miami have higher transit sales taxes and they're not exactly dying.

[mplsjaromir]

Working at a wheat farm is a good job, and they've all moved out of both cities.

Except for the Volvo dealer on Lyndale, new car dealerships moved out of the cities because they want huge parking lots, not because of tax burdens.

[UptownSport]

I wonder if they know there are fields of huge car lots that exist along a very busy, densely populated Street called University*?
Perhaps we could buy them up before they find out!

[UptownSport]

And working on a wheat farm isn't a great job, take my word on that.