Re: Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project
Posted: February 16th, 2021, 1:28 am
Was there a local route serving 50th Street Station at one point? I recall seeing a bus connection available on an old transit map I had.
Architecture, Development, and Infrastructure of the Twin Cities
https://urbanmsp.com/
Because the Mall of America is a big destination from Richfield. And they are trying to keep the 515 high frequency. If people are going to the VA they can catch the blue line from moa. But that area of Minneapolis just isn't a huge draw.The reasoning stated in the presentation behind abandoning the 515 branch to the VA and the branch down Longfellow Ave is to serve Bloomington Ave south of 66th. What I don't understand is why not extend route 14 instead since it is already on Bloomington Ave and ends at 66th? Then they wouldn't abandon the VA or the airport workers they mentioned in the presentation.
Looking at these southern routes I find myself jealous of the east/west routes available. Maybe some day routes 23 and 46 can get higher frequency or maybe a new route could be added on 35th, 42nd or 58th.
I believe the 7 used to stop at 50th, but they moved that connection to 46th, since the bus could stay on 34th Ave S for a longer stretch and better connect with the train.Was there a local route serving 50th Street Station at one point? I recall seeing a bus connection available on an old transit map I had.
I live a block south of the 50th Street LRT station and would sometimes use the 515 to supplement my commute from Best Buy campus when I worked there. I took the train to MOA and the 540 or 542 to the campus most often, but sometimes, if I caught the 535 to 66th and then the 515 to the VA, I could shave about 4 minutes off of my commute (vs. going to MOA and taking the train). However, since the 515 only had one of the 4 high frequency buses that went to the VA, if I missed the connection, I was screwed. So unless I was certain I could make the connection (this was just at the start of the real time info being available), I typically took the more trustworthy connection via MOA.I believe the 7 used to stop at 50th, but they moved that connection to 46th, since the bus could stay on 34th Ave S for a longer stretch and better connect with the train.Was there a local route serving 50th Street Station at one point? I recall seeing a bus connection available on an old transit map I had.
I'm curious what the ridership numbers are for route 515. Looks like Southdale to MOA will have six buses an hour (two from route 538) and if route 515 didn't go to MOA people could transfer to high frequency route 5 at Portland Ave to reach MOA.Because the Mall of America is a big destination from Richfield. And they are trying to keep the 515 high frequency. If people are going to the VA they can catch the blue line from moa. But that area of Minneapolis just isn't a huge draw.
I think 515 to MOA would be better and D line connect to Orange Line instead of MOAI'm curious what the ridership numbers are for route 515. Looks like Southdale to MOA will have six buses an hour (two from route 538) and if route 515 didn't go to MOA people could transfer to high frequency route 5 at Portland Ave to reach MOA.Because the Mall of America is a big destination from Richfield. And they are trying to keep the 515 high frequency. If people are going to the VA they can catch the blue line from moa. But that area of Minneapolis just isn't a huge draw.
So the Orange Line Connecting Bus Study originally had more improvements in Minneapolis, but then Covid hit and with budget issues the planners focused on making sure good connections existed in Bloomington and Richfield where the least amount of service currently exists. They do plan on revisiting it in the future.Yeah it was pretty striking to me how Minneapolis barely appeared in the bus network report. The most generous interpretation is that this will be reviewed in the near future as part of a more comprehensive plan. The most cynical interpretation is that this project is first and foremost a highway reconstruction, and so serving Minneapolis has never been a priority.
I'm curious why route 515 to MOA would be preferred over the D line to MOA? If I had to guess I'd imagine more people would need to transfer in this configuration than if the D line went to MOA.I think 515 to MOA would be better and D line connect to Orange Line instead of MOA
Wouldn’t that make northbound NO578 and southbound SO578?The express busses that will use orange line stations need some type of orange line branding. Maybe an O before the number to signify that this bus will stop at least at Lake and 46th. Otherwise people will end up waiting longer for a bus that will take them where they want to go.
Example O578 to Southdale via Orange Line
Exactly! Jarret Walker does this type of thing a lot on his maps. Not everyone will notice it but enough people will that it will help with capacity at peak hours which could easily become an issue on this corridor. I really feel like these buses will be packed at rush hour.Pittsburgh already does this. The city has three dedicated busways, and you can tell if a bus runs on them if there is a letter in front of the route number. For example, the P7 bus to McKeesport runs along the East Busway, which is noted in purple on Port Authority Transit maps.
This is my take as well. People would have to look up what the ‘O’ in front of the route number meant, and many would interpret it as a zero. It would really only help southbound riders going to Lake St. or 46th. I’d assume northbound riders would be able to figure out they can take any bus that stops at the station by looking at the destination sign. Also, I don’t believe all 35W corridor buses will serve 46th, so it would only be a handful of routes that add to the Orange Line service.Let's not confuse people even more with figuring out the bus system. The Orange Line will operate frequently enough that I don't think most people will care if there's an express bus with a small number of trips during peak time that can get them to their destination slightly faster than the Orange Line. We can simply put info at Orange Line stations showing regular bus routes that also serve that particular stop, as well as how to get to certain destinations (e.g. Southdale Center via Orange Line and 515, 50th & France via Orange Line and 46, etc.).
They should be required to stop there. We shouldn't gatekeep access.This is my take as well. People would have to look up what the ‘O’ in front of the route number meant, and many would interpret it as a zero. It would really only help southbound riders going to Lake St. or 46th. I’d assume northbound riders would be able to figure out they can take any bus that stops at the station by looking at the destination sign. Also, I don’t believe all 35W corridor buses will serve 46th, so it would only be a handful of routes that add to the Orange Line service.Let's not confuse people even more with figuring out the bus system. The Orange Line will operate frequently enough that I don't think most people will care if there's an express bus with a small number of trips during peak time that can get them to their destination slightly faster than the Orange Line. We can simply put info at Orange Line stations showing regular bus routes that also serve that particular stop, as well as how to get to certain destinations (e.g. Southdale Center via Orange Line and 515, 50th & France via Orange Line and 46, etc.).