By JOHN CHARLES WILSON
The next Metro Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority service changes are coming Saturday, 2 December 2023. Watch for the following changes which affect the Phillips neighborhood:
Routes 9 and 67 will have minor schedule adjustments to accommodate routing changes.
Route 21 will run to Saint Paul every 15 minutes instead of every half hour, from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. It will also not serve the Uptown Transit Center because of construction, instead it will go via Lake Street and Lagoon Avenue to France Avenue. This is like the planned route for the B Line Bus Rapid Transit, expected to be coming in June 2025.
Route 467 will have minor schedule changes to reflect actual travel times.
Route 465 (MVTA) will have an additional trip northbound from Burnsville at 9:20 AM because of high ridership to the University of Minnesota near that time.
Just a reminder: Metro Transit and MVTA typically run Saturday schedules on most routes, with a few exceptions, on Black Friday and Christmas Eve. They have also occasionally run reduced schedules on New Year’s Eve. This year, there may not be any reductions for Christmas and New Year’s Eves, since Christmas and New Year’s Days are on Mondays, however it makes sense to stay aware.
Metro Transit is trying to alleviate the safety and security concerns people are having, including using fare enforcement as a tool to keep order, on the theory that disorderly people don’t pay their fares. While this is probably true, it also has the possibility of tripping up innocent people. Always pay your fare. If you can’t afford it, try to get on their Transit Assistance Program. Always tap your card. Don’t lose your transfer or ticket. Stay safe!
John Charles Wilson is a transit enthusiast who has been interested in this field since the 1970s.
