Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

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RailBaronYarr
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby RailBaronYarr » April 22nd, 2016, 2:12 pm

As a daily 94 rider, much of that has to do with no dedicated lanes or signal priority in downtown Minneapolis (and to a lesser extent, St Paul) along with making twice as many stops for passengers in each downtown vs the GL. I gripe about the PM westbound 94 congestion slowing the 94 bus, but since it scoots on the shoulder in a few spots, it's not as big of a deal as downtown. A 94 bus making an inline freeway stop at Snelling, ina MnPASS lane, with no slowdowns on either end would be pretty fast and great. And it could make the Gold Line decently worthwhile if they just extended it to Minneapolis with its all day frequencies.

twincitizen
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby twincitizen » April 22nd, 2016, 3:31 pm

That's all true, of course, but I bet you won't see Metro Transit put an ounce of care into making the 94 faster until they have to*

*i.e. When the Green Line is so ridiculously over capacity at rush hour that they need to start attracting some riders back to the 94

Silophant
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Silophant » April 22nd, 2016, 8:32 pm

It'll be pretty great when they stop building stuff over the LRT tracks by the stadium and causing busititutions what seems like every weekend.
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FISHMANPET
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby FISHMANPET » April 22nd, 2016, 8:37 pm

Wast last time related to the bridge? I thought it was relating to some road work down on Hennepin Ave.

But I'm pretty sure this one is about the bridge, as I can't imagine why else the crew would still have been working at 6:30 on a Friday when I was going home.

VAStationDude
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby VAStationDude » April 22nd, 2016, 8:40 pm

MT fixed a rail at Warehouse two weekends back. I'm not sure what's happening this weekend. They're replacing the switches at park and Hennepin this summer. Expect several more weekend interruptions.

Silophant
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Silophant » April 23rd, 2016, 12:19 pm

That's true, last time wasn't bridge-related. MT probably should have pushed that rail replacement out to when the bridge crew was ready for their work. Idk.
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Tcmetro
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Tcmetro » April 23rd, 2016, 1:25 pm

Bus Lanes in downtown, the MnPass project (under study), and ticket machines could probably bring travel times down to 15-20 minutes on the 94 line.

Ticket machines shouldn't be that hard to do, especially since aBRT will bring them to both downtowns.

grant1simons2
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby grant1simons2 » April 23rd, 2016, 1:46 pm

Plans to simplify and create a more reliable schedule for the 9 out to West End

http://www.metrocouncil.org/Council-Mee ... ation.aspx

Silophant
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Silophant » April 23rd, 2016, 10:28 pm

That's true, last time wasn't bridge-related. MT probably should have pushed that rail replacement out to when the bridge crew was ready for their work. Idk.
They were also doing rail work across University from Stadium Village Station at about 2pm today. So it wasn't just the bridge.
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VAStationDude
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby VAStationDude » April 29th, 2016, 6:03 pm

MT fixed a rail at Warehouse two weekends back. I'm not sure what's happening this weekend. They're replacing the switches at park and Hennepin this summer. Expect several more weekend interruptions.
So I was wrong about the switches that's happening next summer. See the first non consent item.

http://www.metrocouncil.org/getdoc/1096 ... genda.aspx

lordmoke
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby lordmoke » May 2nd, 2016, 3:32 pm

Guessing the redesign means that those track areas will be fenced/ barricaded off in the future?

All around great news if this reduces the number of random weekend downtown closures.

HiawathaGuy
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby HiawathaGuy » May 2nd, 2016, 3:45 pm

Guessing the redesign means that those track areas will be fenced/ barricaded off in the future?

All around great news if this reduces the number of random weekend downtown closures.
I was trying to figure out what that slide presentation actually "meant". I hope someone on here can shed some light.

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FISHMANPET
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby FISHMANPET » May 2nd, 2016, 3:55 pm

They want to replace the switches at two points downtown. The electronics and rails require a lot of maintenance because they get soaked in all the grime and muck on the streets. It sounds like they want to rebuild it to look more like the points between West Bank Station and the Washington Ave Bridge on the Green Line, where it's all elevated, and thus soaks less in the muck.

HiawathaGuy
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby HiawathaGuy » May 2nd, 2016, 4:02 pm

They want to replace the switches at two points downtown. The electronics and rails require a lot of maintenance because they get soaked in all the grime and muck on the streets. It sounds like they want to rebuild it to look more like the points between West Bank Station and the Washington Ave Bridge on the Green Line, where it's all elevated, and thus soaks less in the muck.
That's what I was thinking, but wasn't sure. Thanks!

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Tiller
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby Tiller » May 2nd, 2016, 5:08 pm

It sounds like they want to rebuild it to look more like the points between West Bank Station and the Washington Ave Bridge on the Green Line, where it's all elevated, and thus soaks less in the muck.
Sounds like some incremental grade-separation progress towards a transit tunnel. Today we separate the rails from the muck, and tomorrow, we deep bore a University Avenue tunnel to St Paul!

mulad
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby mulad » May 2nd, 2016, 10:16 pm

I would call it "exposed" rather than "elevated". Makes me worry that it will be more likely for wayward drivers to get stuck. I'm imagining something like the crossovers next to TPT in downtown St. Paul, which also has a barrier wall between the travel lane and the tracks.

twinkess
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby twinkess » May 3rd, 2016, 9:46 am

Will Warehouse District and Target Field stations still see service during the construction period? I don't see how if they're working on the tracks themselves.

HiawathaGuy
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby HiawathaGuy » May 3rd, 2016, 10:25 am

Will Warehouse District and Target Field stations still see service during the construction period? I don't see how if they're working on the tracks themselves.
These switches are located between Nicollet Mall & Hennepin Ave and Park Ave and Portland Ave. No stations are directly impacted. But, I would think there will be intermittent closures of the entire line downtown to allow for these upgrades.

I also agree that it'll be like downtown St Paul.
I would call it "exposed" rather than "elevated". Makes me worry that it will be more likely for wayward drivers to get stuck. I'm imagining something like the crossovers next to TPT in downtown St. Paul, which also has a barrier wall between the travel lane and the tracks.

acs
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby acs » May 10th, 2016, 4:54 pm

http://finance-commerce.com/2016/05/bus ... t-quarter/

First quarter transit report is in. Overall ridership down 3 percent. Green line up 14%, Northstar up 5%, blue line down .5%. Fare increase on the horizon for 2017. Doesn't give an overall change for local buses, but Lamb blames the Nicollet mall double detour for a large loss in ridership that was apparently enough to sink the whole system.

jebr
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Re: Public Transit News and Current Happenings

Postby jebr » May 10th, 2016, 7:23 pm

I was honestly surprised when I looked back and saw that the fares haven't changed since 2008 (with the exception of the Northstar line, which didn't come online until 2009, if I remember correctly.) Hopefully it's a restructure instead of just a rate hike across the board (maybe $2 for local buses, $3 for express with no rush hour surcharge.)


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