Green Line Extension - Southwest LRT

[grant1simons2]

It would be fine by me with strict exterior facade requirements for bird safe glass. Cedar Lake is a host to a lot of special species that you typically don't find in large cities.

[Oreos&Milk]

While I agree that north of 394 would benefit from different zoning to take better advantage of its proximity to light rail, I'm honestly fine with 21st St. Station being the equivalent of the Minnehaha/50th Station on the Blue Line. It's where people will be able to take transit directly to a crown jewel of our park system.

It's serving a purpose even if that purpose isn't maximizing development potential.

I doubt there will ever be anything denser than a triplex next to 21st. And that's fine, since brownfield sites near Royalston and Bassett Creek are going to more than make up for it with the Transit 30 zoning.

Allow me to indulge in my 21st Street fantasy!!

A big beautiful bike trail on Cedarwood Rd that connects into WestEnd. (we need better online pictures of the West End skyline IMO)



A glorious wood bridge connecting "Cedar lake Point Beach" to "Cedar Lake East Beach"





From there it connects Eastward past the Green line station with MASSIVE amounts of bike parking ( say 200-300 with options to expand further based on demand) with an underground bike parking ramp!




Rides along 21st St. , Connects into the Lake of the Isle trail for a short jog,

then continues onward down Franklin Ave and connects into downtown via Hennepin Ave.



...while the station is not very "walkable" it could become a massive bikeable corridor connecting Westend to Downtown via a beautiful biking-friendly bike trail (bike lane in pinch-points) Along that way having options to switch modes of transit to LRT could be a great asset.! Riders could simply bike all the way into a underground bike parking ramp and take a few steps/ramp back up to the LRT station and hop onto a train.

In fact, this would even connect Lake Street to WestEnd via the Kenilworth trail! Sure maybe most bikes would simply decide to keep biking PAST the station on nice weather days and we would be building just another LRT station that connects to another "bike freeway" It would sure give a whole better intention to a "park and ride" than were used to..

Thanks for indulging me in with me on my fantasy.

[VacantLuxuries]

We already have a massive bikable corridor between West End and Downtown. It's called the North Cedar Trail, which now features two freight rail overpasses, the latest of which directly connects to bike lanes on Cedar Lake Road.

[DanPatchToget]

I like the idea of a boardwalk connecting Cedar Lake Point Beach and Cedar Lake East Beach. Would be a nice shortcut for people who don't want to walk/bike around the entire lake, and it would greatly improve accessibility to the 21st Street Station from the west side of the lake. Not sure homeowners on the lake and the Minneapolis Park & Rec Board would feel the same though.

[daveybabymsp]

I like the idea of a boardwalk connecting Cedar Lake Point Beach and Cedar Lake East Beach. Would be a nice shortcut for people who don't want to walk/bike around the entire lake, and it would greatly improve accessibility to the 21st Street Station from the west side of the lake. Not sure homeowners on the lake and the Minneapolis Park & Rec Board would feel the same though.

The bridge we need is across the skinny part of lake of the isles at 26th street


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[MNdible]

Or, let's not build any bridges across the lakes because it detracts from them.

[amiller92]

Or, let's not build any bridges across the lakes because it detracts from them.

The one over Nokomis is lightly-used due to construction separating it from 77/62 to the south. Cedar Avenue is temporarily so much better for it.

[daveybabymsp]

Or, let's not build any bridges across the lakes because it detracts from them.

Wood lake nature center in Richfield has a boardwalk going across the lake and I think most people would agree that it makes the park nicer.


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[DanPatchToget]

Or, let's not build any bridges across the lakes because it detracts from them.

Road bridges I agree, but I don't see how a boardwalk that's just for bikers and walkers can detract from lakes unless there's a lot of boat traffic, which Cedar Lake doesn't have.

[Bakken2016]

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... 22-22.aspx

Lots of good photos of construction of each Station area.

[DanPatchToget]

Wish they provided info on the progress of the new TC&W-MN&S freight rail connection. Ideally it would be completed this fall in time for grain harvesting and shipping.

[SurlyLHT]

I bike commute past the Bryn Mawr station every day. I have to say I don't get the point of the station. I say this as someone who bikes to it from Northside every day basically. It just isn't near the majority of the Bryn Mawr homes and people would have to walk through a crowded on/off ramps for 394 which is not safe and then across a long skyway to get to the station. When I bike pass as I go into Lowry Hill the skyway seems pretty far off in the distance. It would honestly be easier for folks from Lowry Hill to get to it then Northsiders. Maybe they should rename it, "Lowry Hill Station"

I see the bus and passenger drop-offs, but what kind of volume will they have in terms of passengers? I also don't see a lot of space here for TOD. (I guess the auto place and and lot next door to it?)

Overall I just don't see how they will get enough ridership where to warrant the station unless they cap 394 with TOD or start replacing single family homes.

Also...those ramps are treacherous for cyclists and walkers cars are flying on and off of them and some of them have blind spots so you can't even see the cars coming up the ramp until they are on you.

[alexschief]

I like how each station has a different motif expressed in those metal screens at the entry ramp. They all look very nice, but I'm especially fond of the tree in Eden Prairie Town Center Station and the circuit board at Golden Triangle Station. A nice cheap way to add decoration and local flavor to each stop.

[Hero]

I bike commute past the Bryn Mawr station every day. I have to say I don't get the point of the station. I say this as someone who bikes to it from Northside every day basically. It just isn't near the majority of the Bryn Mawr homes and people would have to walk through a crowded on/off ramps for 394 which is not safe and then across a long skyway to get to the station. When I bike pass as I go into Lowry Hill the skyway seems pretty far off in the distance. It would honestly be easier for folks from Lowry Hill to get to it then Northsiders. Maybe they should rename it, "Lowry Hill Station"

I see the bus and passenger drop-offs, but what kind of volume will they have in terms of passengers? I also don't see a lot of space here for TOD. (I guess the auto place and and lot next door to it?)

Overall I just don't see how they will get enough ridership where to warrant the station unless they cap 394 with TOD or start replacing single family homes.

Also...those ramps are treacherous for cyclists and walkers cars are flying on and off of them and some of them have blind spots so you can't even see the cars coming up the ramp until they are on you.

I'm not sure Lowry Hill would use the station much. Much of Lowry Hill is closer to the Bassett Creek station. The closest house to the Bryn Mawr station would be roughly the same distance according to google maps to 21st as Bryn Mawr (unless they cut through their back yard and repel down that steep hill).

A second look at google's satellite imagery reviles a possible shortcut.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kenwo ... 4?hl=en-GB

Here is someone apparently using it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9665567 ... 2?hl=en-GB

Maybe this will be improved into a more traditional path?

I find it puzzling they have half mile spacing for stations with limited development opportunity but 1 mile spacing in north where they could use a little TOD.

[SurlyLHT]

The best shortcut in Mpls is the trail along 394 from Kenwood to Penn. Folks living near there could use it to get to the station with more ease than those living in Bryn Mawr. (This is the blue.) You can see how it's a bit longer than the red line from Bryn Mawr.

Capture.PNG

"I find it puzzling they have half mile spacing for stations with limited development opportunity but 1 mile spacing in north where they could use a little TOD."

I think this comment is right on.

[Tcmetro]

It was partially a way to claim similar ridership numbers between the two final alignments. I recall ridership projections of ~ 1,000 per day for 21st St, but it's more likely to battle it out with Bloomington Central for least used station.

[Trademark]

I bike commute past the Bryn Mawr station every day. I have to say I don't get the point of the station. I say this as someone who bikes to it from Northside every day basically. It just isn't near the majority of the Bryn Mawr homes and people would have to walk through a crowded on/off ramps for 394 which is not safe and then across a long skyway to get to the station. When I bike pass as I go into Lowry Hill the skyway seems pretty far off in the distance. It would honestly be easier for folks from Lowry Hill to get to it then Northsiders. Maybe they should rename it, "Lowry Hill Station"

I see the bus and passenger drop-offs, but what kind of volume will they have in terms of passengers? I also don't see a lot of space here for TOD. (I guess the auto place and and lot next door to it?)

Overall I just don't see how they will get enough ridership where to warrant the station unless they cap 394 with TOD or start replacing single family homes.

Also...those ramps are treacherous for cyclists and walkers cars are flying on and off of them and some of them have blind spots so you can't even see the cars coming up the ramp until they are on you.

When the green line extension opens they should study extending the C line to Bryn Mawr station possibly curving towards west end. It would connect the Northside to the Southwest line so much better and it's not far from downtown with only 2 stations between it and target field. Keep the D line running thru downtown.

[SurlyLHT]

I bike commute past the Bryn Mawr station every day. I have to say I don't get the point of the station. I say this as someone who bikes to it from Northside every day basically. It just isn't near the majority of the Bryn Mawr homes and people would have to walk through a crowded on/off ramps for 394 which is not safe and then across a long skyway to get to the station. When I bike pass as I go into Lowry Hill the skyway seems pretty far off in the distance. It would honestly be easier for folks from Lowry Hill to get to it then Northsiders. Maybe they should rename it, "Lowry Hill Station"

I see the bus and passenger drop-offs, but what kind of volume will they have in terms of passengers? I also don't see a lot of space here for TOD. (I guess the auto place and and lot next door to it?)

Overall I just don't see how they will get enough ridership where to warrant the station unless they cap 394 with TOD or start replacing single family homes.

Also...those ramps are treacherous for cyclists and walkers cars are flying on and off of them and some of them have blind spots so you can't even see the cars coming up the ramp until they are on you.

When the green line extension opens they should study extending the C line to Bryn Mawr station possibly curving towards west end. It would connect the Northside to the Southwest line so much better and it's not far from downtown with only 2 stations between it and target field. Keep the D line running thru downtown.

Extending the C Line south to 394 will add time, and they would have to see if that's warranted. I live off the C line and when I drive it's quicker to take 55 vs 394 to the Downtown Target for pickup orders.

[Trademark]

I bike commute past the Bryn Mawr station every day. I have to say I don't get the point of the station. I say this as someone who bikes to it from Northside every day basically. It just isn't near the majority of the Bryn Mawr homes and people would have to walk through a crowded on/off ramps for 394 which is not safe and then across a long skyway to get to the station. When I bike pass as I go into Lowry Hill the skyway seems pretty far off in the distance. It would honestly be easier for folks from Lowry Hill to get to it then Northsiders. Maybe they should rename it, "Lowry Hill Station"

I see the bus and passenger drop-offs, but what kind of volume will they have in terms of passengers? I also don't see a lot of space here for TOD. (I guess the auto place and and lot next door to it?)

Overall I just don't see how they will get enough ridership where to warrant the station unless they cap 394 with TOD or start replacing single family homes.

Also...those ramps are treacherous for cyclists and walkers cars are flying on and off of them and some of them have blind spots so you can't even see the cars coming up the ramp until they are on you.

When the green line extension opens they should study extending the C line to Bryn Mawr station possibly curving towards west end. It would connect the Northside to the Southwest line so much better and it's not far from downtown with only 2 stations between it and target field. Keep the D line running thru downtown.

Extending the C Line south to 394 will add time, and they would have to see if that's warranted. I live off the C line and when I drive it's quicker to take 55 vs 394 to the Downtown Target for pickup orders.

Would it really take longer to go to downtown? Bryn Mawr station is one mile to the south. The green line will be grade separated almost completely from Bryn Mawr into target field station, so it should be very quick heading into downtown. It would also eliminate the need for a two to three block walk between the C line and the Blue and Green lines.

Also, not all transit trips are headed for downtown. In North Minneapolis alone the 9, 14, D line, 22, future blue line, and future green line are all available for passengers to use to go downtown. But having the green line right at the edge of the northside and not having any connections to major northside buses is a huge missed opportunity. Van white station will be difficult as running along van white blvd involves a lot of curves, and stop signs and i think we should leave the D line's routing alone as it already connects to the southside on Chicago Avenue. Bryn Mawr station is the logical place for that north south connection.

[DanPatchToget]

This is a wee bit into fantasy territory, but the mention of connecting the C Line with one of the Southwest LRT stations has me thinking how the C Line could be a north side to southwest suburb connector, a downtown bypass route, and still extending it through South Minneapolis. What comes to mind for me is south on Penn to Glenwood, east on Glenwood to Van White, south on Van White to the Basset Creek Valley Station, then back on Van White/Dunwoody to Lyndale, south on Lyndale to Franklin, east on Franklin to Cedar, and south on Cedar.

Having to transfer at Basset Creek to the Green Line to reach downtown or further east isn't ideal, but when the Blue Line Extension opens that should be a quick one transfer ride to downtown. This would give the north side good access towards the southwest suburbs, a large segment of Franklin would have aBRT, and this hypothetical C Line extension would also connect with a few major routes south of downtown (E Line, D Line, Blue Line, etc.).