‘Transit’ Archives
Thoughts and Prayers
METRO TRANSIT By JOHN CHARLES WILSON Starting with a prayer, or a thought, for our transit-riding friends in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Portland, who are going to lose vast amounts of service due to Covid-19 special funding ending. In the Twin Cities, we are very fortunate that the Minnesota Legislature granted Metro Transit a dedicated tax sufficient to avoid such a fate, and even to make serious improvements. A set of these improvements went into effect 16 August 2025. None of them directly affect the Phillips Community, but they may be useful to alley readers who travel throughout the Metro area. One improvement a few months ago in the Phillips Community was revival of Route 27, which was suspended during the pandemic. The current version of Route 27 provides closer access to East and West Lake Street businesses from the residential areas along East 26th and 28th Streets. Here’s a special shoutout to Will Netzley, who took the time to write a Letter [...]
Be Glad For the B Line
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON The Metro Transit bus service changes on 14 June 2025 were a real boon to the Phillips neighborhood, as I can guess many alley readers already know. The centerpiece of transit improvements, the B Line, replaced the infamous Route 21. Going 20 percent faster and without the time-consuming jog through Midway Shopping Center on the way to Saint Paul, this modern version of Selby-Lake goodness will make life easier for a lot of us. Other bus routes that were improved at the same time: Route 2 (Franklin Ave) now runs every 10 minutes during the day and every half hour at night.Route 11 now runs every 15 minutes during the day, even on Sunday, and every half hour at night. All trips now go as far north as Columbia Heights.Route 27, which was suspended for COVID, came back to parts of the 26th/28th Street one-way pair, providing a less congested alternative to Lake Street for people in the residential areas nearby.People going to downtown Saint Paul can [...]
New Bus News
from the series Metro Transit By JOHN CHARLES WILSON Saturday, March 22 was the start date for Metro Transit service changes in the Phillips Community and throughout the Twin Cities. Changes affecting Phillips are: The D Line had schedule adjustments on early morning and late night trips to ease connections in downtown Minneapolis.The Route 2 layover, which used to be between Franklin and 22nd on Hennepin, is now located where the bus turns the corner onto Dupont.Eastbound weekday trips on Route 9 between 2:30 and 9:30 PM now arrive 3 minutes earlier; westbound trips arriving at Hedberg and Greenbrier at 5:18 and 6:17 PM now end at Louisiana Transit Center instead.Route 18 trip times have been adjusted to reflect real travel times.Route 21 now has different stops in downtown Saint Paul.Route 22 trip times have been adjusted for I-94 construction.Route 67 has been extended to Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul. In addition, all Sunday trips will now continue to Franklin and [...]
