Metro (Minnesota)
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Metro (styled as METRO) is a
Prior to August 17, 2019, service along the entire length of the Green Line operated
In the 1970s, roughly contemporaneous with the construction of
In 1999, the Minnesota Legislature approved funding for the first line (the present
Current system
Lines
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – Mall of America
- Union Depot
- Orange Line: Downtown Minneapolis – Burnsville Heart of the City
- Apple Valley Transit Station
- A Line: 46th Street station – Rosedale Transit Center
- C Line: Downtown Minneapolis – Brooklyn Center Transit Center
- D Line: Mall of America – Brooklyn Center Transit Center
The current Metro system consists of seven Lines. There are two
Together, the two light rail lines run on 21.8 miles (35.1 km) of route.[13][14] There are a total of 121 stations; five shared between the Green and Blue Lines in downtown Minneapolis, one shared at the Mall of America between the Blue, Red, and D Lines, one shared at 46th Street station between the Blue and the A Lines, one shared at Snelling Avenue station between the Green and the A Lines, the C and D lines share 3 stations in Brooklyn Center and 6 in Downtown Minneapolis. 13 Stations are exclusively for the Blue Line, 16 for the Green Line, 12 for the Orange Line, 4 for the Red Line, 18 for the A Line, 11 for the C Line, and 30 for the D Line. The main hub of the system is Target Field Station in Minneapolis, Mall of America Station is also a hub, and Saint Paul Union Depot is envisioned as an additional future hub.
Most trains and buses run at least every 15 minutes throughout the day, with reduced schedules at night and on weekends. All stations have electronic displays that show predicted real-time departure information, known as NexTrip. Predicted real-time departure information is also available through Metro Transit's website.
Fares
Metro uses a proof-of-payment system, requiring riders to carry tickets at all times. Fares are purchased before boarding, either at ticket machines located in the stations or by scanning a Go-To card at dedicated pedestals. Tickets are valid for 2 1/2 hours after purchase. An unlimited number of transfers between Metro lines and Metro Transit bus routes, within the same fare level, are allowed within this period.[15] Within the two Downtown Zones of Minneapolis and St. Paul, tickets are 50¢; otherwise they follow normal Metro Transit fares:[16]
- Adults: $2.50 rush hour, $2 otherwise
- Seniors, Youth, Medicare Card Holders: $2.50 rush hour, $1 otherwise
- Persons with Disability: $1
- Children under 6: Free with paying rider. Limit is 3.
- Express Bus: $3.25 rush hour, $2.25 otherwise
(Rush hour is classified as Monday - Friday, 6-9 am & 3-6:30 pm)
In addition, passes are available for various lengths of time or numbers of trips at appropriate discounts.
All University of Minnesota undergraduate and graduate students (that pay the Transportation and Safety fee) are provided a Universal Transit Pass through their U-Cards. This allows Student-IDs to be used for unlimited rides on all regular route transit busses, Light Rail and Bus Rapid Transit, as well a reduced fare on the Northstar Line commuter rail.[17] Staff at the Twin Cities Campus may be eligible for a Metropass, this pass allows all the same benefits as the Universal Transit Pass, without the fare reduction on the Northstar Line. As of January 2023, cost of this pass is $83 per month. This will reach a break even point after between 26 and 33 trips per month.[18]
Passengers at
Future
Several expansion projects are planned for the Metro system, at various stages of completion. These include both light rail extensions and connecting bus rapid transit services. Other Transit projects are under planning stages by other organizations in the region, these may be operated or integrated in the METRO system in the future.
Under construction
The Green Line extension (also known as the Southwest LRT) is an under construction expansion of the Green Line, to run from Target Field Station to several southwestern suburbs. The project was given federal approval in November 2018, and ground was broken on construction on November 30, 2018.[20] Completion of the project is expected in 2027, at an expected cost of over US$2 billion. It will be the largest infrastructure project in state history.[21]
The Gold Line is an under construction bus rapid transit route to run along Interstate 94 from Woodbury to downtown Saint Paul along Mounds Boulevard. Once in downtown it would travel from the Saint Paul Union Depot, through downtown before terminating near United Hospital.[22] The project will use dedicated lanes while running along I-94. Construction on the project began in October 2022 with service on the line expected to begin in 2025.[23]
Engineering and environmental assessment phases
The
The project is currently in an engineering and design phase, this should be complete in 2023. Construction is expected to begin in 2024, with operation beginning in 2026.The B Line is an arterial bus rapid transit route undergoing engineering and design for the Twin Cities' Lake Street/Marshall Avenue corridor, running from Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood [27] to downtown Saint Paul along Selby Avenue. This line will largely replace route 21 and will connect with ten current or planned METRO Lines,[28][29] Station design is complete with beginning of construction anticipated in 2023.
The
Planned projects
The Blue Line extension (known as
The
The
Proposed projects
The next three arterial bus rapid transit lines have been proposed. The G Line, and H Line would serve the corridor, Rice Street and Robert Street corridors, and an alignment from downtown Minneapolis to the East Side of Saint Paul along Como Avenue respectively. The three lines are planned to be built by 2030.[36][37]
There are also numerous proposals in early planning stages for routes along
Operations
The Metro system's rail lines use a combination of exclusive and shared right-of-way, depending on the circumstances. Within the two Downtown Zones, trains run on surface streets in an exclusive right-of-way, without
Since the completion of three-car station extensions in winter 2010, Metro Transit operates one-, two- and three-car trains on the Blue Line, depending on the time of day and ridership needs. Many stations on the line were initially built to be capable of serving only one- or two-car trains, as a cost-saving measure; all of the shorter platforms were designed and built with future extension in mind and currently all stations are capable of serving three-car trains. The Green Line was built with three-car platforms at all stations.
Rolling stock
Currently three models of LRVs run in the Metro system.
Type I LRVs are
Type II LRVs are
Type III LRVS are
Map
See also
- Northstar Line
- Metro Transit (Minnesota)
- Minneapolis Streetcar System
- List of tram and light rail transit systems
- List of United States light rail systems by ridership
- List of North American light rail systems by ridership
References
- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Combs, Marianne (May 17, 2019). "Green Line pulls back some overnight service". MPR News. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Routes will change Aug. 17". www.metrotransit.org. 2020. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ Moore, Janet (August 19, 2019). "'Transit is not a shelter': Green Line curtails all-night service". Star Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Online Schedules – METRO Green Line". Metro Transit. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "Metro Transit – Online Schedules – METRO Blue Line". www.metrotransit.org.
- ^ "Metro Transit – Online Schedules – METRO Green Line". www.metrotransit.org.
- ^ "Airport - Metro Transit". www.metrotransit.org. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "Special Review Hiawatha Avenue Light Rail Transit Line". OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR STATE OF MINNESOTA. March 1, 2002. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "News Updates & Events – Metro Transit". www.metrotransit.org.
- ^ "Welcome to the expanding METRO network". Metro Transit. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "METRO Blue Line – Facts About Trains and Construction". Metro Transit. 2013. Archived from the original on February 14, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ "Metro Green Line Fact Sheet". Metropolitan Council. 2014. Archived from the original on June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ "Transfers". Metro Transit. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "Fares". Metro Transit. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "Universal Transit Pass". University of Minnesota – Parking and Transportation Services. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "Metropass (staff/faculty) | University of Minnesota – Parking and Transportation Services". Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "Between the terminals". Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ "Federal, state and local officials break ground on Southwest LRT". Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ "SWLRT GETS CRITICAL APPROVAL FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION". Metropolitan Council. November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ "General Project Fact Sheet" (PDF).
- ^ Moore, Janet (October 19, 2022). "Construction officially begins on Gold Line BRT linking St. Paul and Woodbury". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^ "Rush Line BRT Project". Ramsey County. August 28, 2017.
- ^ Moore, Janet (May 18, 2021). "Rush Line assessment 'major milestone' for east metro transit project". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ Weniger, Deanna (May 11, 2021). "Rush Line bus route linking St. Paul-White Bear Lake clears hurdle. Public comment period ahead". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ "METRO B Line (Lake Street / Marshall Avenue)". Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ "St. Paul chamber, mayor call for new B Line bus to extend to downtown St. Paul". May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ Roth, Katie; Smith, Adam (October 28, 2019). "METRO B Line Update and Preliminary Recommendations". Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^ "E Line (Hennepin Avenue rapid bus project)". Retrieved May 24, 2019.
- ^ "METRO E Line Corridor Study". Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Project partners announce new direction for METRO Blue Line Extension". August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ "Reboot of Bottineau Blue Line LRT would better serve north Minneapolis". Star Tribune. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "F Line Project". Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Melo, Fredrick (December 14, 2017). "Panel approves St. Paul-to-airport streetcar concept, but much more work to come". Pioneer Press. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
- ^ Harlow, Tim (February 19, 2021). "Metro Transit eyes Central Avenue for next BRT line". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ Roth, Katie. "Network Next Outcomes: F, G, H Line Recommendations". metrotransit.org. Metro Transit. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ "Transportation Committee Meeting July 26, 2010". Metropolitan Council. July 26, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2010.
- ^ "Twin Cities' Metropolitan Council Chooses Siemens to Provide New Light Rail Vehicles". Mass Transit. October 28, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ ISSN 1460-8324.
- ^ "Southwest LRT Project Update". Metropolitan Council. May 13, 2020. p. 6. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ISSN 1460-8324.
- ISSN 0160-6913.
External links
Media related to Metro Transit (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) at Wikimedia Commons