Posts Tagged ‘Metro Transit’
Metro Transit: December Disaster!
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON The latest news out of Metro Transit isn’t good. Thanks to a shortage of drivers, one of the worst cutbacks in recent years is coming soon. Unlike past cutbacks, this isn’t due to lack of funding, lack of riders, or a pandemic. It is literally because they can’t hire enough drivers. As of 15 October 2022, Route 27 (26th/28th Streets between Hiawatha and I-35W) has been suspended. People are recommended to take Route 21 (Lake Street) instead. In addition, the following cutbacks in the Phillips community will start 3 December 2022:The Orange Line will be reduced from once every 15 minutes to once every half hour during the weekday midday period.Route 9 is being reduced from once every half hour to once an hour except during rush hours.Route 67 is being reduced from once every half hour to once an hour except during rush hours. Many other transit routes in various areas of the Twin Cities are also being cut. However, the 9 and the 67 are pretty [...]
METRO TRANSIT
More Transit, and Less By JOHN CHARLES WILSON I’ve been writing about this for over a year now, so you should know I am excited that the Orange Line starts Saturday, 4 December 2021! There will be a Grand Opening at the I-35W and Lake St. station at 1 PM, with local entertainment and food vendors from 2 to 4. The station is already open and being used by regular buses. It is a lot better than the old stops at the sides of I-35W that were at the top of crumbling staircases. Unfortunately, along with the good news, there is bad news for transit riders in the Twin Cities. Due to a shortage of bus and train operators, schedules are being cut by 5 percent overall at the same time the Orange Line starts. Affected routes in the Phillips neighborhood are: The Orange Line will replace Route 535.Route 2 will run every 12 minutes instead of every 10.Route 5 will have schedule times adjusted to reflect actual travel times and will run every 10 minutes.Route 9 will have schedule [...]
Onward, Funding Transit!
By JOHN CHARLES WILSONÂ METRO TRANSITÂ October 2020 has been an excellent month for Twin Cities transit enthusiasts. We are finally getting guaranteed funding for three and a half projects: â— The Federal Transit Administration made a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the State of Minnesota for the Green Line extension to Eden Prairie. This provides $928.8 million towards the $2,002 million needed for the project, with the remainder being funded locally. Construction has been under way for two years, and completion is expected by 2023. â— The Minnesota House passed an infrastructure bonding bill which provides funds to start construction of the B and D Lines, which are bus rapid transit. The B Line is planned for Lake Street as a faster version of Route 21, similar to Route 53 except for using Selby Ave. in Saint Paul rather than I-94. The D Line will be a faster version of Route 5, serving the Chicago Ave. S. and Fremont Ave. N. corridors. [...]
