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Commuter bus to Minneapolis starts Jan. 7 |
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Monday, 31 December 2007 |
New express bus service will be offered, beginning Monday between the
new Forest Lake Transit Center and downtown Minneapolis, thanks to
emergency transit funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Route 288, a one-year demonstration route, will provide relief at the
crowded 95th Avenue Park & Ride in Blaine and is part of a larger
transit response to mitigate the impacts of the I-35W bridge collapse.
The service is offered by the Metropolitan Council, using a contract
provider, with planning assistance from Metro Transit and the Rush Line
Corridor Task Force, a joint powers board of counties and cities along
a corridor from St. Paul through Hinckley, Minnesota.
Studies by the Rush Line Corridor Task Force, along with a recent
license plate survey at the crowded 95th Avenue facility show
significant park-and-ride usage by commuters from Forest Lake and the
areas north and east of the city. Council and local officials say
now’s the time to test the viability of express service between Forest
Lake’s Transit Center and 300-plus space park-and-ride, and downtown
Minneapolis.
“The demonstration route gives us an opportunity to address two
regional mobility issues at once,” said Council Chair Peter Bell.
“It’ll help put additional transit service on the streets in the wake
of the bridge collapse, and it’ll help to determine the ridership
demand and market for this service in the longer term.”
“As Chair of the Rush Line Corridor Task Force I am pleased to see
increased transit service in the east metro,” said Ramsey County
Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt. “And, with the help of the
Legislature, we look forward to building on this beginning by offering
service from North Branch to St. Paul, which will connect to
Metropolitan Council service to Minneapolis at Forest Lake.”
Five morning and five afternoon trips aboard coach buses will offer
30-minute frequency. The first morning and the last afternoon trip will
operate only between Forest Lake and 95th Avenue.
Those first and last trips will be timed to connect with Express Route
250 at the 95th Avenue Park & Ride for Minneapolis service. In
addition, the buses will have the time-saving advantage of being able
to use shoulders for the majority of the route.
The fare during the one-year demonstration period will be $2.75. Route
288 customers benefit from the same fare cards and transfer policies as
riders throughout the regional transit system.
“We wouldn’t have been ready for this service if it hadn’t been for the
partnership between Washington County and the Rush Line Corridor Task
Force to complete the Forest Lake Transit Center,” said Washington
County Commissioner Dennis Hegberg of Forest Lake.
“Support from U.S. Representatives Oberstar and Bachmann and State
Senator Vandeveer was critical in securing funding for the Transit
Center,” he said.
“In addition, I believe the success of the Minneapolis service will
speed up the introduction of more service by the Metropolitan Council,
including routes to St. Paul.”
For route and schedule information call Metro Transit’s Transit Information Center at 612-373-3333.
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the
seven-county Twin Cities area. The MC runs the regional bus and light
rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water
resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide
housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and
families.
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