It probably seems like years ago. But, in actual time, it’s only been four months since February 2020. That’s when the Minnesota Legislature began debating a policy to change policing on Metro Transit trains and buses. At the time, the debate centered around a “law and order” narrative. Everyone at the capitol seemed to agree […]
A few weeks ago, I spoke to an older couple who, over the course of our conversation, mentioned that they had both attended the University of Minnesota. I am not a Gopher alum, but I did live near to the campus for a couple of years, on a little stub of 4th Street SE near […]
Here’s a cool chart shared on Twitter by a researcher at the Manhattan Institute, showing expected v. actual ridership numbers for different light rail lines around the country. I am one of the people that always assumes transit planners low-ball the ridership predictions, so that they can announce (often right away) that the new transit […]
If you have have driven, biked, walked, or heard the news in the southwest metro, you might be seeing construction. Especially with biking, this has caused an inconvenience for biking around. Many trails have been closed for multiple years, and detours are in place. However, I was curious and wanted to see the construction. I […]
Yes, I do enjoy it when the Sunday Summary and the start of a new week land on the first day of a new month. Here’s the end of August from streets.mn Big picture Evan Roberts writes Minneapolis Needs Better Street Design, but Minnesota Needs Better Enforcement and shifts the focus of enforcement saying, “An […]
Last week, Metro Transit replaced overnight service on the Green Line with buses. Maintenance needs are the main reason that overnight Green Line service needs to end, according to Metro Transit officials. “We are making this change to allow for safer and more timely maintenance along the Green Line corridor,” said Metro Transit General Manager […]
These are not good times for bus ridership. It’s down 7 percent in the Twin Cities metro area for the first half of 2019 compared with 2018. In contrast, Green Line light rail ridership is up 5 percent, the Blue Line is down only 1 percent and the Northstar line is down 3 percent. What’s […]
If you’re an urban planner or someone curious about the field, you’ve probably heard of transit-oriented development (TOD). It’s an important consideration for transitway projects like Metro Transit’s Green Line and Blue Line, but probably isn’t of much interest to most people. Several other TODs may have more appeal, such as Tangerine-Orange Daiquiris, Tacos on […]
From synchronized signal timing and safer cycling on University Avenue to traffic-calming measures on a really busy street, here are ways to improve the Green Line.
You may have read the rumors that Metro Transit is going to cut overnight service on the Green Line, due in part to to too many people using the trains as shelter. It’s a tough situation, to say the least, pitting public transit against the basic human right to security and a roof over one’s […]